BY TYLER BUI
Ashwood Farm, owned and operated by Mary Ann Thomas with the help of her two daughters Abby and Emmalee Funk, has collected a multitude of accolades this summer.
Most recently, their team completed two successful weeks at Traverse City Horse Shows in Traverse City, MI, finishing off the venue’s spring circuit and diving into the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival.
After making the trip up north, the Wellington-based farm brought home four championships and two reserve championship titles at Traverse City Spring Horse Show III.
Abby and Kingsley took home the Conformation Hunter 3’6”-3’9” Championship, with four wins and the Young Hunter 2’9” 5 & Under Championship on Swoon with another four victories. She rode to the Green Hunter 3’3” Reserve Championship with Mr. Special, taking home three blues over fences.
Student Campbell Brown and Indira were crowned champions of the 1.30m division. Brown also rode to the Reserve Championship in the Low Junior/Amateur Jumpers with Galetta Lavsca Hje.
Sophia Ashley and Silk Sonic brought home the Low Children’s Hunter 2’6” Championship with a pair of firsts and a second.
Riding strong into the first week of the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF), Ashwood’s riders took home another sweep of top finishes.
Abby and Kingsley took the blue in the USHJA Green Incentive 3’6”-3’9” and were also crowned the Conformation Hunter 3’6”- 4’ Champions. She and Mr. Special brought home four top-five finishes in the Green Hunter 3’3” Division, and on Medallion, Funk rode strongly in the Green Hunter 3’ division.
Brown showed her versatility across divisions, recording a top 10 finish in the USEF Medal with Erios De Caryan and riding to a top five finish in the Medium Junior/Amateur Jumpers.
Sophia Ashley and Silk Sonic also switched up divisions, completing three speedy rounds in the jumper ring, with three wins in the .85m and .95m divisions.
The success hasn’t just come in Michigan; they first made a pit stop in Kentucky, where they contested the Split Rock Jumping Tour’s Hunter-Jumper events in Lexington.
Brown had flying rounds in the jumper ring, taking home the win in the $1,000 Vitalize 1.30m Junior Power/Speed and second in the $5,000 Vitalize 1.30m Junior Jumper Final on her mount Indira. Paired with Galetta Lavsca Hje, she was first in the Gallagher’s Water 1.15m class and fourth in the $1,000 1.20m Junior Power/Speed. Brown took home another pair of seconds in the $1,000 1.20m Junior Speed and $1,000 1.20m Junior Power/Speed classes on her mounts Diamond and Ice.
In the hunter ring, Abby and Kingsley took home the Green Hunter Conformation Reserve Championship during Week 2. Abby additionally rode to the Reserve Championship in the 7-Year-Old Jumper division on Pepijn Van Het Gavershof.
“We have had such a wonderful time in Traverse City and Kentucky this Summer. The shows are wonderfully run, and I am so proud of all of our horses and riders,” says Thomas. “It’s always exciting to see their hard work reflected in results, and we are looking forward to the remainder of the summer as we travel back to the Kentucky Horse Park.”
For more information on Ashwood Farm, click here.
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