Tag Archives: Ashlee Bond

Ashlee Bond and Donatello 141 Win $146k Palm Beach County Sports Commission CSI3* Grand Prix

Ashlee Bond & Donatello 141. Photo © Sportfot

Ashlee Bond and her horse, Donatello 141, secured a thrilling win during ESP Spring III at the $146,000 Palm Beach County Sports Commission CSI3* Grand Prix, impressing the audience with their exceptional performance.

“He’s very good at turning and slicing and he’s just so adjustable. He’s not a big-strided horse, but he moves really fast. So even if I’m doing an add somewhere, it’s usually faster.”

The derby field at the Equestrian Village received rave reviews during Spring III, and Bond echoed the sentiments, saying, “I just love the derby field because I find that the ground is so good, so the horses love jumping on it. Everyone at Wellington does such a wonderful job of maintaining this arena. I think it’s one of the best in the world.”

Bond has an action-packed couple of months ahead of her, noting, “There was an open spot at the Invitational, so I’m going to take Donnie to that, since he hasn’t really done much. Then I’ll be coming back to Wellington. Then I head out to do Old Salem and Devon, which I’ve never done, so I’m super excited. Then I’ll come back to Wellington and I’ll go to work for like three weeks, and then Donnie and I have the Olympic qualification for Israel in Prague at the end of July.”

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Ashlee Bond Is Best with Donatello 141 in CSI5* WEF Challenge Cup Round 7

Ashlee Bond & Donatello 141. Photo © Sportfot.

Israel’s Ashlee Bond and Donatello 141 were lightning fast during the $78,000 CSI5* Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round 7 in the International Arena on Thursday during the Winter Equestrian Festival’s (WEF) Week 7, sponsored by Lugano Diamonds.

Fifty contenders tackled the Steve Stephens (USA) track where some of the easy favorites fell victim to a testing course. Fourteen advanced to the tie-breaking jump-off, including Bond and her trusted partner, “Donnie.”

Small in stature and stride but massive in heart, Donatello 141, a 12-year-old Westphalian gelding (Diarado x Lamoureux I) stopped the short course timers at 32.62 seconds. The seasoned partnership between Bond and Donatello 141 was obvious as they pipped Jessica Mendoza’s more than respectable time of 33.39 seconds. Mendoza (GBR) and her own Play settled for second while Belgium’s Jos Verlooy and Igor finished third on a time of 33.89 seconds for owners Eurohorse BVBA.

Catoki Takes Over WEF 7

Two-time Olympic team gold medalist for the U.S. McLain Ward kicked off WEF 7 with a win in the $39,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty CSI5* 1.45m aboard the pint-sized superstar Catoki on Wednesday.

Ward took to Steve Stephens and Nick Granat’s (USA) two-round track against 55 competitors with Catoki, a 14-year-old Westphalian gelding (Catoki x Caretello B). The pair put in the fastest time of the day, finishing in 24.18 seconds over the speed portion of the course.

When cantering towards 1.45m oxer on a 15.2 hand horse, perspectives can change, but Ward says Catoki’s size is nothing but a positive. “He’s basically a pony, and everything happens so fast, but he has the heart of a lion and he’s jumped some massive classes. He’s very brave and matches that with speed and quality which makes for a great partner.”

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Ashlee Bond Adds Another Win in $37k Assets Risk Management Qualifier CSI3*

Ashlee Bond and Donatello 141 ©Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – Apr. 22, 2022 – A diverse field of 57 partnerships representing 17 nations showcased their abilities in the $37,000 Assets Risk Management Qualifier CSI3* on Friday of ESP Spring III, with each team aiming to finish in the top 45 to qualify for Sunday’s $140,000 Palm Beach County Sports Commission Grand Prix CSI3*. Having already earned an FEI victory on Thursday over course designer Andy Christiansen’s (ECU) track, Ashlee Bond (ISR) made it two-for-two thanks to a victory aboard Donatello 141 in Friday’s highlight jumper event on the grass Derby Field.

A whopping 80 entries competed in the $10,000 Bainbridge Companies 1.40m Open Stake earlier in the day on the Derby Field. Though it was a National class, the contest attracted an international group of some of the world’s top talent, such as Kent Farrington (USA), Shane Sweetnam (IRL), Erynn Ballard (CAN), and Jessica Springsteen (USA), among others. No stranger to going fast, Farrington galloped Chato Lou, owned by Haity McNerney and Amalaya Investments, to victory in a short-course time of 38.31 seconds, more than a full second than the next-closest finishers.

Gabriel and Victoria Colvin Rise to the Top in $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby

The hunters once again had the chance to shine in Wellington International’s International Arena during the third week of the ESP Spring Series. The week’s feature class for hunter competitors took place on Friday, as 29 horse-and-rider duos vied for the lion’s share of the prize money in the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, presented by Bainbridge Companies. Ultimately, the tricolor ribbon was awarded to Victoria Colvin of Loxahatchee, FL and J T Farm’s Gabriel, thanks to two high-scoring rounds.

Derby action continued on Friday with the $1,000 2’6”- 2’9” Hunter Derby, presented by Score At The Top. Against a field of 17 competitors, Bonnie McCabe of Glastonbury, CT and her own Levi captured the win after posting scores of 82 and 88 for a combined two-round score of 178.

For more information and results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.

Ashlee Bond Forges Successful Partnership for Victory in $500k Rolex Grand Prix CSI5* at WEF

Ashlee Bond and Karoline of Ballmore. © Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – April 2, 2022 – The pinnacle event of the 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) came to an exciting conclusion on Saturday, April 2, in the $500,000 Rolex Grand Prix CSI5*. Olympian Ashlee Bond (ISR) and Karoline Of Ballmore ascended to the top of the podium after an exciting five-horse jump-off.

Course designer Guilherme Jorge (BRA) set a large and technical course befitting a five-star event for the 40 entries that qualified for the class. With a line-up of who’s who in show jumping, five horse-and-rider combinations were able to find the key to a clear round and return for the jump-off.

“It’s always very special to build this grand prix,” said Jorge. “I’ve been coming to Wellington since 1999. This is the fifth time in a row I’ve designed the Rolex Grand Prix. Wellington is home now, so for me it feels very special.

“It’s always very challenging [to design this grand prix course], because it’s the end of the season,” continued Jorge of his design plan. “This arena itself gives us a lot of variety. I knew I had to build a tough course, because we had a really, really strong group of horses and riders. I made some adjustments in the end because of the heat and the humidity; I took the spread out of the last few oxers, because we are all feeling the weather a little bit. But it was fantastic jumping and conditions of the field. Everything worked out very well, so I’m really happy with it.”

As a late addition to the starting order due to a scratch in the original order, Spencer Smith (USA) and Quibelle, a 13-year-old Hanoverian mare by FRH Quaid x Stakkato owned by Gotham Enterprizes, LLC, were first into the ring for both the opening round and the jump-off. Over the shortened course, they had an unfortunate rail for four faults in 45.68 seconds, which would leave them in fifth place at the end of the class.

Chloe Reid (USA) was next to contest with Live Oak Plantation LLC’s Souper Shuttle. She and the 11-year-old Hanoverian mare by Stakkato x La Zarras 2, which she has ridden for three years, put in an efficient clear round in a time of 47.63 seconds to take the lead, but with two more double clear rides after her, she would land in the third-place position on the podium.

Always a threat in the jump-off, Daniel Coyle (IRL) piloted Legacy, a 12-year-old Zangersheide mare by Chippendale Z x Bon Ami owned by Ariel Grange, to the fastest time of the jump-off in 43.88 seconds, but a downed jump for four faults gave them fourth place at the end of the class.

Bond and Karoline Of Ballmore, competing in their first jump-off together, were able to blaze through the jump-off course in 44.09 seconds and leave all of the jumps up to take the lead.

Daniel Bluman, winner of the 2012 edition of this finale grand prix, was clear and just off the winning pace in 44.29 seconds with Ladriano Z, owned by Over The Top Stables LLC, which gave Israel a one-two finish.

Jumper Turned Hunter Catena 5 Ends Circuit on High Note in Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” 18-35

Julia Weiss, of Amagansett, NY, and her own Catena 5 reigned supreme on Saturday in the Amateur-Owner Hunters 3’3” 18-35, sponsored by Adequan.

The division took place in the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring over two days and saw 18 horse-and-rider teams compete in four over fences classes and an under saddle.

Weiss and Catena 5, a 12-year-old Holsteiner mare, posted the top score over fences each day with a 90 in the handy on Friday and a 91 on Saturday. They also won the under saddle and received a second place over fences to end on a total of 36 points for the championship.

Reserve champion in the division went to Quest, owned and ridden by Stephanie Danhakl, of Pacific Palisades, CA. The pair won two of their over fences classes and were third in the under saddle to end on 24.5 points.

For more information and results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.

Ashlee Bond and Ionesco Sitte Deliver Iconic Performance for Victory in Turf Tour 3 Grand Prix

Ashlee Bond and Ionesco Sitte. Photo property of Equinium Sports Marketing/The Ridge at Wellington.

Wellington, FL (January 25, 2022) – The story of success behind Ashlee Bond and Ionesco Sitte is the embodiment of all that the Turf Tour stands for, both in their vision and in a dedication to the development of horse sport. During the third week of competition on the 2022 Turf Tour, presented by The Ridge at Wellington, Bond and the 8-year-old Belgian Sport Horse (Hunter’s Scendro x Argentinus) gelding delivered a win in the $15,000 1.40m Turf Tour Grand Prix, over a course set on the beautiful fields of To-Kalon Farm. While she is no stranger to the winner’s circle, her victory with Ionesco Sitte, especially on the Turf Tour, is an encapsulation and milestone for the sporty show jumper. His Grand Prix career did not get off to the smoothest of starts, and time on the Turf Tour has allowed him the breathing room to develop confidence and skill to match his athletic ability with nowhere to go but up!

“We took him to the main Wellington show grounds in 2021 and he was literally jumping over the standards, and not in a good way,” said Bond. “He had some success as a young horse but was really struggling to settle and focus. He’s naturally very talented but seemed overwhelmed. So that season we took him out to the Turf Tour, where the atmosphere is more laid back and he still had the option to jump in the 1.40m Grand Prix. He really settled, and finished second in the final Turf Tour Grand Prix of 2021, his first big class ever! We have been loyally attending the Turf Tours since, including all of the events so far this 2022 season. I’m super happy to be able to bring him here, train and show, and even win prize money before we show in the big ring.”

Bond and Ionesco finished on a time of 38.319, with Alex Granato and Indio, winners of Wednesday’s $5,000 1.30m Rising Star Classic during week 3, had to settle for second on a time of 39.142. Luis F. Larrazabal and Sonsoles Ls La Silla rounded out the top 3 with a time of 39.649.

“I love how you can go to a show at a different location weekly, and compete in different arenas,” said Bond of her Turf Tour experience. “The beautiful and relaxed environment and multiple venue options is really important and beneficial to both horses and riders. It’s great for the horses’ minds, to ride with less pressure and in various locations. A training environment is not something you see often in a show, like you do in Europe, and it’s great to have such a series here in Wellington.”

For full results, visit www.HorseShowing.com.

For more info, visit www.RidgeShowJumping.com.

Sweet Redemption for Ashlee Bond at MLSJ San Miguel

Ashlee Bond & Donatello 141. Photo © Ashley Neuhof / MLSJ.

“It makes me cautiously optimistic that it’s going to go better,” said Ashlee Bond (ISR) of how a disappointing day on Friday mentally led her to redemption in the Major League Show Jumping GNP Seguros CSI5* Grand Prix on Saturday.

She and Donatello 141 (10yo WESTF gelding by Diarado x Lamoureux I) were untouchable in the five-horse jump-off over courses built by Guilherme Jorge (BRA) on the stunning grass field at Otomí Residencial Hípico in San Miguel de Allende, MEX. No one watching would have guessed that the fierce mount is the same horse Bond trail rides at home and lets her daughter sit on.

“He’s such a good boy; I don’t really know what else to say,” she concluded. “He makes my job really easy. He comes out every day, he tries his hardest, and the bigger the jumps, the better!”

Completing the podium, Ireland’s Paul O’Shea and Chancelloress (12yo HANN mare by Chacco-Blue x Balou du Rouet) couldn’t catch Bond and settled in second for owners Niall Carey and Trelawny Farm. Bliss Heers blazed a path in the first round as the leading clear to finish third with Antidote de Mars (11yo SF stallion by Diamant de Semilly x Jarnac).

FULL RESULTS

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Ashlee Bond Closes Tryon Spring Series with Multiple Wins

Ashlee Bond and Contefina LVF ©Shannon Brinkman.

Mill Spring, NC – June 13, 2021 – Ashlee Bond (Wellington, FL) and Contefina LVF made their last day of competition at Tryon Spring 6/Tryon Riding & Hunt Club Charity Horse Show a good one, claiming the win in Sunday’s $25,000 Tryon Resort Sunday Classic at Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort (TIEC). The duo stopped the jump-off timers in 36.404 seconds to best the field, while Erynn Ballard (Tottenham, ON) and Verdict De Kezeg, Ilan Ferder’s 2009 Selle Francais gelding (Diamant De Semilly), jumped to second place with a jump-off time of 38.163 seconds. Martein Van Der Hoeven (Pinehurst, TX) claimed third with 4 faults in the jump off and a time of 39.362 seconds on Morris Horta, a 2012 Belgian Warmblood gelding (Eldorado Van De Zeshoek x Irenice Horta) owned by Luccirelli International, LLC.

Bond and her 2012 Holsteiner mare (Contefino x Southern Girl) sliced and diced through the Michel Vallaincourt (CAN) course design to earn the blue ribbon. The pair’s elegant partnership is evident in the arena, and Bond owes this in part to having known her since birth, she noted. The homebred mare has been with Bond her whole life, along with her dam and grand-dam. Because of this, she has “practiced turns and slices with her since she was pretty much born!”

Contefina LVF is making her way back into the higher levels of competition after some time off from an injury. “She’s really very green for her age,” Bond admitted. “She was doing the meters and 1.10m [divisions] all last year coming back from an injury, so I just took back the reins in December. We’ve had a little bit of trial and error, I think, in the jump-offs. She’s still so green, and she’s got so much scope and stride that I would have the last jump down, because she would just get too flat and then catch the fence behind: things like that. You know, I took risks out there today. I knew, ‘Okay, worst case scenario, we’ll have one down,’ but I was just hoping we kind of would pull it all together, and we did!”

For more info and results, visit www.Tryon.com.

Ashlee Bond Blazes to the Top in $137k Adequan WEF Challenge Cup Round 11 CSI5*

Ashlee Bond (ISR) and Donatello 141 © Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – March 25, 2021 – An impressive group of international competitors took center stage on the grass Derby Field at Equestrian Village as Ashlee Bond (ISR) and Donatello 141, owned by Little Valley Farms, flew to the top of the $137,000 Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round 11 on Thursday, March 25, at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF).

A total of 56 combinations were represented in the starting order over a 1.55m course set by 2016 Olympic Games designer Guilherme Jorge (BRA) featuring 16 jumping efforts. With 22 pairs qualifying to return for the jump-off, the competition was fierce as 14 elected to return and battle for top spot in the grand prix qualifying class.

First to return in the subsequent round, Chloe Reid (USA) and Souper Shuttle set the pace for the remaining competitors as she piloted the 10-year-old Hanoverian mare by Stakkato x Luise Marie, owned by Live Oak Plantation, LLC, to a clear effort in a time of 41.66 seconds. Just two horses later, the lead changed as Ireland’s Cian O’Connor (IRL) and his mount Kilkenny, owned by Ronnoco Jump Ltd, produced an even quicker clear round in 41.12 seconds.

Scott Stewart and Nottingham Secure the Green Hunter 3’6” Tricolor

The Green Hunter 3’6” division, sponsored by Equine Tack and Nutritionals, wrapped up on Thursday in the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring. Leading the class with 38 points, Scott Stewart piloted Rivers Edge’s Nottingham to the championship.

Nottingham is a very new ride for well-known hunter professional Stewart. The coming nine-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Verdi was recently purchased from the European Select Auction and began his already impressive hunter career last week.

“Last week was his first time showing, and he was champion,” said Stewart. “And now he was champion again. He has just been great. He is usually so easygoing and looks through the bridle very well. You can just let go of the reins and gallop around.”

For more information and results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.

Ashlee Bond & Contefina LVF Begin New Turf Tour Grand Prix Winning Streak

Ashlee Bond and Contefina LVF.

Wellington, FL (March 1, 2021) – As the final February Turf Tour wrapped up on Friday at Polo West, the battle of the speed agents entered a new chapter, with California’s Ashlee Bond delivering her second consecutive win in the $15,000 1.40m Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour Grand Prix. Bond and an international group of some of the world’s best show jumpers have been vying for supremacy in the series. Last week at Black Watch Farm, Bond and Semilly SF won the 1.40m, edging out Darragh Kenny and ending his 3-week winning streak. During Turf Tour 8, Dutch Olympian Harrie Smolders, Egypt’s Nayel Nassar, Ireland’s Jordan Coyle, and the USA’s Kim Farlinger thew their hats into the arena, challenging Bond and Kenny and promising even more exciting competition on Wellington’s most unique show circuit.

A tight race in week 8’s Turf Tour Grand Prix saw less than a second separating the top three spots. Ashlee Bond and her homebred mare, Contefina LVF (Contefino 2 x Southern Girl) delivered some serious girl power to Friday’s Grand Prix, blazing around the course in 32.421 seconds. Harrie Smolders and Calina (CI CI Senjor Ask x Carmelicius) were less than a tenth of a second behind her, going double clear in 32.495. Jordan Coyle and Centriko Volo galloped to third on 32.620 seconds. Nayel Nassar, Kim Farlinger, and Darragh Kenny rounded out the top 6, all with fast, double clear efforts over the course designed by Catsy Cruz.

Friday morning’s $3,000 1.30m Speed Stake was won by another international show jumper, Australia’s Riley Mackillop and Ha’czelle JSF (a.k.a. Hazel). Another great option for riders on the Turf Tour, the Speed Stake hones valuable “against the clock” skills and offers a great way to win extra prize money each week. “Hazel has been jumping really nicely and she was really well suited to the course today [in the 1.30m Speed Stake],” said Mackillop. “She loves jumping on the grass which makes the Turf Tour a great opportunity for us. Being able to come and jump around super courses on beautiful fields against top riders each week is really special.”

For full results, visit www.HorseShowing.com.

For more info, visit www.RidgeShowJumping.com.

Bond Breaks Kenny’s Grand Prix Win Streak

Ashlee Bond and Semilly F (Norah McCutcheon Photography/Jaqueline Porcaro Photo Group)

Wellington, FL (February 21, 2021) – Ashlee Bond’s super speedy and scopey Semilly F (a.k.a. Squishy) ended a nearly four week long winning streak by Ireland’s Darragh Kenny on Friday at Black Watch Farm. Bond broke Kenny’s 3 consecutive Turf Tour Grand Prix winning streak, while the Irish rider took second and third place in the $15,000 1.40 class. Kenny has also won the past two $5,000 1.30m Rising Star Classics, and Bond is no stranger to victory on the Turf Tour herself, although this was her first win with the CDE (Copyright C x Brisa de Ibio) mare. Turf Tour 7’s competition wrapped up on Friday with nearly 53 entries in the day’s highlight Grand Prix, set on the stunning polo field at Black Watch Farm.

Brief showers punctuated brilliant sunshine and 80-degree temperatures. The spectacular footing and beautiful bougainvillea blooms were highlights of Black Watch’s spacious polo field, which was divided into two rings for the week’s competition. Bond and Semilly F put in a late in the day ride to overcome Kenny’s two top standings with Cicomein VDL and GK Casper. Semilly F raced around the course designed by Leopoldo Palacios to deliver a 33.008 jump-off time, nearly 2 seconds faster than Kenny’s time set earlier in the day. Kenny first jumped GK Casper (Canto 16 x Uleika) in the rain to a time of 37.034 seconds, only to be quickly overtaken by his Wednesday Rising Star Classic champion, Cicomein VDL (Chacco Blue x Pomein) on 35.226.

“I love how you can go to a show at a different location weekly, and compete in different arenas,” said Bond of her Turf Tour experience. “The beautiful and relaxed environment and multiple venue options is really important and beneficial to both horses and riders. It’s great for the horses’ minds, to ride with less pressure and in various locations. A training environment is not something you see often in a show, like you do in Europe, and it’s great to have such a series here in Wellington.”

For full results, visit www.HorseShowing.com.

For more info, visit www.RidgeShowJumping.com.