Aimee Aron and Ashe Storm to Victory in 1.50m Classics at 2006 Winter Equestrian Festival

Wellington, FL – March 11, 2006 – Two 1.50m Classics were the spotlight events on center stage today in the Internationale Arena at the CN Wellington Finale, CSIO 5*, the final week of competition at the 2006 Winter Equestrian Festival at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club. The classes featured different winners today, but for each victor, the trip to the winner’s circle was particularly rewarding, albeit for vastly different reasons.

For 17 year-old Aimee Aron of the United States, winner of the first 1.50m Classic, it is all part of her ongoing training and learning experiences, competing against the best show jumping riders in the world. Today’s second 1.50m Classic winner, Molly Ashe, is already a show jumping superstar and one of the best in world. For her, it’s all about being healthy again, on a healthy horse.

Steve Stephens of the United States designed the courses for the twenty-eight starters that went to the post for the mid morning $10,000 1.50M Classic CSIO, scored under FEI art.238 2.2, Time First Jump-Off. Seven of the twenty-eight with clean first rounds advanced to the speed phase.

Following three rails down for Kent Farrington (USA) and Up Chiqui and a single knockdown for McLain Ward (USA) and Goldika in the jump-off, Aron produced the round that would hold up for her first big international win. Aboard Ostara from the Kinloch Enterprises, Aron toured the jump-off course successfully and tripped the timers in 37.75 seconds.

Kevin Babington (IRL) followed with a clear go on It’s Morado, but fell short of Aron’s target time. When Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Leopold Van Asten (NED) each had problems and Nick Skelton (GBR) slipped going around a turn with Russel, Aron’s victory was secured.

“There were seven clear and McLain (Ward) was my biggest concern,” detailed Aron following the victory. “But when he had the rail down with Goldika, Laura (Kraut) told me to just be smooth and easy and leave the jumps up. I guess luck was with me today because everybody else following me had problems. She jumped beautifully.”

Aron spoke of her equine partner Ostara. “We’ve had her for three years. She’s really, really a special horse. She’s one of those that has a heart so much bigger than most,” Aron explained. “I’ve been stepping up here, doing the Sunday classes, and I had a difficult time at first. But she’s stuck in there with me through it all, and in the long run, I think she’s going to be one of the real good international horses. She loves to jump.”

Aron was thrilled to line up for the blue ribbon today. “It’s definitely a learning experience. Laura’s really been helpful, and she’s told me that you can’t throw in the towel no matter how disappointing it gets, because that’s what this sport is about. You keep working at it. For me, it’s been getting easier and easier. Maybe the courses don’t look as big now,” she laughed. “The first week I went in, I just wanted to get around, and now I want to go in and go clean and win. It’s definitely a work in progress.”

In the second class, the $20,000 1.50m Classic, the scoring was under USEF rules, Table II, Section 2(a), Time First Jump-Off. Forty-nine assembled for the mid-day main event, but only five mastered the Stephens’ designed first track to qualify to jump again in the tiebreaker.

Against the clock, Cody Baird, with a clear go in 31.982 seconds, set the pace with Poleander, owned by the October Farms. Lisa Silverman and Flubber Cocoy challenged with a clean round, but missed Baird’s time as she clocked in at 32.296 seconds.

The stage was thus set for the return of Molly Ashe and her veteran partner Lutopia to the WEF winner’s circle. Both have been sidelined with injuries, Ashe for much of this year’s festival, and Lutopia on and off for almost two years. The duo looked like they hadn’t missed a single beat, as Ashe sliced a full second off of Baird’s time for the victory. Lutopia galloped home in 30.920 seconds.

Ashe was beaming following her win. “You have no idea how good it feels to have her jump as good as she jumped today and be out there competing again. It’s been a long while,” and she added, “for both of us!”

“I had Eric Lamaze coming behind me, and he’s always a serious threat. Cody (Baird) got a little bunched up at the last fence, so that gave me a little room, but I just let her go. She’s such a fast horse anyway,” she said. “She slipped a little on the turn back to the oxer, and I had to add up a stride, but she really helped me out there.”

“She hasn’t been right since before the last Olympic trials, really,” Ashe explained. “Then following the Super League she still wasn’t right. We never really did figure out exactly what was wrong with her. She had a number of little things that added up to one big ouch. But she seems to be all sorted out now. She went back into full work this past November. I did a couple of 1.40m classes with her the first week,” Ashe said, “and then I got hurt and couldn’t show for two or three weeks. So today’s 1.45m class was her first, and she feels great, and she jumped great.”

For Ashe, it was nice for both she and Lutopia to finally be healthy together. “I had bulging discs, one in my neck and two in my lower back. But I feel good now,” she smiled. “Dr. Farrell made me stop for a while and then ease my way back, first riding just one a day, then a couple a day, and now finally four a day. Finally, I feel great.”

Results of Class 105 $10,000 1.50M Classic FEI 238 2.2 – CSIO - CN Wellington Finale CSIO 5* US Internationale Arena - 3/11/06

• 1 1973 AIMEE ARON USA OSTARA 0.00 70.67 0.00 37.75 $3000 KINLOCH ENT.
• 2 1307 KEVIN BABINGTON IRL IT'S MORADO 0.00 72.05 0.00 39.48 $2000 ANNABEL SIMPSON
• 3 561 MCLAIN WARD USA GOLDIKA 559 0.00 67.39 4.00 36.23 $1000 DOUBLE H FARM
• 4 3315 LEOPOLD VAN ASTEN NED VDL GROEP SPIGA 0.00 71.80 4.00 37.00 $700 STOETERY DUYSELHOF
• 5 1338 KENT FARRINGTON USA UP CHIQUI 0.00 69.81 12.00 35.33 $600 JENNIFER GREENLEAF
• 6 3839 ERIC LAMAZE CAN SHANNON 0.00 69.35 18.00 55.62 $500 STEPHEX STABLES
• 7 3362 NICK SKELTON GBR RUSSEL 0.00 70.95 elim. $500 LISA HALES
• 8 3371 TIM HOSTER GER STUART 0.00 74.27 $400 GER POEIS HORSES
• 9 3181 FRANCOIS MATHY IVOIRE DU ROUET 1.00 75.11 $400 INGRID NORMAN
• 10 2459 LESLIE HOWARD USA YOUP 4.00 69.29 $300 S'BLIEFT GROUP
• 11 701 PABLO BARRIOS VEN SUN GOD 4.00 70.43 $300 SPLIT CREEK FARM
• 12 3182 FRANCOIS MATHY UNDERCOVER AGENT 4.00 71.53 $300 INGRID NORMAN

Results of Class 1001 $20,000 1.50M Classic Table II Sec 2(a) - CN Wellington Finale CSIO 5* US – Internationale Arena – 3/11/06

• 1 2309 MOLLY ASHE LUTOPIA 0.00 72.479 0.00 30.920 $6000 JANE F. CLARK
• 2 2995 CODY BAIRD POLEANDER 0.00 75.327 0.00 31.982 $4000 OCTOBER FARM
• 3 866 LISA SILVERMAN FLUBBER COCOY 0.00 77.114 0.00 32.296 $2000 LISA SILVERMAN
• 4 1897 ERIC LAMAZE RAMIVILLE 0.00 79.531 4.00 35.559 $1400 STACEY KREMBIL
• 5 1880 YANN CANDELE VERITIA 0.00 78.914 8.00 34.323 $1200 ASHLAND STABLES
• 6 787 MCLAIN WARD HAUT DE VAL 4.00 70.003 $1000 RODRIGO PESSOA
• 7 2596 MCLAIN WARD ORLANDO 4.00 74.522 $1000 DOUBLE H FARM
• 8 785 RODRIGO PESSOA CANTATE Z 4.00 74.628 $800 ORLANDI VITTORUO
• 9 323 BRIANNE GOUTAL ONIRA 4.00 75.560 $800 CLOVERLEAF FARM
• 10 520 LISA SILVERMAN OBELIX R 4.00 76.194 $600 LISA SILVERMAN
• 11 1795 JOE FARGIS EDGAR 12 4.00 76.225 $600 MARY B. SCHWAB
• 12 940 ERIC HASBROUCK LAVALETTA 4.00 77.352 $600 TRELAWNY FARM

PHOTO CREDIT: Aimee Aron and Ostara win 1.50m Classic CSIO at WEF on Saturday. ©Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports.com