A Weekend at Red Hills Yields Results and Resilience!

The trip to Red Hills last weekend signified a positive step forward for Missy and the team at Blue Hill Farm.  Thankfully the pace of running an upper level event barn allows little time for dwelling on the recent fire.....as Missy and her students were focused on a weekend of tough competition at Red Hill International.

Missy traveled down to Red Hills with Ashton Hays and Madeline Backus to train the girls in the 2* and 1* divisions. 

Ashton Hays is new to BHF, starting out as a hunter/jumper rider then switching over to eventing in 2011, competed up through prelim before her previous horse tore a tendon and was retired.   She purchased her current horse, London By Night, in September of 2012, and he had previously competed up to 2* with Jamue Gunyulla. Last year they went to Canada and worked for Penny Rowland before joining BHF in Ocala for this season.  London's a 16.3 OTTB and they have competed up to prelim together. 

Ashton on London

They were competing in the 1* this weekend and had an unfortunate parting of the ways at the water, but Ashton fully understands what they need to adjust for the next show and they're ready to a do-over!

We're also happy to have Madeline Backus back with us!!  Madeline's Mom (Laura) sent her 17 year old daughter to intern at BHF the summer of 2013, and her dedication to the sport and riding talent has always impressed us.  Her mother is a lifelong equestrian, with her own training business based out of Colorado.  Madeline had returned home to complete high school, and work with her Mom training several of their own home breds.  They have produced Madeline's current little power house, PS Arianna (Ari) and this past weekend they "wowed" us all, placing 10th in their first 2* against some of the stiffest competition in the country!!  That result is even more sweet considering she has come back after nearly a 2 year hiatus due to a bad pasture injury.  We can't wait to see how these two continue to grow in their riding career.

Madeline and Ari at Rocking Horse

We are also thrilled to announce that Madeline has decided to travel back to BHF in Unionville upon the conclusion of the season at the Ocala HT 2*, where she intends to make her qualifier for Young Riders.  Madeline commented that she loves working with Missy because her students always come first and she is so in tune with each individual horse and rider combination, and their appropriate training program.  We are so excited to have another top notch Young Rider based out of Blue Hill Farm, and we know that through Missy, Jess and David's guidance, she has a real shot at being in the top 10 there as well!