13THE AMERICAN TRAKEHNERMare and Foal Issue • Summer/Fall 2002

Most horse people know about theUnited States Pony Club and itsrating system, which is designed

as a pyramid of achievement and learn-ing, with the very top being the presti-gious “A” rating, something that isearned by only about 25 youngsters eachyear, out of nearly 13,000 members in630 local clubs. The level of knowledgeand riding skill needed to pass the test ishigh enough that virtually anyone withthis rating can find a training job in thehorse industry with ease.

This year, on the weekend of July 20and 21, one of the six testing sites wasthe Hoosier Horse Park in Indianapolis,IN, and an almost unprecedented eightapplicants were approved for the “A.”The three national testers presentannounced that this was the strongestgroup of approved riders they had everexamined.

Another unprecedented aspect wasthe fact that of the eight, three weremounted on Trakehner mares – one ofthem riding two! All three were femaleand unusually young for this test. Hereis a little about each:

Ashley Dalton of Dunlap, IL, is 18years old and used her 14-year-old mareHERBSTASTER in about three-fourthsof the phases of testing, including all ofher flatwork, stadium jumping, and cross-country. Ashley bought “Herbie” (byTarget, out of Herbstblüte by Matador)from Franz and Elke Hollenbach aboutthree years ago. She struggled at firstbut now has found the “groove” and hasbeen very successful also at Intermediateeventing this season, winning the USEAwestern Intermediate Horse TrialsChampionship at Wayne Horse Trialsrecently. Ashley credits Herbstaster asthe horse who “finally taught me how toreally ride,” praising her consistency andability to punish riding error and richlyreward correctness.

Emily Holekamp of Columbia, MO,is also 18 years old. She has been ridingsince she could walk and, like Ashley,has been almost a lifelong Pony Clubber.Much of her experience came on hermare ASTRA (by Amethyst, out ofAnemone by Rombus) whom she hastrained entirely on her own, but Astra isnow in foal to Windfall and out of work,so for the last season she has been train-ing with two other Trakehner mares, the9-year-old bay HERA (by Garibaldi, outof Havel by Matador) and the 15-year-oldbay KOKETT (by Kalluster, out ofKoralle XI by Pasteur xx). Both maresshared the testing chores equally forEmily, who was just overwhelmed by thethrill of passing the test on her first try.She will go on to compete Kokett atPreliminary eventing this fall.

Jessica Rachor of Memphis, TN, isa 19-year-old eventer who has been in

Pony Club for seven years and also wastrying for her “A” for the first time. Shesucceeded using exclusively the blackANDORRA LA VELLA (by Amethyst,out of Impressive Cowgirl xx by RoyalChocolate xx), who is only six years old,but has been very successfully eventedat Training level last year by DarrenChiacchia. Andorra and Jessica hadbeen together for only two months priorto the test, but her new owner beamswith pride about her “great and willingattitude.” Jessica says this is by far thebest horse she has ever had, and shecan find no fault with her whatsoever.Their plans include Preliminary eventinglater this year and right on up as far asthey can go in the future.

Emily Holekamp and her two helpers, Hera by Garibaldi (right) and Kokett by Kalluster (left).Together they got the coveted Pony Club “A” rating.

Phot

o by

Tim

Hol

ekam

p

Mares and Foals

Trakehner Mares Help Young Riders Earn Pony Club “A” Ratings

By Timothy Holekamp