It wasn’t Ashlee Bond’s victory gallop that said it all about her win in the $226,000 Sapphire Grand Prix of Devon; it was her victory walk on Donatello 141.
After topping a field of 24 in Thursday night’s 4-star class, Ashlee remained in the Dixon Oval, which was surrounded by spectators, not only in the grandstands, but also jammed into every square foot of space around the ring.
Ashlee’s fans meet Donatello. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Slowing to the walk, she made several more leisurely circuits of the arena with her bay gelding (Diarado X Luna), proceeding slowly and stopping every few feet so fans could pet her Westphalian gelding.
Ashley couldn’t get enough of the crowd, and they (especially the children) couldn’t get enough of her, reaching out eagerly to touch her mount, smiling back with excitement as she smiled at them. Ashlee, the mother of six-year-old Scottie, loves the kids and posed for a photo with about 25 of them after the class.
Many riders will stop for a few seconds here and there on their way out of the ring after a win, bur Ashlee made it an important part of the evening.
When I asked why she put such a focus on the interaction, she explained, “I feel like this is so rare in our sport. We don’t really get this, other than Aachen (Germany). It’s the only other place I felt this kind of energy. Everyone just talks about it; how incredible the people are and how knowledgeable. I just enjoy giving back.
Ashlee added, “I was just really appreciative, I think we all are, of being able to have this kind of an environment that average sports get all the time, but we don’t. It’s really cool to give back to the crowd.”
She also recalled watching Richard Spooner and McLain Ward when she was growing up, noting “they were always so kind when I was young, I feel like it’s something we all should do.”
It was the first time the native of California had competed at Devon. Her only previous visit to the show came when she was eight, 30 years ago, to try out a couple of ponies, so this was her first real taste of what the 127-year-old show was about.
She led off the three-horse tiebreaker, finishing the shortened route in 37.29 seconds.
Ashlee Bond and Donatello. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Ashlee never walks the jump-off course.
“I do what I feel is right for my horse, regardless of who’s behind me. That was kind of `just do my thing,’ ” she said.
One second behind her was Devin Ryan on Eddie Blue. Schuyler Riley was third in 39.32 seconds on her reliable Robin de Ponthual. It was the third time she has been third in the class, which obviously is a bit frustrating, but he is a reliable performer in the venue.
“He absolutely loves it here,” she said of the Katherine Gallagher’s 18-year-old Selle Francais (Elf D’Or X IO de la Grande) who came closer to getting her name on the trophy last year, when she was second.
Schuyler Riley and Robin de Ponthual. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)_
Devin has been riding LL Show Jumpers’ Eddie Blue for 10 years, since the Dutch warmblood (Zirocco Blue VDL X Silvana) was four.
“I think I was up halfway through (the jump-off) on the time but he’s not as quick-footed as Ashlee’s horse, he’s a little bit slower,” Devin reflected.
Devin Ryan and Eddie Blue. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“I probably should have taken the risk to the last jump and done a double leave-out and then eight strides vs. the nine, but I didn’t quite see it and didn’t quite believe in it. That’s show jumping.”
Devin is pointing toward European shows this summer with his 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games team gold medal mount.
Ashlee now lives in Loxahatchee, Fla., just outside Wellington. The benefit of that over being on the West Coast is having three major showgrounds within a few hours’ drive, which is not the case in California. It also means she can be home more with her family.
The biggest target of Ashlee’s summer will be the Nations Cup in Prague, Czech Republic at the end of July. She is a member of the Israeli team, which hopes to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics there.
When she won at Devon, the Israeli national anthem, Hatikvah, was played during the victory ceremony, an emotional moment for her.
“Israel’s always been close to my heart,” said Ashlee who became an Israeli citizen in 2018.
“My dad was born in Haifa and my grandmother emigrated there from World War II and I’m really strong in my faith. It’s God’s country and I’m proud to hear it (the anthem) every time and I just want to keep bringing Israel to the top of the sport.”
Devin Ryan, Ashlee Bond and Schuyler Riley. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
The fact that only three riders were clear in the first round over the course designed by Anderson Lima was surprising, but the stunner was the fact that McLain Ward wasn’t among them.
Since 1999, McLain had been victorious 12 times in the class named after his favorite horse, Sapphire. The fans, many of whom had been coming to the grand prix for years, are always vocal in their support of him.
McLain gets the loudest cheers when he enters the ring. And this time, he got the loudest groans when his mare, Callas, toppled a rail at the final fence. He finished sixth, behind 23-year-old Raleigh Hiler on Obra’s Chloe, who had a single time fault and won the style award, and Great Britain’s Jessica Mendoza, whose I-Cap CLZ was faster than Callas to put her fifth.