PrintAt just 26 years old, Laine Ashker has already had a full eventing career. She’s competed in England and Hong Kong and headed down centerline at the Rolex Kentucky CCI**** on four different horses.
But she’s also endured an unusual amount of heartbreak and controversy—her horse Eight Saint James Place died after rupturing an abdominal blood vessel at the finish of cross-country at Jersey Fresh (N.J.) in 2007, and she lost Frodo Baggins in a rotational fall at Rolex Kentucky the following year. But Ashker’s now back on the rise again with Anthony Patch, who finished 14th at his first four-star this spring.
Q. How did you first get involved with horses?
A. Basically I was bred to do horses. My mom rode with me until she was seven months pregnant. My aunt made her special riding britches and a special vest.
I got my first pony when I was 3. He looked like a yak. He was out of a field of ponies from a dude ranch, and I said, “That’s the one I want!”
That pony took me to novice championships. My next pony was Noah’s Ark. I Pony Clubbed through my C-3, and then I started doing more events than rallies.
Q. Who is your favorite event horse of all time?
A. I’ve always been a fan of Murphy Himself. Dr. Peaches is the other. Another favorite is Trans Amaflirt, one of [my coach] Buck [Davidson’s] horses. My first four-star horse, Eight Saint James Place was exactly like Trans Amaflirt; he was such a go-getter.
Jaime will go down in history as the one who taught me everything I know. I look back and think, “Gosh if I had him now and knew what I know now, that horse could do anything.” And of course, my Frodo.
My boys are tattooed on my wrists: A New Zealand fern for Frodo [a New Zealand Thoroughbred], and on the other an 8 for Jamie [Eight Saint James Place]. Those boys are my main arteries.
Q. Who are you competing right now?
A. I’m very fortunate that my mom, Valerie Ashker, has the best eye to find horses off the track. I have Al [Anthony Patch] who was found off the West Virginia track going to slaughter. Lauren and Paul Tjaden were the ones who paired Al and I together. I have Guppy, a.k.a. Barracuda, who my mom found off a California track, and he’s going to be the next four-star horse. He’s a 15.2-hand, dark steel grey like Tiana [Coudray’s] horse [Ringwood Magister]. He was gelded late and his confidence matches his talent. He’s 6 and doing his first season of preliminary and showing tons of promise.
Seajack is my first homebred and my two-star horse. I’m hoping to sell him to have finances to compete the other guys. The herd has dwindled, not because I want it that way, but right now with boarding and entry fees, that’s what I can afford.
Q. How did Rolex Kentucky go for you this year?
A. It was everything I dreamed of and more.
I was a little disappointed with dressage. It wasn’t bad, but it just wasn’t Al’s best. On cross-country I couldn’t have asked for anything better. He’s the type of horse who takes a long time to settle in on course, but at Kentucky, he was poised to go immediately leaving the start box.
A mistake I’ve made earlier in my career was coming out of the [start] box too quickly. But I’m learning how to ride him better with Buck’s guidance. Al was on course and ready to go, a total four-star horse.
