Firebolt
9-year-old
15.1 hand liver chestnut Appendix Quarter Horse mare
"Alba" was a horse we
never looked for or planned on aquiring, but she came
in to our lives just the same. Alhough the original
plan was to sell her as a nice, cute, lower-level
horse, she has proven to be so much more than that.
Currently competing at preliminary and preparing for
the classic-format CCI1* at Galway Downs, this "little
mare that could" has wormed her way in to our
hearts—and off the for-sale page. As quiet and easy on
the ground as you could ever want, she has the heart
of a lion when a fence is in front of her. Who knows,
maybe 10 years from now she'll be Wesley's first event
horse. UPDATE: Alba finished second in the Galway
Downs CCI* with steeplechase. We are so proud of our
little girl!
Mystic
Millennium
10-year-old
15.0 hand Bay Tobiano APHA gelding
"Myster"
is the latest addition to our stable. This funny,
fesity horse had tried out a lot of careers, before he
found his true calling in eventing. Bred and
originally owned by farm manager Roxanne Rainwater,
Myster and Heather started working together early in
2010 after his penchant for bucking proved too painful
for Roxanne. They did their first event together in
May of 2010, and have garnered high-placed ribbons at
beginner novice and novice. On off weeks Myster enjoys
giving lessons to qualified students.
Western
Jubilee
16-year-old
16.2 hand gray Thoroughbred gelding
“Sam”
is a horse who had spent most of his adult life in
search of his perfect situation. After an abysmal
start as a racehorse, he also failed as a foxhunter
and as a children’s event horse. In 2004 he suffered
an accident in competition that threatened to end his
career. But Sam is a fighter, and he battled back. It
was late in 2004, shortly after he had begun to be
ridden again, that Heather was encouraged to try him
by her trainer Sharon White. The pair had an immediate
connection, and Heather purchased him as a Christmas
present to herself in December 2004. In 2005 they
entered multiple events at novice and training levels
in Area II, never finishing worse than fifth,
including two wins. Sam has found his home at last,
and Heather has found the partner she’s always dreamed
of. Sam was cast in his stall in early 2007 and
injured his neck. but he has returned to riding and
competition, but he he will no longer be able to
compete at the higher levels. In 2008 they were the
Area VI Reserve Novice Champions in eventing and made
their successful Second Level debut in dressage. Sam
spent the last year teaching our student Zoe Feldman
the ropes of eventing, bringing home ribbons, and
qualifying for the AEC's and Area Championships. Zoe
has now moved on to a horse of her own, and Sam
continues to teach many others here at Phoenix Farm.
Phoenix
Secret
13-year-old
15.3-hand, bay Thoroughbred gelding by Class Secret (by
Secretariat) out of Native Monarch
“Shawn”
is our first homebred and the inspiration for our
breeding program. John competed his mother “Ariel” in
eventing and raced her over hurdles and over timber.
She was also a winner on the flat track. Born with a
serious kidney infection Shawn spent the first week of
his life in the NICU at the Marion du Pont Scott
Equine clinic in Leesburg, Va. Heather spent all day
every day at the clinic, caring for him and holding
him on her lap. Day by day he fought the infection,
grew stronger and blossomed into a phenomenal horse.
Competed by professional Sharon White, Shawn is a
ribbon winner through the intermediate level and a
winner at novice, training, and preliminary. Top
riders and trainers have evaluated him as a serious
prospect for the top levels of the sport. Following a
pasture injury, Shawn returned to competition in 2007
with former Phoenix Farm associate trainer John
Michael Durr, garnering ribbons at preliminary and
intermediate, and placing sixth in the classic-format
CCI* at Rebecca Farm. We feel so blessed to have our
first homebred ascend to such great heights, but he’ll
always be our little “Scrawnie Shawnie”.
Unfortunately, Shawn has proven to be Ariel’s only
foal. Shawn is currently on lease with the Raynor
family, and we hope to see him out competing soon!
Camargue
12-year-old
18-hand bay Hanoverian gelding
"Schultz"
is one of the kindest horses we have ever known and
had the pleasure to own. He exemplifies everything
there is to love about a warmblood, and he is a
wonderful combination of talent and heart.
Unfortunately, he's one of those horses that'sschultz'
been plagued but a lot of stupid soundness problems,
so at present he is doing a job as Phoenix Farms
resident schoolmaster, teaching new riders the ropes.
Either way, his kindness and heart are an inspiration
to us every single day at the farm.
The
Youngsters:
Although
most of our homebreds are offered for sale, we have two
extraordinary fillies we will be keeping, and Heather has
claimed one of the geldings for her own. The fillies are
orphans whom we raised from with the help of nurse mares.
They stand as a legacy to their wonderful mothers and the
quality of our breeding program. We look forward to their
future accomplishments in the show ring and the breeding
shed.
Phoenix
Amani
4-year-old
Bay Irish Sporthorse filly by Formula One out of Gussie Up
(Wayne County IRE)
Amani
has made her eventing debut, placing sixth in the OBN
at Shepherd Ranch in August and third at Woodside in
October. She is beautifully built, with a huge jump
and excellent gaits, and her attitude toward jumping
can best be descirbed as "can-do" and professional.
John's princess is growing up to be a queen!
Phoenix
Bellisima
2-year-old
Bay pinto Oldenburg/TB filly by Palladio out of Lizzie's
Hero (Pardner's Hero)
This
little girl has been everything we were hoping for
from the start--flashy, fancy, female, and COLORFUL!
Her mother Lizzie was an extraordinary mare, and we
miss her every day, but she lives on in her darling
daughter. And if she has a jump anything like her
winning Dad's? Then look out, world, because here we
come!
Phoenix
Promiscuous
2-year-old
Chestnut Hanoverian gelding by Panzyr out of Phaedra (xPik
Solo) 
”Piper”
just takes your breath away--bright chestnut, with
tons of chrome, he already has that certain something
that says, “Look at me!” He has the type and
bloodlines for dressage, but he should also excel as
an eventer. He will be Heather's future mount, and she
is planning to pursue both paths with him. If he has
half the jump, and the wonderful temperment, of his
sire, they'll be nothing they can't do.
Horses
from our past:
There
are a couple of horses from our past who deserve mention
here, even if they are no longer with us.
Running
on Empty:
"Chuckie" was John's first CCI horse. A 16.2 hand
classically bred Thoroughbred gelding by Wind Driven, who
took John to three CCI* and placed in two of them. (4th and
10th) Chuckie was the epitome of a classic TB event
horse--big gallop, big jump, mild disdain for dressage, and
heart and try ten miles wide.
Corniche:
"Bentley" was a true gentle soul, who despite his enormous
size (nearly 18 hands )was everything an event horse should
be--kind, generous, willing, and smart. This lovely horse
helped Heather return to competitive eventing after she had
been severely injured, and helped her regain her confidence
and her joy. He may not have looked like a typical eventer,
but he had it all when it counted most. We lost Bentley too
soon to colic, and he is missed every day. Bentley taught
us that the most important quality for any event horse is
not the size, shape or ability of the body, but the heart
that beats within it.
Gus
Costadi:
Though Gus' fame took place largely after Heather had
stopped riding him, she remained a part of his career
throughout his life. Heather met Gus after he had been
recently started under saddle, and she brought him along
and competed him through the training level. Lovingly
called the "Flying Sausage" due to his exuberant jumping
and "pleasingly plump" frame, the ride on Gus was passed to
Heather's friend DeAnna Hines. With Deanna, Gus went on to
be a winner at the advanced levels of eventing, including a
11th placed finish at the 1996 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day
Event, where Heather accompanied him as his groom. When Gus
passed away following a pasture accident in 2000, he had
been teaching a young girl all about the sport he loved.
Gus was a part-warmblood who should never have gone
advanced. At Rolex, every fence was at the top of his
scope. But, it never occured to him to say no or refuse any
request made of him.
The
important thing to remember is that our horses are our
greatest and most frequent teachers. Every horse you have
teaches you something, even if it's not always what you
wanted or hoped. They key to good horsemanship is taking
the good lessons and the hard lessons and carrying them
with you from one horse to the next.