ASHLEY HOLZER

HORSE  PROFILE

Imperioso

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Member of the Canadian Olympic Team in 2004 (Athens)

• Won a CDI*** Grand Prix and a CDI*** Grand Prix Freestyle in 2006

TID BITS

• Cocktail was a Grand Prix dressage horse for Anky van Grunsven, winning several World Cup competitions. He was known for his spectacular trot.

• Tangelo, a Thoroughbred, is the sire or broodmare sire of several international level jumpers as well as being the sire of the dressage horse, Darwin F.

• "Perry is like a pet at 16. If he were a person, he'd be the one scared to do it wrong. Blind in his right eye for the last two years due to a virus, he relies on me," said Ashley Holzer.

• And, his groom Denielle Gallagher said "He's a bit aloof and shy. In school, he'd be the studious type. As a competitor, he just gets better with age."

Gambol

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Team silver at 2003 Pan American Games

• Won the CDI*** Grand Prix and CDI*** Grand Prix Freestyle in 2006

TID BITS

• Gabor is a licensed KWPN stallion in Holland, that descends from two famous Thoroughbreds (Ladykiller xx and Elan xx) as well as the famous Joost. Lector is also the broodmare sire of the dressage horse, Hidalgo.

• "He has an ego the size of an apartment building and thinks no one can do it better," said Ashley Holzer. "He went to the Pan American Games for his third Prix St. Georges!"

• His groom Denielle Gallagher, said "He's fun! He's like a teen-aged boy in high school - all macho and friendly. He's like the brain child you have to keep stimulated."

GROOM  PROFILE

Denielle Gallagher

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Denielle’s early career was in Eventing where she was the Pre Training, Training and Preliminary Level Champion for New Brunswick (at least once at each level), Pony Club Jumper Champion, member of the NB / PEI National B Pony Club Rally Team that competed at Checkmate (Reserve Champions of Canada), Level I Junior Amateur Preliminary Jumper Champion and NB Jumper Rookie of the Year Award recipient.

• After training and working with Ashley for four years, Denielle won her first Prix St. Georges Adult Amateur class during the Gold Coast Opener Festival in Florida, January 2006, riding Jornello, Ashley’s 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, with a score of 67.25%.

• “Coming to work for Ashley was a chance to spread my wings and learn more.”

TID BITS FROM A GROOM'S LIFE

• “Number one is to take the pressure off the riders, to let them focus. As a groom, you have to notice when the horse is uncomfortable or under the weather. You develop a bond with them so that you know when something is out of order. Every horse has a different personality. That’s why horses have the same groom; you know them and know what’s normal for them.”