Spotlight on Demo Rider: Ashley Bailey-Classen

Ashley Scott Bailey-Classen is a 23 year old who has, in her short life, certainly learned the fine art of the packing a lot of life into a little span of time. She developed a great propensity for focus and organization early in life in order to be able to travel the United States, Canada and Mexico for her horse shows yet complete a demanding home school program.

At the age of 5 years old she developed a love affair with the horse that would only grow with time into a passion that would consume her decisions concerning her daily existence. She has competed successfully at the FEI CCI*** Level in Eventing and the Grand Prix level of Show Jumping. At a young age she qualified for Pony Finals in the Virginia Commonwealth. She has represented the USEA’s Area V in the North American Young Rider’s Championship for four years. In 2002 her team placed 4th with an 8th Individual placing. The following year in Quebec her team took the Silver metal with a 13th individual placing. Back in Chicago for the 2004 Championships her team once again took the 4th honor with a 15th individual placing for Ashley Scott. The hard work culminated in 2005 when her team won the Gold medal and Ashley Scott won a 6th Individual. The Gold metal was shared with her beloved Irish Sport Horse, Ballynoe Rum. Ashley Scott was, all the while, competing all over the nation where she advanced from being 10th place at the Red Hills CCI** to being the highest placed Young Rider at the Red Hills CCI***. She has been the Young Rider Representative to the USEA for Area V for three years.
Ashley is no newcomer to the Show Jumping arena either. She has been successfully competing in that venue since 1992 and was invited to compete at the coveted La Silla International competition in Monterrey, Mexico. In 2006 she advanced to the Grand Prix level of show jumping and began to train with McLain Ward. Last year she won the Classic at Brownland Farms and took 2nd Place in the Grand Prix once again partnered with Ballynoe Rum. Her most recent outing with Ballynoe Rum resulted in a 2nd place at The Final Chase Jumper Classic.
Ashley Scott’s scholastic achievements have also been very impressive. She home schooled successfully since 1996 to allow time for her demanding training program. She is graduating from North Texas University with a Major in Biology and a Minor in Chemistry in December, 2009 with the honor of Magna Cum Laude. She has now been invited to attend three medical schools as an early decision recipient for the Class of 2014.

The influence of the horses from the Emerald Isle on Ashley’s life began with her first three horses, two Welchs and a Connemara. Since that time she has always had multiple Irish horses to ride in her barn. Due to the sound, sane innate talent of the Irish horse, her family began to breed the Irish Draught and the Irish Sport Horse for her competition horses. For the last eight years Ashley Scott has not only done well on the show circuit, excelled in her studies, but has also managed the operation of the two family farms including the boarding and the breeding operations. She is responsible for the breeding, training and competition planning for each of the 46 horses that currently reside on her farms. Tall order for a small woman but always very well done.
Look for Ashley performing Demonstrations of Dressage, Eventing, and Show Jumping on her three Irish horses - Ballynoe Rum, Sportsfield's Zebadee, Fernhill Henry Juan - as part of the Irish Village at the World Equestrian Games.