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“What they are looking for is a modern sport horse with the best genes,” he says as he describes their breeding goal. “Mr. Romo is very knowledge- able as an engineer and has good knowledge of the science of genetics. He has businesses that relate to that area as well. He is into producing the best possible horses with the best of everything.” Currently La Silla Sport Horses is first place in


the USEF Leading Jumper Breeder ranking—with Chela LS posting the most points. The chestnut is also leading the rankings of jumpers, $25,000 plus (Grand Prix). For La Silla, Simon has recently sold Chela LS and another winning mare, Sancha LS (Chin Chin x Polydor), who competed in the 2012 Olympic Games with Daniel Bluman of Colombia. “They are getting better and better,” he says about the young jumpers La Silla produces. “They have a very nice breeding place in Mon- terrey,” says Simon. “They upgraded the number of


mares. They were breeding 45–50 and are now up to 90. It’s become very impressive.” La Silla has produced a large number of foals through


embryo transfer, with a herd of recipient mares. Chela LS is one of the first foals of the farm’s embryo transfer program. When she was foaled in 2004, La Silla already acquired 40 recipient mares.


Current Star: Chela LS Simon recalls when he realized Chela LS would excel. “I always knew it from the first day I sat on her. She was very talented and extremely careful. She was trained in Mexico by La Silla, then I got her as a young horse and brought her up here when she was turning six. I had her from six to the middle of her ninth year.” Simon began


competing the mare as a seven-year-old in California. He also showed her in Europe, including the 2012 CSIO in Copenhagen. In 2013, he was riding her at HITS Thermal and at Spruce Meadows. Ashlee bought Chela, who she calls “Chelly Bean,” through Simon in July


2013. “I think what makes her so special is her fight to be clear and win! She goes out and gives 150 percent every time, and that’s a super rare quality!” She started showing Chela immediately. “My impressions of Chela when I


first rode her were ‘OMG, I love this mare. She’s sooo fiery and careful and loves to jump!’” “I think what makes her a winner in the Grand Prix is her heart and for-


Top: The training of a young horse at La Silla. Middle: Conformation shot of Chela LS. Bottom: Dollar Girl La Silla, re- tired in pasture at La Silla, 2004. Behind her is one of the farm-built concrete au- tomatic waterers in every pasture.


54 November/December 2014


wardness. You can feel she wants to win and be crazy fast, and she’s always mad at the jumps. It’s like she has a ‘You think you can take me? Ha ha, I’ll show you!’ kind of attitude,” Ashley says. Ashlee and Chela are a young pair: 29 and 10, respectively. Ashlee has


already represented the U.S. many times in international shows and at four World Cup finals. Her previous top horse was Cadett 7, whom she competed from 2008 to 2013. Ashley and Chela sped to a double-clear win at the eight-horse jump


off at this year’s Thermal Million. They took home the $350,000 check over contenders such as Olympians Rodrigo Pessoa and Beezie Madden. At HITS


Charlene Strickland


Aturo Chávez


Charlene Strickland


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