Happy Friday! Here is your First Friday Flashback! Today, we take a glimpse at some long ago “Farm News” from a 1985 issue of the Lippitt Club News:
MOONRIDGE FARM, Stan and Sally Achey, Middletown Springs, Vermont
We had been looking forward to a slower pace this fall, after a busy spring and summer. Last spring, Crissie (Royalton Carissa) had gone to one trainer for dressage lessons with Sally, while Gale (Covenant Knightngale) had gone in the opposite direction to another trainer to be started under saddle. Crissie then went to Randolph to be bred to Marvelous Ideal, was driven in the GMHA 25 Mile Competitive Trail Drive, raced in the Morgan races, was shown in-hand, driven and ridden in the Youth Amateur Show and again at the Lippitt Country Show (where she won in-hand and driving classes). Then we started working them together as a pair.
Meanwhile, “Baby Ben” (Moonridge F Abednego) was born on June 6, and later went to Randolph with his mom, Tradition Kathy Dei, who was also bred to Ideal. (Of course, Crissie had already come home by then.) The new pasture was fenced, the ring went up, and all five horses (including our yearling colt Moonridge F Meshach) went to the Lippitt Show.
One October morning, we trailered Ben to his new home and returned ready to settle in for the winter. Then, the phone rang. It was Jim Shirlock asking if we would be interested in leasing Covenant Kim Ellen. Of course, we said yes. We’re now back into high gear. The barn addition planned for next spring is going up now. And we’re full of questions and plans for our newest mare – how will she do pulling the sleigh, how would she do in a team with Gale, which one of us will ride her, who will we breed her to next spring? Maybe things will slow down….some other time!
(Photo of Moonridge F Mesach from the 1986 Lippitt Country Show program. He would have been a 3 year old here.)
