American dressage rider Lauren Asher said goodbye to her career starting Young Riders' horse, Honnerups Event. The mare was put to sleep on 1 November 2022.
Honnerups Event was a 17-year old Danish warmblood mare by Blue Hors Romanov out of Honnerups Unit (by Classic x Midt West Ibi Light). She was bred by Stutteri Honnerup in Denmark.
Denmark
The chestnut mare was first trained and competed in Denmark. Under Wendie Hagedorn, she made her show debut as a 5-year old in February 2010.
Two months later Linda Hagedorn took over the ride and showed her through 2015 at M-level. In the spring of 2015 Wendie was back in the saddle. In 2016 the pair did its first and last Prix St Georges level test.
With Lauren Asher in the U.S.A.
Asher purchased Honnerups Event as a her young riders hopeful in the summer of 2016.
She was meant as third iron in the fire to her career starting horse, the Oldenburg gelding Lysias (by Licotus x Royal Diamond), who had taken her to the 2014 North American Junior Riders Championships (24th in the individual test) and 2015 North American Young Riders Championships (23rd in individual test).
In 2016, Lauren had been competing the Hanoverian licensed stallion De Noir (by De Niro x Matcho AA), which she found through the Swedish born American rider and trainer Mette Rosencrantz. Lauren competed De Noir one year at international shows in the U.S.A.
In 2017, Honnerups Event took over the baton. They premiered at the CDI Wellington in March 2017 at Young Riders level and scored a freestyle silver medal at the 2017 North American Young Riders Championships. In 2018 the pair showed again in Wellington at small tour level and travelled to Europe, where they rode at the CDI Leudelange in Luxembourg. It was Event's last international competition.
In 2019 Asher and Event competed in a few more national Prix St Georges classes at the Global Dressage Festival.
Broodmare
For the past three years Asher has been spending considerable time in Europe, either in Holland or Germany, but Event's health began to decline and she was retired from sport. She suffered from arthrosis.
She served as a broodmare in the last few years of her life. Asher was able to get five foals out of her before she was put to sleep on 1 November after the mare's health and mobility became critically compromised.
"She was a very special mare with major soundness issues her entire life," Asher told Eurodressage. "I'm just thankful for the time I had with her and that we have been able to get so many offspring from her through embryotransfer and ICSI."
Honnerups Event leaves behind a 3-year old filly by Escolar, two two-year old colts by Hickstead White and Cornet Obolensky, a two-year old filly by De Noir. A yearling by De Noir unfortunately passed away in a freak accident in Holland this summer.
"Next year we have two foals coming from De Noir, one from Florett As and two from Don Schufro, all through embryotransfer of course," Asher stated.
Photos © Astrid Appels
Related Links
Lauren Asher's Honnerups Event Becomes Broodmare, Stable Champagne in the Making
Alive and Kicking Sold to Charlotte Dujardin
Conde Nord Sold to Lauren Asher
Lauren Asher Acquires Hotmail as Under 25 Schoolmaster
Scores: 2017 North American Junior/Young Riders Championships