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Saturday, June 21, 2008

Dressage Olympic Selection Trials Set to Begin2008 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions Kicks Off in San Juan Capistrano
By Kathy Beal for DressageDaily.com 

Young Rider Ashley Schempp Overcomes Great Odds to Compete at Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions

Riders and families make many sacrifices in order to pursue long-held dreams of national and international honors in the dressage arena. One persistent dreamer/athlete is young rider Ashley Schempp who trains with Steffen Peters in San Diego. During the Del Mar National Horse Show this year, Schempp suffered a rare condition called vasovagular syncope which put her in intensive care. The seizure-like condition was brought on by a viral infection, heat stroke and severe dehydration. After winning her USDF Young Rider class, Ashley went back to her hotel room where she passed out.

“I guess I saw the other side. Strangely, it was a big green field with pink bunnies. I could hear my mom’s voice calling to me,” Schempp said. Her mom rushed her to the hospital where she underwent many tests. She was not able to ride or drive for several weeks. Amazed that she was actually competing at the Festival, Schempp said, “I got here because of all the help from Steffen and Shannon’s barn. They packed up my stuff at Del Mar and have taken such great care of Mowgli. Steffen committed to riding him daily even with this Selection Trials and his three top horses."

Schempp got the okay to ride from doctors just three weeks ago. "It has been slow going. I started with ten minutes and have added five minutes a day. The horse is great. I am concerned with my timing. I decided just to try to come. It is my last year as a Young Rider, and I have been working for so long on this,” she said. Her mom and dad, Connie and Rick Schempp, are on hand with water, cooling vest, expertise and love to help Schempp should she feel in danger of relapse. “I guess it is all my athletic training that would not let me give up on this goal.”  

Steffen Peters and Ravel Prevail on Day One of the Olympic Selection Trials for Dressage