Kulacrosse Farm

10/22/2024

Aphrodite and I are leaping for joy! She did it! 2024 USDF DSHB HOY Champion Filly of Current Calendar Year!

Even more exciting is that her dam, Ambrosia was 2013 USDF DSHB HOY Champion Filly of Current Calendar Year and Aphrodite is only her second foal. Interestingly, Rosa Canina had Ambrosia for me when she was 11, so apparently 11 is my lucky number! It is also fitting that Aphrodite's my 10th foal, as she's a perfect ten in my book.

Aphrodite is by the Weser-Ems stallion Branley Ash Nautilus. I think it's fair to say I'm going to have to be repeating this cross again in the future. Hopefully next time the Oldenburg Horse Breeders' Society and Weser-Ems Ponies registry can register it in time for all breeds year end awards.

Thank you to Rachel Wengerd, Amy E. Riley, Zoë Flannery, Diego Rubio, and Sydney Lynch for their help at the breed shows this year. It takes a village! As you can see, Aphrodite ended the year fully convinced that show time meant play time. Thanks to Spotted Vision Photography for capturing this great shot - and many more! Also, thanks to the show organizers and volunteers that make these events possible and the United States Dressage Federation Official Page for the program. These events are such wonderful opportunities to get our youngsters out.

01/01/2024

01/01/2024

01/01/2024

2018 UMass Breed Show, both Flora & Ambrosia were in the Grand Champion ring!

12/19/2021

Look what came in the mail! 🥈

12/11/2021

Also last weekend, it was announced that Diego Rubio is the 2021 American Driving Society Inc. Youth Combined Driving Champion! 🏆 We are so incredibly proud of what an amazing driver he has become. He worked hard to up his game this year and it showed. He's excited about moving up to Intermediate with Onyx next year. No matter what happens, one thing is for certain: this team is going to have a blast in 2022!

Thank you to everyone who supported Diego this year:
Sarah Bates for allowing him to use the 🌟 pony, Fferm Gwenffrwd Onyx Star, better known as Onyx for some strange reason. 😉
Karin O'Brien for allowing him to use her gorgeous New Heritage Farm Carriages marathon carriage, which couldn't be more perfect for them.
Karin Sclater of Carriage Imports and Mary Fowler of Chrysalis Acres for help with equipment.
Cheryl Pratt Rivers, Tracey Morgan, Allison Fry Stroud, Linda Stebbins and others who helped make our crazy trip all the way to Championships at Windsor Trace Combined Driving Event in South Carolina a reality.

And, most importantly, to Keith and Lynda Angstadt for their never ending support and encouragement. Diego never could have done this without having such an awesome trainer!

12/11/2021

I haven't been very good about sharing barn news on this page vs. my personal page lately, but this definitely belongs here.

This summer Flora (Furstenball x Ambrosia) helped me earn my USDF Breeder of Distinction Silver medal! 🥈 As an AA, I am particularly proud to have ridden my own horses in all the Materiale classes to earn my medal.

Here are a few of the pictures that Spotted Vision Photography took at the NEDA Sporthorse breed show in September, where Flora won the 4 year old Materiale and new In Hand Championships. 🏆 This mare just keeps getting better (and bigger, but we don't like to talk about that 😂)

05/08/2021

Thanks to Sarah Bates and Karin O'Brien, when one door closes, another one opens. Due to their kindness and generosity, Diego will be able to continue to drive this year. Onyx, aka The Star, is back! My expedition with the trailer last weekend that was lengthened by an uncooperative tire was to pick him up. Since then he's had some time to settle in as Diego has been busy furiously studying for his AP tests, most of which were last week. The pair ended last year with a first place finish in Preliminary Single Pony at Garden State. We look forward to seeing how these two develop together this year.

05/08/2021

Unfortunately, the time has come to let Champagne enjoy a well deserved retirement. After over a year of slow, careful rehab, he managed to re-injure himself. He has been the perfect pony for Diego. They met when they were both eight, Champagne dutifully carting around his young driver, teaching him feel and finesse, and consistently rising to the occasion as the challenges increased. They both tolerated dressage, enjoyed cones, and lit up for the marathon - the perfect match. Even the past year has helped teach Diego what it means to be a true horseman.

Personally I've had quite a few horses over the years and taken advantage of as many learning opportunities as I have been able, but the golden pony gave me an opportunity to bring it all together. Initially I rode him in large part to ensure that he would be safe for my then young son, dragging him to every event I could manage. No one expected much of us, an Adult Amateur and a pony, not even me, but Champagne's heart is bigger than his body. He was my mount for many Mary Wanless clinics, always reinforcing her feedback when something finally clicked. I wouldn't be the rider I am today without them. At the top of his game, Champagne was the 2017 National Dressage Pony Cup Year End Champion for Second Level AA.

Of course, his real success was with Diego, where they consistently competed against more mature drivers. The blues were common, but success of any color was celebrated. Highlights include:

- 2017 Waldingfield Driving Trial 1st Place Training Level pony & Champion Jr Driver
- 2017 Green Mountain Horse Association CDE 1st Place Training Level pony
- 2017 Saratoga Driving Trial 1st Place Training Level pony & Training Level Champion
- 2017 New England ADT Training Level pony Champion
- 2017 NorthAmerican Sportpony Registry Training Level Champion
- 2018 Waldingfield Driving Trial 3rdPlace Preliminary Level pony & Champion Jr Driver
- 2018 GHMA CDE 3rd Place Preliminary Level pony
- 2018 Southern New England Carriage Driving Association Driving Trial 1st Place Preliminary Level pony
- 2018 North American Sport Pony Preliminary Level Champion
- 2019 Waldingfield Driving Trial 1st Place Preliminary Level pony & Champion Jr Driver
- 2019 Becancour CDE 1st Place Preliminary Level pony & Champion Jr Driver
- 2019 New England ADT Preliminary Level pony Champion
- 2019 American Driving Society Inc. Youth Combined Driving Champion

Needless to say, the Golden Pony will continue to be spoiled for many years to come. We will be forever grateful for the opportunity to work with him and will continue to enjoy his personality lighting up our farm.

10/17/2020

Getting started at Horton Farm

05/11/2020

I was so excited to receive Flora's gorgeous 2019 DSHB 2 yr old Fillies Year End Award from Oldenburg Horse Breeders' Society and Weser-Ems Ponies! She's currently making me proud while being started undersaddle with Joe Forrest at Horton's Farm - an absolute star! ❤️

02/03/2020

I finally got my act together and purchased these awesome pictures of my girls that Carole MacDonald took at the UMass Breed Show in 2018. Thank you Carole!

12/19/2019

Look what came today! 😁

12/08/2019

We are unbelievably proud to announce that Diego Rubio with help from his partner in crime, Champagne Wishes, has just been awarded the 2019 American Driving Society Youth Combined Driving Champion! Thanks.to his wonderful trainer,, Keith Angstatd, and his first instructor, Mary Gray, who he started driving with at the age of 7!

He's had amazing support from the driving community, including sponsorships from Karin Sclater of Carriage Imports and Mary Fowler of Chrysalis Acres. He's had unbelievable opportunities to drive borrowed horses this year, which have been incredible learning opportunities. First, Paul and Barbara Reese loaned him Bo in January at The Grand Oaks Resort CDE. Later Bob and Diane Koopman let him drive Navu and Missy Hoss at Black Prong Equestrian Village HDT in March. It's been incredible watching him grow (literally too!) right before our eyes.

We look forward to whatever adventures await us in 2020!

11/17/2019

We had a relatively quiet show season this year, but it was enough for Flora to win NEDA 2 yr old Filly Champion! So proud of this lovely young lady, who looks better and better as she's approaching three. We're very excited to see her going undersaddle next year!

02/14/2019

Look what came today! Happy Valentine's Day to me! Now to earn more Materiale points for my Silver.

02/09/2019

Signs of spring on its way, our beloved barn cat, Emma, sunning her belly. Best barn cat ever!