U.S. Nationals

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October 30, 2009

Romeo's Magic Feet

Just as the late 90s country song says, Romeo has some "magic feet." Springwater Farms in Stockton, N.J. is home to a gray gelding that has been catching the eye of National judges with his magic feet for several years. Romeo Afire (Afire Bey V x Flames Lullaby) took home the Arabian Country English Pleasure AAOTR 36-54 Championship for the third year in a row earlier this week in what has seemed to become an effortless routine for the gelding. "Romeo truly loves to show. He's very balanced, very mobile, easy to show. You can put him on the rail, off the rail, you don't have to do much," says John Ryan, Romeo's trainer. "He's very in-tune with the rider and he's very bright. Outside the ring, Ryan says Romeo isn't as easy. "He's a bit of brat. Someone in the barn has spoiled him rotten. And he's kind of become my pet, which is my fault," smiles Ryan. Nearly eleven years ago, Ryan had Romeo's full brother, Flames Afire, a horse that had an attitude of gold. Ryan only got to show the gelding a couple of years before health problems forced him to put the gelding down. Ryan soon got a call from the folks at Shea Stables and learned that Flames Afire's brother, Romeo Afire, was showing the signs of the same great attitude as his brother. Ryan went to Shea Stables and found a 3 year-old who had not been started but had a great attitude and was the perfect color. "You shouldn't buy a horse based on color, of course, but I just happened to be looking for Wendy Bryant who had requested a gray gelding with the exact markings Romeo had," says Ryan. By the time Romeo was a 4 year-old he was show-ready, but did not go to Nationals until he was a 5 year-old and earned a Top 10 in Louisville in 2006. Since then, Romeo has won the Country English Pleasure Amateur (40 and over or 36-54) class at Canadian Nationals and U.S. Nationals-nine titles in all After his appearance in 2006 Bryant said she was ready to sell and Springwater farm owner Carol Skeuse-Hart, did not hesitate to make Romeo her own. "Unbeknownst to me, Carol struck a deal with Wendy," says Ryan. Skeuse-Hart had been watching Romeo since he had arrived at Springwater and had fallen in love. Carol has shown Romeo for the last couple of years, leading Romeo to his most recent successes. "He is really on top of his game in that class," says Ryan. Romeo Afire's full brother, Afireandbrimstone is also at Springwater and is owned by Ken and Susan Knipe. Brimstone is coming along just as solid as his brother and it seems like a good formula for these horses. The breeders, Todd and Carrie Brown also have a sister that the plan to start down the same path. Skeuse-Hart plans to keep showing Romeo who is only 8 years-old. "She loves him and has no interest in selling him. It's not just the ribbons for her, she really loves that horse. For as long as she wants to show him she should. They are a great pair.