While Kaitlin Spurlock’s Rolex Rookie experience didn’t end the way she hoped when Expedience sustained an injury at the Head of the Lake, the mare has been recovering well after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured right front pastern. And Kaitlin’s family is expecting a new addition too, as Expedience, 17, was successfully bred to the Oldenburg stallion Checkmate via embryo transfer.
“Right from the start, the doctors told us that if she were to compete again, she would be totally sound, but the plan was always to retire and breed her after Rolex,” Kaitlin said. “My mom has always been the breeding aficionado of the family, so she’s the one who did the research and selected the stallion.”
Kaitlin and her family are hoping for an athletic baby, perhaps one who will be successful as an event horse. Checkmate finished sixth overall in his 70-day stallion test in Oklahoma, and his sire and dam lines show much success in the jumper ring.
Due to the late season nature of the breeding, delayed by Spedy’s recovery from her surgery, the breeding was done via embryo transfer, and a surrogate mare will carry the foal. “We think Spedy might want to have a baby herself, so we’re keeping our options open to breed her in the spring,” Kaitlin said.
As for the plans for the foal, Kaitlin is keeping an open mind for now. “We’re definitely hoping for a nice event horse, but horses have a way of telling us what they want to know,” Kaitlin said. “There will definitely be a lot of sentimental attachment to the foal because it’s Spedy’s baby; she’s just been such a special horse for Melissa (Hunsberger) and myself and my family.”
Go Spedy!