Kristin Schmolze to Syndicate Ballylaffin Bracken

Kristin Schmolze and Ballylaffin Bracken at Red Hills. Photo by Samantha Clark.

Mere days before Ballylaffin Bracken’s CCI4* debut at Rolex, Kristin Schmolze is unveiling an exciting syndicate plan for the horse that will give shareholders the opportunity to be a part of Rox’s career at the highest level of the sport. Additionally, shareholders will help Kristin choose a new young horse to bring into the syndicate at no extra charge to them. It’s a creative new idea she developed in partnership with the Event Owners Task Force and Mark Hart that she hopes will encourage new eventing enthusiasts to become involved in the sport on an ownership level.

“I can offer him at a very reduced price per share, so people aren’t paying anywhere near what would be considered open-market value, making it much more affordable for an Advanced horse,” Kristin said. “We’re also bundling this together with purchasing a new up-and-coming horse. By buying into the syndicate, owners will also get a 10 percent share in the new horse at no extra cost. So you’re paying a lower price for an Advanced horse and getting a new horse. The idea is that it’s a unique way for people to be involved with an Advanced horse and a young horse — so seeing the sport from two different levels — and be a part of the event world for a fraction of the price of your average syndicate.”

Kristin imported Ballylaffin Bracken, a 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, from Tipperary, Ireland, as a 4 year old. Sired by the renowned Zangersheide stallion Ricardo Z and out of the Irish Sport Horse mare Ballylaffin Florence, “Rox” has steadily proven that he is a serious upper-level competitor. An alternate horse for the 2011 Pan American Games team, Kristin and Rox also received a USEF grant to compete in the Galway Downs CCI3* that year, where the pair placed eighth. Rox most recently finished 23rd at the Red Hills CIC3* and fourth in his division of Advanced at Pine Top in February. Last fall, the pair placed 15th at the Fair Hill CCI3*. The horse is currently owned by Kristin and Janet Geiler.

“He’s actually the first horse that I have brought all the way up through the levels,” Kristin said. “I know he’s completely capable of competing at the CCI4* level, and I’m really excited to see how he blossoms at this level. Once he stepped up to Advanced last season, I could really see his true talents. It’s always been easy for him, and he’s athletic, but before it seemed like he would just go through the motions. When he stepped up to Advanced, there was something else that came out in this horse, and suddenly he was super game. He became very competitive, and he would light up going to shows. He would turn into a completely different horse. I’m not sure he was being challenged enough until now. It took going Advanced for this horse to truly begin devouring the sport.”

While Kristin is very excited for Rox’s CCI4* debut next week at Rolex, she’s also equally excited to bring a young horse into the syndicate, a process she hopes will be equally thrilling and engaging to the new shareholders. “I haven’t started looking around much for a new horse yet because I thought it would be really fun for the shareholders to be involved in the process,” Kristin said. “If I start to make trips to Europe or look in the U.S., I would love to have them come along on the shopping trip. Normally shareholders are involved in the competition aspect, but I want to take it a step further and offer people the chance to be involved from the very beginning.”

As for what’s next for Rox, Kristin plans to get through Rolex and sit down with David O’Connor to develop a competition plan for the rest of the year. “I’m very much leaning toward Normandy, and this is the first step because he needs to do his first four star,” Kristin said. “Of course, I would love to see him do Rio too.” In the meantime, Kristin will work to bring together a group of syndicate owners who are equally passionate about the horse and this sport. “When you put a syndicate together, it becomes a deeply rooted team that really becomes more like a family,” Kristin said. “You’re connected on so many levels, and it’s wonderful to find people who care that deeply.” For more information on the syndicate, contact Kristin at [email protected] or 973-768-4174.

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