Rivermont's Owner:
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More about Ashley and her horses:

Rivermont Farm is owned and operated by Ashley Godwin.  The farm was purchased in August of 2002.  Ashley was born and raised just south of Atlanta in Fairburn, Georgia.  She attended school at Woodward Academy for several years before moving to Creekside High School in Fairburn.  She obtained a Real Estate License in 2000, however put real estate on the back burner due to her daughter Gracie coming along in May of 2001.  

How did Ashley find herself in the horse business you might ask?  Here's the story!  Ashley has ridden ever since she was a very small child, and her father purchased her first horse for her 10th birthday in August of 1985.  To this day she still owns and adores "Sultan", whom you'll see at our monthly horse shows, even though he's around 30 years old!  Ashley began barrel racing Sultan in 1985, and in 1986 she began showing Sultan in the Large Pony division in the Hunter/Jumper arena.  Sultan (who was known as Hidden Talent then) won numerous awards for Ashley.  He was 1989 and 1990 Rolling Hills Saddle Club End of The Year High Point Low and Intermediate Pony, and Reserve Champion in the Under Saddle Division.  Kaiser Fritz was her next show horse, who she showed for several years in the jumper divisions.  In 1998 Fritz was 12th in the United States in his jumper division!  Fritz sadly died in July of 2003 of cancer.  During her time of riding jumpers she rode with trainer Peggy Weldon.  You may have also heard of Peggy's sister, Debi Connor.  Debi owned and trained the 1984 Olympic Gold Medal Show Jumper "Touch of Class".   Just prior to riding with Peggy, she also exercised Thoroughbreds on the racetrack at the young age of 14 in exchange for riding lessons with the farms hunter/jumper trainer!

       
Above left: Ashley and Sultan in July 1985, the first day she owned him.  Above Right: An open Western show at Dunkin Park in Fairburn, 1986.


Ashley riding "Hidden Talent" (Sultan's show name) at age 13 (1989) at the Atlanta Classic Horse Show at Wills Park in the Large Pony Division. 

    
Ashley riding Kaiser Fritz at the Atlanta Classic around 1990 in a Jumper class.

Ashley worked for Claire Boyd Stables for approx. 8 years when she was a teenager.  Claire taught Ashley so much in regard to stable management.   She began working for Claire in 1986 and continued working for her on and off thru around 1995.   Then in 1997 Ashley did the unthinkable!  She SHAVED her head and appeared in the Walt Disney movie "FLASH" (Lucas Black, Ellen Burstyn, Brian Kerwin) as she was Lucas' stunt double.  She auditioned against several people, and was thrilled to get the part!  Anytime you see the horse galloping, jumping, or anything that could have gotten Lucas hurt, that's Ashley!  They filmed Flash during the summer of 1997, and it first appeared on the network ABC the following December.  The picture on the back cover of the movie is actually Ashley galloping "Flash". She received some fantastic training from the movies head wranglers, who had worked on movies such as "Dances With Wolves", "Something To Talk About", and "Titanic". 

Left: Ashley's hair BEFORE Flash!  Right: That's Ashley on "Flash" on the back cover!

Other highlights of Ashley's career consist of numerous Regional Top 5's, 1998 Region 12 Champion Half Arabian Hunter Pleasure AAOTR with her self trained mare, "CBS Krystal Kat+", and that same year she and Krystal went Top 10 at the U.S. National Championships!  She has shown on the "A" circuit since 1989. 

Ashley has attended several clinics herself, including a clinic with Olympian Greg Best and Anna Jane White Mullin (author of "Judging Hunters and Hunter Seat Equitation").  Her future plans include a trip to West Palm Beach to ride with Anne Kursinski as she has spoken to Anne and is hoping to make a trip to Wellington with one of her up and coming jumpers.  Ashley has also recently ridden under the instruction of Irish Olympian Damian Gardiner and currently is riding with Hank Bloom who frequently visits Rivermont and teaches a full day of lessons to all Rivermont students. 
 
Another trainer Ashley looks up to is Clinton Anderson.  She truly believes in his methods of better communication with the horse and in July of 2006 attended a 2 day Clinton Anderson clinic in Tennessee.  Ashley is also available for judging local hunter/jumper horse shows.  Please email Ashley for more info and references: rivermontfarm@alltel.net  On a personal note, Ashley has a young daughter named "Gracie" and when not doing farm related things she enjoys.....well, never mind, she's ALWAYS doing farm related things! :) 


Ashley (totally star struck and dorky looking!) with Clinton Anderson in July 2006


Ashley rides CBS Krystal Kat+ to a Regional Championship in 1998!
They also received a Reserve Regional Championship in the Green Working Hunter Division that year.
That same year they were Top 10 at the U.S. National Championship!


Ashley on the right judging a Hunter show at Sapphire Farm 11/06


Ashley showing Four O'Clock Sharp (owned by Connor Eleam) at the Chris Elliott Benefit show; June 2006.
They were Reserve Champion in their division!


Ashley and Gracie on Christmas Eve 2006





Yeah!  Gracie is learning to post!  January 2007 (on old Sultan, what a good boy!)


Gracie riding her best pal, Krystal.  August 2005


Gracie at her first show 2003

 
 
(L) Gracie and Spud. (R) Ashley and Spud at the filming of an episode of "Busted". (2002)

Gracie riding Idgie March 2003