Trainer Profile
Laurie Schildt
Laurie with herd sire and multi-time AHSA/USEF and WPCSA National, Zone, and Regional champion Shenandoah Gamekeeper
Born in 1956 and raised in Northeastern Pennsylvania, Laurie's life story has modest beginnings. The daughter of a carpenter and a housewife, she attended university and majored in English and Broadcast Journalism. After graduating with her BA and marrying James Schildt, she taught tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade English at a high school in the suburbs of Detroit, MI. After returning to Pennsylvania, Laurie worked as a DJ at a local radio station and as the Assistant Program Director for a CBS affiliate, WYOU. After having Leslie at the age of twenty-five, Laurie began to build the Flying Leap dynasty with an iron will and a discerning eye for quality performance ponies..
Laurie atop Flying Enchanted Moment in Custer State Park in the Black Hills of South Dakota, May 2003
It is Laurie's vision and determination which has created the masterpiece that is Flying Leap's Welsh pony herd. Laurie grew up riding and training her paint pony, "Ginger," and the family's Thoroughbred mare, "Dusty," on her family's modest farm. She sought out the wonderful Welsh Pony breed for Leslie's first pony in 1986. This was the beginning of Flying Leap's breeding program, which started with the acquisition of Little Whinny Faline--Leslie's first pony. In 1989, Laurie acquired the young stallion Shenandoah Gamekeeper and a two-year old Farnley Magic Wish.
In the interim, Laurie was also building a reputation as a firm, capable, and savvy horsewoman at Pocono Downs, home of Standardbred sulky racing. For years, Laurie boarded, reconditioned, and refreshed Standardbred racehorses using water therapy, turn-out, and expertise to bring many wins to the horses, such as the long-shot "Uknown Talent," who won--by eight lengths--his first race that year since being with Laurie and paid 60-1 to those foolish/wise enough to bet upon a long-shot. Under Laurie's care, he went on to win eight consecutive races. This story was repeated many times over the years with many run-down and broken horses whom Laurie restored.
Intent upon fulfilling her dreams, Laurie began training Gamekeeper to drive in the winter of 1990, and the pair attained their first national championship in the summer of 1991.
Laurie with Gamekeeper in 1991 with one of Gamekeeper's greatest admirers: judge Jeri Friels
After attaining accolades for herself, Laurie focused on training Leslie and building her riding skills. Laurie remained the primary instructor and trainer of Leslie throughout Leslie's very successful riding career. Having previously been a high school teacher, Laurie also homeschooled Leslie from first grade until Leslie started college at age fifteen.
Laurie atop Flying Masquerade (Shenandoah Gamekeeper x Fleetwood's Charade (Fleetwood Mac daughter)) in southwestern Montana standing below a tree bearing bear-claw scars
Laurie remains the visionary of Flying Leap Farm, and she is now responsible for the training of all driving ponies in addition to being a published writer, stained glass artist, and painter. She is currently training multiple teams of driving ponies with which to compete in combined driving.
Laurie pictured in the Black Hills of South Dakota in May of 2003 upon Flying Enchanted Moment, a Gamekeeper x Three Star Codet baby
Laurie driving Gamekeeper to their 1991 National Pleasure Driving Championship
Awards
1991 - Shenandoah Gamekeeper
Welsh Pony and Cob Society of America
National Champion
Pleasure Driving
East Coast Circuit
Pleasure Driving Champion
Northeastern Pennsylvania Horseman's Association
Overall Pleasure Driving Champion
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1995 - Farnley Magic Wish
Welsh Pony and Cob Society of America
Reserve National Champion
Child's First Pony with Farnley Magic Wish (coach)
Trainer Profile
Leslie Marie Artemis Schildt
Leslie at the age of three riding Laurie's Welsh Cob, "Skeeter," bareback
Self-named after the Greek goddess of the hunt and protectress of young and unborn animals and the helpless, Leslie was born in 1983 and started riding with Laurie before she could walk. By the age of three, Leslie was riding Laurie's Welsh Cob mare, "Skeeter," around the eighty-five acre farm solo. She was successfully competing in short stirrup at the age of seven and eight. In October of her ninth year, Leslie decided she wanted to ride the farm stallion, Gamekeeper, who was fresh off of a national championship in driving. Laurie supported her spirited daughter's desire and put a tiny western saddle on the stallion so her forty-pound daughter could have a more secure seat as well as a horn to hold onto. Gamekeeper was stellar from the beginning, faithfully toting about the tiny treasure. Thus began the journey that would end in eighteen national and regional championships for Leslie and Gamekeeper.
Leslie's very first time ever riding Gamekeeper, October of 1992
Leslie in 1995 atop Flying Leap's best foundation mare Farnley Magic Wish
Leslie in 1998 with yet another of Flying Leap's AHSA/USEF National, Regional, and Zone champions: Shenandoah Whistle (Severn Westwind (by Farnley Lustre) x Shenandoah Windsong)
In 1998, at the age of fifteen, while finishing up her national championships with Shenandoah Whistle, Leslie began studying at Keystone College with massive success, including a perfect 4.0 GPA, serving as President of Commuter Council (one of the three governing student bodies on campus), serving on Student Senate, and serving as an officer in the Multi-Cultural Society. At sixteen, she was simultaneously attending Keystone College and Penn State University's Worthington Campus, maintaining perfect GPAs at both. At seventeen, Leslie transferred to Cornell University, where she lived solo in an off-campus apartment with her cockatiel "Gus" (named after the Roman emperor Augustus and the fat mouse--"Gus Gus"-- from "Cinderella") and her parakeet "Winston" (allegedly named after the English statesman Winston Churchill, but nicknamed "Hannibal Lecter" for his fondness of gnawing on fingers and...well, any human appendage he could acquire).
While at Cornell, Leslie followed her passion--history--and studied Classics, early warfare, Classical Islamic law (including translating fatwas from the original 13th and 14th century Arabic her senior year with one of her professors and a fellow senior), Middle Eastern civilization, and Greek and Roman civilization. She was also an active member and officer of the Cornell Ballroom Club and the Dancesport Team, becoming a formidable competitive Latin dancer by the time she graduated in the fall of 2003, winning Gold Level Latin at the Capital Dancesport Championship in Washington, DC.
Leslie with Sergey Khoroshevskiy at the Ohio Star Ball Intercollegiate Dancesport Competition, 2003
Having graduated from Cornell University with her BA, Leslie now resides at Flying Leap Farm, where she is the primary saddle trainer. She is preparing for law school as well as writing her first novel and collection of essays. She is now also a salsa dancer. In January of 2003, she purchased Flying Nosferatu, an Anglo-Arab stud colt and son of the renowned Anglo-Arab champion stallion Post Exchange. Once he is mature, Leslie and "Jet" (so named for his tendency to fly over five-foot high stallion paddock fences as a yearling) will be competing in the upper levels of eventing, dresssage, and Grand Prix jumping.
Leslie atop Flying Bandalore (Welsh/QH gelding) playing tag/racing with Jet (as a two year-old) in the Badlands of South Dakota, June of 2004
Leslie and Jet at an altitude of approximately 7,000 feet near Cooke City, Montana, May 2004
Leslie has bred Jet to his first mares and is using Jet as her foundation sire for a breed of sporthorses she is trying to create, combining the best of the best from various breeds, using the bloodlines of Post Exchange with those of Fleetwood Mac, Three Star Cody, Joe Cody, Bill Cody, Shenandoah Gamekeeper, and more to create sturdy, fast, intelligent sporthorses with the athleticism, endurance, and beauty to make them capable of dominating literally any discipline.
Awards
1993 - Shenandoah Gamekeeper
American Horse Show Association
National Fourth Place Champion Horse of the Year
Welsh Hunter
American Horse Show Association
National Reserve Champion Horse of the Year
Welsh Pleasure
American Horse Show Association
Zone II Champion Horse of the Year
Welsh Hunter
American Horse Show Association
Zone II Champion Horse of the Year
Welsh Pleasure
East Coast Circuit
Reserve Champion
Welsh Hunter
East Coast Circuit
Reserve Champion
Welsh Pleasure
Welsh Pony & Cob Society of America
National Champion
Welsh Hunter
Welsh Pony & Cob Society of America
National Fifth Place Champion
Welsh Pleasure
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1994 - Shenandoah Gamekeeper
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American
Horse Show Association Grand National Champion Horse of the Year
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American Horse Show Association
National Champion
Horse of the Year (best horse/rider in US and Canada for 1994)
Welsh Hunter
American Horse Show Association
National Champion
Horse of the Year (best horse/rider in US and Canada for 1994)
Welsh Pleasure
American Horse Show Association
Zone II Champion
Welsh Hunter
American Horse Show Association
Zone II Champion
Welsh Pleasure
Welsh Pony & Cob Society of America
National Champion
Welsh Hunter
Welsh Pony & Cob Society of America
National Champion
Welsh Pleasure
Welsh Pony & Cob Society of America
Western Glow Perpetual Over-All Versatility Award
East Coast Circuit
Champion
Welsh Hunter
East Coast Circuit
Champion
Welsh Pleasure
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1995 - Farnley Magic Wish
Welsh Pony & Cob Society of America
National Reserve Champion
Child's First Pony, Katie Plummer--rider
Leslie Marie Artemis Schildt--trainer
Pennsylvania 4-H State
Reserve Champion Pleasure Driving
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1996 - Shenandoah Annie's Song
Welsh Pony & Cob Society of America
Half-Welsh Pleasure 3rd Place National Champion
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1998 - Shenandoah Whistle
Welsh Pony & Cob Society of America
Welsh Pleasure National Champion
Welsh Pony & Cob Society of America
Welsh Hunter 4th
Place Champion
East Coast Circuit
Welsh Pleasure Champion
East Coast Circuit
Welsh Hunter 3rd place Champion
New England Welsh Pony & Cob Society Circuit
Pleasure Champion
New England Welsh Pony & Cob Society Circuit
Hunter Champion
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