Wilmington, Ohio – This week’s Wilmington Sunday Spotlight shines on Sarah Sturges’ eight-year-old American Warmblood gelding, Labyrinth (Warone x Zirocco Blue VDL). Born on her family farm in Sunbury, Ohio, Sturges has developed her talented homebred gelding from his first rides to his first debut in World Equestrian Center – Wilmington’s Welcome Stake and Futures Prix.
With a full training operation out of Goshen, Ohio, Sturges holds a special place for her two personal horses, Ziggy [Labyrinth] and Bradley [Brad], brothers out of her junior jumper mare that have moved her up through the ranks. We caught up with Sturges to learn more about her special, scopey mount!
WEC: Tell us about your journey with Labyrinth.
I bred ‘Ziggy’ and he was born at my mom’s farm. He is out of a junior jumper of mine named Warone. She was a Tangelo mare and his dad is Zirocco Blue. I have done him by myself all the way up to this last year. He has always been very brave. He used to jump the top of the standards with his legs straight out just over cross rails!
My mom has someone at home that starts the babies and when they are ready they come to me. I did him from then on. He has been carted around with me ever since!
I really took my time developing him. This last year, Kelly Soleau-Millar started helping me with him and she rode him a little bit to have a second opinion on him. He has just been great. I did him through the five-, six-, and seven-year-old divisions and had a lot of success. He jumped the six and seven-year-old finals in Wellington and now we are jumping the open classes here. He is so scopey and careful. He just keeps climbing up and is taking me along for the ride!
WEC: Tell us about your family’s breeding operation.
My mom has a farm in Columbus. She has done a fair amount of breeding. We have done a little bit of hunters and a little bit of jumpers; we have sold a couple. Ziggy’s older brother, Bradley, I did through the seven-year-olds. He is still leased out in my barn doing the adult jumpers now. I have some more coming up after this. It is always fun and exciting, and my mom loves doing it and having the babies. We are slowing down a little bit because we had too many for a moment!
WEC: Tell us about your experience showing your homebred babies.
It is so special! I feel like I always need one horse that isn’t client related. I can show if and when I want and there is no pressure involved in it outside of myself. Ziggy has been a really good one for me in terms of that and before that it was Brad. I love having him in the barn. I expect that Ziggy will stay with me forever! I have learned a lot in developing him and I continue to learn from him every single day.
WEC: What are your future goals for Ziggy?
I just want him to keep progressing and getting better with me. Whatever he wants to do in life is fine. If what we are doing right now is as high as he wants to jump that’s great, and if not that’s great too!
WEC: If Ziggy could be another animal, what would he be?
If he could be another animal he would be a shark!
Thank you, Sarah, for taking the time to speak with us! We wish you and Ziggy continued success in and out of the ring!