Ashley Arnoldt and Light My Fire reclaimed the Canadian Hunter Derby Series championship on Friday. It’s their third consecutive year winning the title and they did it in the CWD saddle they won the year prior.

In 2024, the spectacularly consistent pair earned top five finishes in four of the six Amy Brattebo Real Estate sponsored derbies at Thunderbird Show Park, highlighted by second place finishes at the West Coast Classic in June and the Harvest Celebration in September, and a third place finish at the Canadian Premier in May.

Originally imported as a Grand Prix prospect for Arnoldt in 2021, the 12-year-old Hanoverian breeding stallion by Light On quickly found his footing in the hunter ring and has won the Canadian Hunter Derby Series championship every year since.

We caught up with the Langley-based amateur rider to talk about her amazing record with “Lenny.”

Congratulations, Ashley! How does it feel to be a three-time Canadian Hunter Derby Series winner?

Ashley Arnoldt: I feel honoured to be able to repeat it for the third time. That was pretty spectacular. And just knowing that Lenny was ready [on Friday], I walked in the ring and I was like, here we go and just laid down a nice trip. Winning the series and the CWD saddle again was a reward that was an extra. It was great!

To win the title three years in a row is an amazing accomplishment. Was it was more pressure this year knowing that you’ve done it twice already?

Arnoldt: A little bit, yeah. We always really look forward to the year-end titles. It’s a goal. But it’s not something I put too much pressure on because when you put pressure on it, then sometimes it doesn’t work out. But it’s definitely always in the back of my mind. And I kept an eye on the standings all season long.

Going into the last derby on Friday, it was close between me and Katrina Klimach and I knew I needed to have a nice round. We skipped a couple of the handy turns because I wanted to put down the most solid and consistent round I could, aiming at that year end reward. So that was the main thing in my mind, just keeping everything smooth and consistent.

What does winning this title mean to you and has it impacted your career?

Arnoldt: It’s impacted me a lot. I think people now know that this year-end award is there and next year there might be a little bit more pressure from others. And Lenny has done wonders and has gotten more and more breedings every time he wins something. So that’s great for us on the breeding side of things. But overall, I’m just thankful that he’s so consistent. That is what I’ve learned with the hunter derby points and awards. You don’t have to win everything, but if you’re consistent, it will reward you a lot.

He is so such a proven contender now. Has your approach or preparation for the derbies with him changed over the last three years? 

Arnoldt: He’s been so consistent. We haven’t really had to change a lot. I trusted him from the get-go when we first moved him over from the jumpers into the hunters in 2021. If we have a drastic weather change like we did on Friday—it went from being a partially sunny/partiallycloudy day, and then an hour before the derby, it started to pour rain—that is the only thing that changes our prep. I might pull him out 10 minutes early just to make sure he’s got a good flat under him before we start jumping and see if he might be a little bit impressed that it’s raining. Normally when the weather changes like that, we get a little more energy because he’s a little bit lazy by nature. So sometimes it helps us.

We have our normal system. He does maybe a morning class and then does the derby. We keep it fairly simple. The only thing that might change our preparation is the weather. If it’s super hot, we conserve his energy a little bit and if it’s suddenly a bit rainy, we pull him out a little bit early to make sure he’s feeling ready to go.

You’ve ridden so many horses over the years. Would you say that Lenny is the horse of your career so far?

Arnoldt: For sure. He has been the horse I’ve won the most titles on in terms of Thunderbird year-end awards and Western Derby Champion. So that’s a big deal. He’s given me so many opportunities to go out and do these classes, especially on the Canadian circuit. One day I dream that we could take him to the U.S. and do some of the international derbies. That would be really cool. But he is definitely a horse of my career and I think that it’ll be really hard for another horse to match what he’s done for me and my whole career.

I think that he might be the hunter horse of my lifetime, if I’m being honest. He might be the one and only amazing star that will be hard to outshine. I appreciate him very much.

You sent us a few videos of Lenny napping in the stall at tbird in the morning and cuddling with your team. He’s such a pet!

Arnoldt: He is ridiculous. He acts like a total gelding. A lot of people in the barn never know he’s a stallion. He doesn’t make a peep when he stands at the back gate. And it’s very rare that he ever acts stallion-like. He’s very, very chill. He takes his naps, he hangs out.

So Lenny is the most influential horse in your career. Who has been the most influential human in your hunter career?

Arnoldt: That’s hard. There are so many amazing riders that I look up to. My trainer, Eliza Hunt, has been one of the main people who have influenced me through my whole career. She’s taught me from the time I was maybe 4 or 5 years old. So I definitely would have to say the most influential person in my hunter career and even my career in general was Eliza. I definitely owe her a lot for my career.

That’s really special to have trainer/athlete relationship that has lasted so long. What is the main lesson you’ve picked up from Eliza?

Arnoldt: Always to keep it smooth, keep it consistent, and just focus on the task at hand and never get too focussed on points and ribbons. It’s just go out there, rhythm, track and smooth. This is always what we go back to and it’s something that I will never forget.

You’re qualified once again for the Canadian Hunter Derby Series Final at the Royal Winter Fair. Will you go to Toronto? 

Arnoldt: Yes. So our next stop, we’re going to Royal West for the three hunter derbies there. And then we will go to the Royal Winter Fair. We’re going to kind of wait and see how Toronto goes and then we’ll make our plans for the rest of the fall and the winter.

tbird: Good luck! It’s been a thrill to watch you two this summer.

Arnoldt: Thank you so much!