It is with sadness that we report the passing of one of the finest hunter horses in AQHA history, High Flying Assets. “Fritzel” was bred by Miles Bradshaw from Ohio. He was sired by Heza Snazzy Asset and out of Winged Envoy (TB). He was 18 years old.
If you have had the privilege of working with these amazing animals, you know the impact they can have on you as an individual. Then there are unique horses like Fritzel who can change the lives of an entire family.
“All horses possess special characteristics, but few leave imprints on your heart. He has left an everlasting legacy at Roper Farms,” says former owner, Indy Roper. Indy and the 1998 bay gelding competed in AQHA youth hunter events earning 592 total performance points. High Flying Assets was also shown by Samantha Roper earning 489.5 points in Amateur events, and Alison Roper (Vandercar) in Novice Amateur events.
Breeder, Miles Bradshaw sold Fritzel to Fritz Leeman as a weanling who then sold him as a yearling to Amateur, Lori Rosborough Stevenson. It is believed at that point he was given the barn name of Fritzel after his former owner, Fritz Leeman. She put some of Fritzel’s first points on him prior to Tim Roper purchasing him for his daughters in 2004. His record also indicates 300 Open performance points and earning of $43,254.28 from the AQHA Incentive Fund, AQHA World Championship Show, and the National Snaffle Bit Association combined.
With a nearly endless list of AQHA Honor Roll and Top 10 titles, High Flying Assets and the Roper sisters took the Open, Amateur, and Youth hunter arenas by storm.
Fritzel’s AQHA World Show record includes three gold globes: two in Hunter Hack (Amateur and Youth) and one in Amateur Working Hunter. He added more hardware to his collection with four Reserve World Champion titles: Youth Working Hunter, Hunter Hack, and Equitation Over Fences and Amateur Hunter Hack.
According to trainer, David Warner (pictured left), it was the All-American Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, Ohio that Fritzel, who was bred and raised in Ohio, loved. “His favorite show was the Congress. He always gave 110%,” Warner said. And then added with a laugh, “He was a Buckeye.”
The Roper family agrees that the Congress remains one of their fondest memories with their four-legged partner. “I could list all of his victories, but winning Congress Championships with all three sisters truly embodies the kind of animal he was,” explained Indy. The Roper family earned Congress Championships in Amateur Working Hunter, Novice Amateur Working Hunter, and Youth Equitation Over Fences.
“Dave started Fritzel and was instrumental in his success, but what was truly remarkable was the bond my sister, Samantha had with him,” Indy shares. “As horse people, we can appreciate the bond between human and animal. She could go in the stall and tell you he’s on today by just the look in his eye and his demeanor. He was the epitome of a true athlete. He had more great days than bad and when he was on he was close to unbeatable.”
