Profiles

Ashley McKissock is Clicking with Coralissa

The Canadian rider who trains with Cheryl and Kassidy Keith had a great week with the mare during the April Season Opener at tbird.

Ashley McKissock and Coralissa, who was previously successfully campaigned for four years by Sam Walker. (tbird/Kady Dane Photography)

By: Thunderbird Show Park media | April 22, 2025

Listen to this Article

0:00

-:--

Playback Speed

you're listening to an article from horse sport.com. ashley mckissock is clicking with coralissa by: thunderbird show park media. twenty-three-year-old ashley mckissock’s show jumping career might have forever changed as a result of her performance in the april season opener at thunderbird show park. partnered with coralissa, a mare owned by marbill hill farm, mckissock made her u25 division debut in the marbill hill u25, powered by solaris equestrian and protected by western pacific emergency response, and delivered a clear round. “i’m very grateful to sit on such a wonderful mare and she’s had so much experience at the level,” mckissock, who hails from langley, said about coralissa, a 15-year-old holsteiner mare (com air x san patrignano corrado). “so going in i was confident knowing that she knew her job. it was just about navigating the course and just sticking to the plan, then riding it to the best of my abilities.”. after exiting the ring crying happy tears, the week just went up from there. on sunday, they pulled off a double-clear effort for the win in the 1.30m open jumper classic. advertisement scroll to continue with content “it was such a great feeling knowing that we have that partnership and we can do it,” she said of the boost she got from that first clear of the week. “after that day, it gave me so much confidence knowing that when we’re going in the ring, she is game, she knows her job, and i just have to pilot her properly. i love it.”. mckissock rides and trains with cheryl and kassidy keith at keepsake farms, located just a stone’s throw away from tbird, and she was in the right place at the right time for an opportunity with coralissa. “cheryl and kassidy have a great relationship with marion cunningham and bill tilford of marbill hill farm, so we are lucky enough that we have a few of their horses in our program,” mckissock explained of how coralissa came into her life in november of 2024. “she came available for lease at a perfect time for me. i was just growing out of my other horse and they presented me with the opportunity to lease her.”. the entire team knew the mare well, so they figured it would be obvious from the start whether it’s a good match. “i sat on her the first day and just fell in love with her,” mckissock said. “we luckily had the winter to grow our partnership and get to know each other, and it’s just been wheels up ever since. i am extremely grateful for the opportunity to ride her and there are not enough thank-yous to marion and bill for the opportunity.”. anyone in show jumping knows it takes a team effort, but this horse brings a particularly close-knit team with her, which helps mckissock tremendously in learning how to ride her and how to step up. “kassidy knows the mare like the back of her hand and she understands her so well,” she continued. “and cheryl and kassidy’s program just seems to work for her so well. then having the support of marion, who has had her for at least eight years now, she knows her so well. with the whole team coming together with tips and advice, it’s made the world of a difference for us.”. mckissock had been jumping the 1.15-1.20m with her horse billy bolton prior, and coralissa has opened up doors for her she never imagined possible, especially considering she works full time as a sales associate for an electrical wholesaler and has to fit in riding time around her work schedule. with an early shift, she’s able to get to the barn around 3:00 p.m. each day, then also dedicates her weekends to riding time. “i did not imagine we could do this,” she said of her most recent accomplishments and what her future goals are. “even at this show, i came thinking i’d jump the 1.20m and the 1.25m and just see how things go. then we jumped the class on warm-up day and i realized i actually do understand her, and it was so simple. she loves being at the show. she’s a total show horse, so it’s much more simple at the shows than it is out in a warm-up ring or at home. she knows her job and as long as you’re there with her, she will do her job all day.”. the goals for the upcoming year are lofty, but they’ve already proven they can take on a challenge and handle it with grace. “our goals for this year are to continue the u25 division here at thunderbird and just get more consistent at this level,” she shared. “i just want to get more consistent at that level and then we would like to jump the two-stars in the fall. that would be our big goal, but it’s mainly about just staying consistent in the u25, getting faster, me getting stronger, and just trying to keep those results going.”. adding even more meaning to her big successes at the april spring opener is having them take place at such a special venue for mckissock. “i’ve been coming to thunderbird for so many years,” she explained. “they have just created such a beautiful facility for us. the environment here is so welcoming and the rings are well taken care of. the jumps are always nice. i think the overall overall environment is just such a welcoming environment. it makes you want to come back over and over again.”. she will continue to keep coming back, but she’ll aim to keep raising the consistency and reaching new heights as a u25 competitor and beyond. &&>

Twenty-three-year-old Ashley McKissock’s show jumping career might have forever changed as a result of her performance in the April Season Opener at Thunderbird Show Park. Partnered with Coralissa, a mare owned by MarBill Hill Farm, McKissock made her U25 division debut in the MarBill Hill U25, powered by Solaris Equestrian and protected by Western Pacific Emergency Response, and delivered a clear round.

“I’m very grateful to sit on such a wonderful mare and she’s had so much experience at the level,” McKissock, who hails from Langley, said about Coralissa, a 15-year-old Holsteiner mare (Com Air x San Patrignano Corrado). “So going in I was confident knowing that she knew her job. It was just about navigating the course and just sticking to the plan, then riding it to the best of my abilities.”

After exiting the ring crying happy tears, the week just went up from there. On Sunday, they pulled off a double-clear effort for the win in the 1.30m Open Jumper Classic.

Scroll to continue with content

“It was such a great feeling knowing that we have that partnership and we can do it,” she said of the boost she got from that first clear of the week. “After that day, it gave me so much confidence knowing that when we’re going in the ring, she is game, she knows her job, and I just have to pilot her properly. I love it.”

McKissock rides and trains with Cheryl and Kassidy Keith at Keepsake Farms, located just a stone’s throw away from tbird, and she was in the right place at the right time for an opportunity with Coralissa.

“Cheryl and Kassidy have a great relationship with Marion Cunningham and Bill Tilford of MarBill Hill Farm, so we are lucky enough that we have a few of their horses in our program,” McKissock explained of how Coralissa came into her life in November of 2024. “She came available for lease at a perfect time for me. I was just growing out of my other horse and they presented me with the opportunity to lease her.”

The entire team knew the mare well, so they figured it would be obvious from the start whether it’s a good match.

“I sat on her the first day and just fell in love with her,” McKissock said. “We luckily had the winter to grow our partnership and get to know each other, and it’s just been wheels up ever since. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to ride her and there are not enough thank-yous to Marion and Bill for the opportunity.”

Anyone in show jumping knows it takes a team effort, but this horse brings a particularly close-knit team with her, which helps McKissock tremendously in learning how to ride her and how to step up.

“Kassidy knows the mare like the back of her hand and she understands her so well,” she continued. “And Cheryl and Kassidy’s program just seems to work for her so well. Then having the support of Marion, who has had her for at least eight years now, she knows her so well. With the whole team coming together with tips and advice, it’s made the world of a difference for us.”

McKissock had been jumping the 1.15-1.20m with her horse Billy Bolton prior, and Coralissa has opened up doors for her she never imagined possible, especially considering she works full time as a sales associate for an electrical wholesaler and has to fit in riding time around her work schedule. With an early shift, she’s able to get to the barn around 3:00 p.m. each day, then also dedicates her weekends to riding time.

“I did not imagine we could do this,” she said of her most recent accomplishments and what her future goals are. “Even at this show, I came thinking I’d jump the 1.20m and the 1.25m and just see how things go. Then we jumped the class on warm-up day and I realized I actually do understand her, and it was so simple. She loves being at the show. She’s a total show horse, so it’s much more simple at the shows than it is out in a warm-up ring or at home. She knows her job and as long as you’re there with her, she will do her job all day.”

The goals for the upcoming year are lofty, but they’ve already proven they can take on a challenge and handle it with grace.

“Our goals for this year are to continue the U25 division here at Thunderbird and just get more consistent at this level,” she shared. “I just want to get more consistent at that level and then we would like to jump the two-stars in the fall. That would be our big goal, but it’s mainly about just staying consistent in the U25, getting faster, me getting stronger, and just trying to keep those results going.”

Adding even more meaning to her big successes at the April Spring Opener is having them take place at such a special venue for McKissock.

“I’ve been coming to Thunderbird for so many years,” she explained. “They have just created such a beautiful facility for us. The environment here is so welcoming and the rings are well taken care of. The jumps are always nice. I think the overall overall environment is just such a welcoming environment. It makes you want to come back over and over again.”

She will continue to keep coming back, but she’ll aim to keep raising the consistency and reaching new heights as a U25 competitor and beyond.