March 3, 2023 
Ali Ramsay has never had a horse quite like 10-year-old Conrado 12.
“He’s my type. Like, if you think of [my top horse] Bonita [Vh Keizershof Z] and my horse Lutz that I used to have, he’s small, bloody, a bit of a lighter type,” she explained. “But, he’s a different kind of careful, scopey-like power feeling that I don’t think I’ve ever had before. But I like it!”
Discovered by Ramsay’s fiancé, Jerome David, a full-time chartered accountant and part-time horse dealer, Conrado (aka, Cody) was purchased as a sales project to be developed by the Canadian rider. And judging by their recent string of successes, he appears to be a good investment. In the past two months, they’ve collected four international podium finishes, including two wins, and are posting a 75% clear round and top 10 finish rates in four rounds at 1.45m, according to Jumpr App.
But while the 10-year-old gelding’s marketability has only increased in value, so has his place in Ramsay’s heart.
“He’s a character. He’s such a sweet horse. He’s so awesome to have around. I’ve really kind of fallen in love with the guy for the last few months, and it’s going to make it hard for my fiancé to sell him. I’m not going to let that happen any time soon,” she smiled, with the following disclaimer:
“I mean, if somebody wants to give [us] crazy money, sure. But it’s crazy the money that I’ll be asking.”
On Friday at Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, CA, Ramsay and the grey gelding captured their first 1.50m FEI win with a smooth and speedy round in the Ramard CSI3* Speed.
For the 31-year-old, it was a continuation of the partnership she’s been cultivating.
“I just felt like he was with me for whatever I needed. I felt like he kicked in. Every day I jump him, I feel like he gets scopier. He gets more confident. He just gets better. And so I think feeling his progression over the nine weeks here [on the Desert Circuit] has been pretty cool for me.”
She coyly added, “[I] might try to find a couple more [horses] like that.”
But in fact, she may already have done so. During the off-week between Desert Circuit VII and VIII, Ramsay flew to Spain to try another Cardento-sired gelding, Call For More and promptly bought the horse.
“He’s a nine year old. I have owners involved in the horse for the first time, which is really exciting and he just looks like a big, scopey kind of guy and I’m very excited for him to get here and to get going,” she shared.
Like Cody, “Calvin,” as he’ll be dubbed in the barn, is also not quite like any horse Ramsay has in the barn.
“I don’t know why I keep making my life so complicated, having three totally different horses. But he, I think, is going to be really exciting,” she smiled, noting that it was the feeling that sold her.
“I’ve had this actually with every horse that I’ve bought where [I] get on, I picked up the trot and I was like, Yeah, this is going to be good.”
