Molly Ashe Cawley 

Molly Ashe Cawley first began making a name for herself as an accomplished hunter rider and professional in her home state of Tennessee. In the ’90s, Molly made the move from the hunters to the jumpers and joined the grand prix tour, quickly skyrocketing up the rankings. She captured her first major grand prix victory in 1999 when she won the $50,000 Grand Prix of Lake Placid aboard Rosewood Glen Ltd. Resolute.

In 2000, Molly earned a spot on the U.S. Equestrian Team’s Developing Riders Tour and spent the summer competing in Europe. While there, she earned her first major international win in the Banco Herrero Grand Prix in Gijon, Spain. Molly’s success continued throughout 2000, and in November 2000, she was named the United States Equestrian Team Athlete of the Month. The honor came following her back-to-back victories on Kroon Gravin at the Eternit Grand Prix of Germany in Berlin, Germany and the Audi Grand Prix of Maastricht in Maastricht, Holland.

Molly’s winning streak continued upon her return to the United States where she earned the victory in the $75,000 Tampa Grand Prix World Cup Qualifier in March 2001. Just one week later, Molly captured first place in the $200,000 American Invitational, with both wins coming aboard Kroon Gravin. Two months later, Molly and Kroon Gravin were victorious yet again, this time in the prestigious $50,000 Grand Prix of Devon.

Kroon Gravin and Molly were back at it again in 2002, and in April of that year, Molly became only the second rider to capture back-to-back wins in the $200,000 American Invitational. Molly then went on to be named the overall 2002 World Equestrian Games USET Selection Trials overall winner.

Later in 2002, Molly forged a partnership with Jane Clark’s Lutopia, and the pair went on to win two $25,000 grand prix events in Lexington, KY. Molly and Lutopia solidified their partnership in 2003 by winning the RBC Cup Grand Prix in Spruce Meadows. 

Molly’s success at Spruce Meadows continued in 2003 when she won the $35,000 ATCO Midstream Grand Prix aboard Kroon Gravin and the $30,000 Finning Cup Welcome on Lutopia. That same summer, Molly and Lutopia also garnered an impressive second place finish in one of the world’s richest grand prixs, the $1 million CN International Grand Prix. 

Molly and Lutopia’s winning momentum steamrolled through the summer and right into Indoors, where Molly and Lutopia earned the victory in the $65,000 Grand Prix de Penn National World Cup Qualifier. Molly would end 2003 in first place in the East Coast World Cup standings. 

In 2004, Molly and Lutopia traveled to Europe where they kicked things off by winning the Refco Queen Elizabeth II Cup. From there it was on to the Dublin Horse Show in Dublin, Ireland where Molly and Lutopia helped their team earn bronze in the Samsung Super League competition.  

Upon their return to the United States, Molly headed to HITS Saugerties where she and Resolute were victorious in one of the show’s $75,000 grand prixs. 

Molly’s jumping success and numerous victories continued throughout the years that followed with major highlights including two Super League team victories in Hickstead, England in both 2007 and 2009. 

Beginning in 2009, Molly took time away from major accomplishments in the show ring to achieve some of her life’s biggest personal achievements – the birth of her daughter, Taylor, and son, Connor, now ages 5 and 3, respectively. 

When Molly made her return to the show ring, she also returned to her hunter roots – bringing with her the same winning ways that she brought to the jumper ring. She quickly became one of the top hunter competitors, particularly in the widely popular USHJA International Hunter Derbies. In the past two years alone, riding Kristen Abbatiello Neff’s Kennzo, Molly has accumulated an impressive list of top derby finishes. To name a few of the pairs victories: 

  • 2012 $50,000 Hampton Classic USHJA International Hunter Derby
  • 2012 $20,000 Holiday & Horses USHJA International Hunter Derby 
  • 2013 $5,000 New England USHJA National Hunter Derby
  • 2013 $20,000 Horse Shows by the Bay USHJA International Hunter Derby
  • 2013 $15,000 Holiday & Horses USHJA International Hunter Derby 

In 2012, Molly also returned to the American Invitational, besting some of the nation’s top riders to finish second aboard Carissimo, nearly winning the prestigious class for the third time. Today Molly continues to be a strong force in the hunter and jumper rings, as well as an incredibly talented and knowledgeable coach and trainer to the riders at horses at Norfield Stables LLC.