1994 Legion of Merit
Severn Sirocco won the 1994 WPCSA Individual Legion of Merit with 1523.5 points. Owned by Dr. Ruth and Joanna Wilburn and Sally Ross Davis, Rollingwoods Farm, Rocky was bred by Dr. E.H. Iliff, Severn Oaks Farm. His points, earned at WPCSA sanctioned shows, came through many halter and driving championships. Although never officially broken to ride, Rocky, a Section A stallion, has served many children as a Leadline pony, demonstrating his kind disposition to all. Severn Sirocco (Severn West Wind x Severn Holly) is 16 years old and came out of retirement for one show during the 1994 show season to complete his award. Rocky earned a total of 549 points in breeding and 974.5 in performance.
1999 Sire Legion of Merit
After winning the first individual Legion of Merit award, Section A stallion SEVERN SIROCCO (Severn West Wind x Severn Holly) has earned a sire Legion of Merit being one of the first to earn a double Legion of Merit.
"Rocky" was owned by Dr. Ruth and Joanna Wilburn and Sally Ross Davis and was bred by Dr. Elizabeth Iliff of Severn Oaks Farm. Foaled in 1978 he was purchased as a weanling by Kathy Reese of Smoke Tree. Ms. Reese showed him once as a yearling but after he almost died from an illness contracted there, she promised him that he would not ever have to go to a show again! Ruth Wilburn spotted him at Smoke Tree while delivering a pony. Although she was not looking for a Sec. A stallion, his winning personality earned him a spot in the trailer.
Rocky was a charismatic show pony and a gentleman who never minded anything that was thrown at him. Initially he was shown only in halter until friend Debra Landrem trained him to drive and he soon excelled in the driving ring. He won multiple national WPCSA and AHSA titles in pleasure driving and halter but he loved obstacle driving the best. The only thing he minded about driving was when the announcer pinned the class and he wasn't allowed to leave the ring first. Although never officially broken to ride, he was always willing to double as a lead line pony, trail pony, or in rare instances as a "ride a buck" (sometimes literally) pony. Unfortunately this wonderful pony's life was cut short in a freak accident in 1997. His many friends and fans donated a trophy in his memory to go to the high score driving pony each year.
Although not bred a great deal, Rocky produced some outstanding offspring. Perhaps the most renowned is his Sec. B daughter Rollingwoods Who Doone It, the result of an accidental breeding to LOM Rollingwoods Lorna Doone. Who Doone It, a national champion in halter, pleasure driving, carriage driving, and draft driving, earned a Legion of Merit as a six year old. She is currently on lease to Lauren Schuster where she has added hunter, eventing, dressage, and English and Western pleasure to her accomplishments. The next three legs were provided by three full siblings out of the Sec. A mare CC Serenade (dam Legion of Merit winner). These were: Rollingwoods Rockette (champion in halter and English pleasure) owned by the Patton family; Rollingwoods Rockateer (very close to his own Legion of Merit) owned by Tracy and Larry Henderson: and Rollingwoods Classic Rock (champion in pleasure driving and leading rein) on lease to Bob and Mary Zurbrick.
The final leg was provided by a Section B gelding Rollingwoods No Rock Like Home with points in halter, and English and Western pleasure. Now owned by Samantha Schwartz, he will be used as a hunter pony. Rocky was one of those "one in a million" ponies and is missed by all at Rollingwoods.