I began riding at the age of 7, tagging along with my older sister to her riding lessons, who was attending to help with her literacy due to having dyslexia. I immediately fell in love with riding, competing, and all things equine, becoming the youngest equestrian at our barn in California.
I currently train with Megan Downey – Empower Equestrian in Colorado and Archie Cox – Brookway Stables when Megan can not join me in the west. My current year highlights include:
- Competing at the 2025 ASPCA Maclay Finals
- 2025 Champion Maclay Regionals, Region 6 (youngest competitor in the class)
- Qualifying for 2025 3’3” NHS Medal Finals
- 2025 Top 40 qualifiers for USEF/NCEA Hunt Seat Medal Finals
Qualifying for Maclay, Hamel as well as USEF/NCEA was a thrill and I wish I could have competed at all three finals.
I’m currently a freshman online with Laurel Springs Academy and am extremely focused on my academics. I maintain a 3.7 gpa and am enrolled in Honors classes. When I’m not lessoning or competing, I am up at the barn helping my trainer prepare horses for training rides, working with Navigator’s filly Rylee and training her dam Ruby to become my next junior hunter. I also help my mom keep her mare Panda in shape, she has a metabolic condition and needs to be ridden 6 days a week. I am always up to catch ride for the adult amateurs at our barn and take pride in showing their horses any opportunity I can get. At home my interests revolve around training our service dog, coding, STEM and learning to cook.
My dream is to ride at the collegiate level while studying biology for my undergrad then attending med school post-graduation. I’d like to become an Anesthesiologist or follow in my aunt’s footsteps and become an Obstetrician.
~ Presley Smith