High school hunter jumper

When most 17 year olds have free time, they will hang out with friends, play sports, or just chill. But not senior Alyssa Franz.? Alyssa is a hunter jumper who com?petes in shows jump?ing over var?i?ous obsta?cles, and she and her horse, Rigby, train when?ever they can.? She trains at a sta?ble in Hugo, MN but com?petes in many places around the country.

?I com?pete mainly in the Mid?west, and some?times Ken?tucky and Florida, usu?ally Ken?tucky,? said?Franz.

Alyssa first started rid?ing eight years ago.? Her mom and Aunt were tak?ing rid?ing lessons when they asked Alyssa if she wanted to take lessons as?well.

?It sounded excit?ing so I wanted to try it,? said?Franz.

When most peo?ple find out that Alyssa rides horses, they are taken?back.

?A lot of times peo?ple are like, ?I don?t know how you do it?, or say that they are scared of horses,? said?Franz.

?I like it because not many peo?ple do?it.?

Hunter jump?ing is a rel?a?tively new eques?trian sport, accord?ing to the United States Eques?trian Fed?er?a?tion, so not many peo?ple know what it is. It is where a rider rides a horse and jumps over fences in an intri?cately designed course.? It takes a lot of hard work, ded?i?ca?tion and prac?tice to become a good com?peti?tor.? How?ever, to be a suc?cess?ful jumper, rid?ers need to have a great?horse.

?My horse?s name is Rigby.? He is a really tall Hanover?ian breed horse that is gray with brown spots,? said Franz.? ?I try to train with him as often as I can, but some?times in the win?ter, it gets hard to bal?ance hockey, home?work, and training.?

Dur?ing times like this, Alyssa does not have as much time to prac?tice as she would?like.

The main sea?son for com?pet?ing is in the sum?mer, but there are also com?pe?ti?tions dur?ing the rest of the?year.

When com?pet?ing in a show, each rider has a uni?form that they have to?wear.

?For com?pe?ti?tions I wear tan britches, tall black boots, a spe?cial but?ton up shirt with a coat, and a hel?met,? said Franz.

Alyssa has been quite suc?cess?ful in her career as a hunter jumper so?far.

She has won ten cham?pi?onships over her eight year career as a hunter jumper. Ban?quets are held at the end of each sea?son where com?peti?tors are given rib?bons and awards for their achieve?ments.? How?ever, rid?ing is not just about receiv?ing ribbons.

?I love rid?ing because it?s just me and my horse out there,? said?Franz.

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By Riley Abeyesekera

Source: http://rebeltimes.net/2011/09/high-school-hunter-jumper/

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