“She’s proof that if you want it, you can get it,” said trainer Christina Schlusemeyer of Megan Young, who rode to win the Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat Equitation Medal Final.

Young, 17, doesn’t own a horse of her own, and does all her winning on catch rides. The blue in the Medal final capped a spectacular weekend for Young at the Pennsylvania National Junior Weekend, Oct. 14-17 in Harrisburg, Pa. She also guided Navigator to the grand junior hunter and large junior, 16-17, championships, and claimed the best child rider on a horse award.

“She just flat-out deserved to win,” said Brianne Goutal after placing second to Young in the Medal final.

After 252 had completed the first round of the final, Goutal stood on top of the 25 riders called back for the second round. Young lurked in second. But a bold second trip put Young in the lead as she and Goutal, along with Addison Phillips and Kendle Handt-mann, were called back for a final test, switching horses.

“I knew Brianne was on top, and I thought she’d stay there because she never messes up. I just went for it. I came out of the corner and galloped right down to the last jump,” said Young of her second round. And then, on Goutal’s horse, she put in an impressive trip aboard a horse Goutal admits isn’t the easiest.

“I think both our horses rode really well, but I think when it came down to it, her test was better,” said Goutal. Judges Mary Chapot and Sue Ashe agreed, placing Young first.

Schlusemeyer sees a similarity in style between Goutal and Young. “These two are cowboys, but in the best way. They’re both very loose, free riders. Sometimes it gets you in trouble, but when it’s controlled mayhem, when you have all that adrenaline corralled, then it’s brilliance,” she said.

Their combination of precision and daring put them in the lead over the first course, which consisted of long, flowing lines down the length of the ring, combined with tight turns at the ends of the ring. Conrad Homfeld designed the track with suggestions from Chapot and Ashe. The fences were sparse,
with square oxers and verticals without any filler at the groundlines. Both the first and second courses asked riders to finish with a long gallop across a diagonal to a single fence.

“Riding is what determined this class, not the jumps. Sometimes in a final there will be something tricky on course that will eliminate half the class, and there wasn’t anything like that. It was about people finding the jumps, having to shape their turns and stay on their track, and being able to lengthen and shorten your horse’s stride. And I loved the long gallop to the last fences because the kids who can really ride love to do that,” said Bob Braswell, who also trains Young.

Young, of Jacksonville, Fla., began riding with Braswell and Schlusemeyer at their Quiet Hill Farm in Ocala, Fla., two years ago. She’s been riding all her life, since her mother, Kate, is a trainer on the local Florida circuit. “Her mother is hugely responsible for Meg-an’s riding. We were lucky that they picked us to be her other family,” said Schlusemeyer.

Young rides the sales horses that come into Quiet Hill. “In the equitation it was a little frustrating because I would get some good horses, and they’d get sold. Bob always said, ‘I’m going to get you a horse, I promise.’ All the other kids have the same horse all year long before finals, so it’s kind of hard, but I have a great one now,” said Young.

That horse, Crescendo, came to Quiet Hill from owner Cortie Wetherill to be sold. Young started riding him at the Hampton Classic (N.Y.) the first week of September. She then rode him to win the Monarch International North American Equitation Championship at the Capital Challenge (Md.). She rode another catch ride, generously donated by Handtmann, to third place at the BET/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search-East (N.J.) the week before the Medal finals, a competition that Goutal won.

“All that built her confidence up. She’s always been confident, and in the last two years she’s been such a workaholic. She’s a natural rider, and Bob is so fantastic at channeling that, but not making it too serious,” said Schlusemeyer. “I think it all just came together for her here.”

Braswell wasn’t surprised at Young’s success. “Megan was just Megan today. She was very relaxed from the start. In fact, she was laughing on her courtesy circle in the first round. Her phone was ringing in her pocket, and she started laughing,” he said.

Navigating To More Blues

Young’s wins started earlier in the week, when she claimed the grand junior hunter tricolor and the large junior, 16-17, titles aboard Navigator, owned by Sarah Alvarez. They won the under saddle, then placed first, second and third over fences for the tricolors.

Young only rides Navigator occasionally, since he stays with trainers Scott Kemery and Patty Foster. “Scott and Patty do such a great job with him at home that it’s easy to just get on him and go. He’s an easy-going horse. He’s forward to ride, and that’s my kind of ride, so we get along well,” said Young.

When Alvarez’ busy school schedule prevents her from showing Navigator, Young takes over. She and the brown gelding took the large junior, 16-17, championship at Devon (Pa.) in May. But she only showed him once again between then and the Pennsylvania National.

“I knew he could do it, but I’ve shown him here before and haven’t gotten good ribbons,” Young said. “He was actually quite young last year, and he’s really growing up. He gets better the more shows he goes to. He doesn’t ever look at anything. If anything, the spookier the ring is, the better he jumps.”

While Young has kicked off the finale of her last junior year with a bang, Jessica Springsteen, 11, has a bright future ahead of her. She took the large pony hunter championship and reserve with Newsworthy and Liseter Clever Star (with Newsworthy tying for the grand pony hunter tricolor) and earned the best child rider on a pony title.

“It was kind of a surprise because it’s a really big show. I was pretty nervous,” she said. Springsteen showed at the Pennsylvania National last year for the first time, collecting ribbons, but these were her first championships there. At Devon, “Clever Star” won the large pony championship, with News-worthy in reserve.

Krista Freundlich, who trains Spring-steen along with Frank and Stacia Madden, said that the two ponies have helped make Springsteen an adjustable rider. “They’re a little bit opposite. Clever Star is kind of bright and goes on his own, and Newsworthy is slow and lopey. They’ve taught her to both go forward to the jumps, and how to wait for the jumps,” she said.

Old Hands And New Stars

Springsteen shared the grand pony hunter championship with Christina Chapman and the medium pony champion, Lucky Too. “Lucky” has been a pony winner for many years, and Chapman has had the ride for 21