As a working student, Baylee Rowan’s horse show days start earlier than most of her peers. She’s at the barn first thing assisting the grooms and helping North Run barn manager Nikki Arnold with whatever she needs alongside her sister, fellow working student Blake Rowan.

“My favorite chore is doing the horses’ stalls,” Baylee said. “I like being in the stall with them and knowing that they’re all clean and put away, and they’re happy and everything’s taken care of.”

Thanks to all the time Baylee’s spent in the stall and on the ground with her partner, Clear Ride LLC’s Kavalli Di Magico, the two of them jelled quickly, even though the former jumper only been doing the equitation since Baylee started riding him in May.

“I can feel a big progression since then,” she said. “He’s totally warmed up to the eq, and he feels very soft rather than jumper-y. Before he would take me to the jump a little bit, and it could feel a little bit rough, but now he’s soft and very nice.

“I kind of have to hold his hand, but once he’s got it, he doesn’t need my help,” she continued. “He’s very sweet and very honest, but he does need some guidance.”

Baylee and “Kavalli,” a 14-year-old Belgian Warmblood (Emerald—Wamenco, Flamenco De Semilly), have made huge strides since pairing up in Baylee’s first year seriously contesting the 3’6” equitation classes. Still, when she prepared to go to the Fieldstone North East Classic for her first shot at the ASPCA Maclay Region 1 qualifier, she kept her expectations modest.  

“We just were hoping to be smooth, get a ribbon and [qualify for the ASPCA Maclay Final], but it went much better than that,” said Baylee.

Baylee outrode 27 other entries to take the win in the class, held Sept. 8 in Halifax, Massachusetts, and Blake finished sixth. Both riders earned invitations to the ASPCA Maclay Final (Kentucky) this fall.

Baylee came back on top after the over fences portion, which included several tricky bending lines she discussed with North Run assistant trainer Maggie Gampfer, and held onto her position through the flat. Baylee described that phase as straightforward, except for a halt from canter then a turn on the forehand, which she and Kavalli hadn’t practiced much.

The win comes amidst a great season for Baylee, who doesn’t own a horse and relies on catch rides. The week before, she won the Rhode Island Horseman’s Association Junior Medal Final on Patricia Buckley’s MTM Truffle. Earlier this summer, she catch rode Daryl Portela’s Moonlight to the small junior hunter, 15 and under, Adequan/USEF Junior Hunter National Championships—East (Michigan) title.

“She’s great to work with,” said Missy Clark, who has been training the Rowan sisters since this winter. “She’s a quiet rider, and she’s very receptive to information. She’s just one of those kids who’s fun and easy to teach because she wants to learn. She’s always willing to try something another way if you give her a suggestion.”

Baylee, New Compton, Rhode Island, grew up training mostly with her mother, Brook DeAngelis Rowan.

“My mom was very good about making connections,” said Baylee, who focuses on the equitation ring. “She had a lot of friends who were open to making sale horses happen. We’ve been riding sale horses throughout our entire lives so far.”

These days Brook works as an awards coordinator at horse shows, and she’s not always at the same competitions as Baylee, 15, and Blake, 18, so the sisters travel to the horse shows independently. Between horse shows the sisters go up to Warren, Vermont, to train and help out at North Run.

Baylee says one of the best parts of riding is getting to do it alongside Blake. Blake used to ride equitation horse Domingo JT Z, who Baylee now shows.

“She did him last year in the 3’6” finals,” Baylee said. “She helped me figure him out a little bit, because he’s not the easiest to figure out. But he’s so good and so kind-hearted, and now he’s easier for me. He’s such a good horse.”

Now that she’s qualified for the Maclay, Baylee is gearing up for her fall season. In addition to the Maclay, she’s planning to ride at Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunt Seat Medal Final (Pennsylvania) and the Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Final—East (New Jersey), as well as the New England Equitation Championships (Massachusetts).

“She’s a lovely girl to work with, as is her sister,” said Clark. “She has a wonderful attitude, and it’s been fun. She shows as 14, so she’s got a lovely future ahead of her. Between her ability and work ethic and wonderful attitude, she should have a nice next few years as a junior.”