In her last year of youth, Mary Raymund of San Juan Capistrano, California, is still searching for her shiny gold trophy. With her veteran trail mount, Caught U Lookin (Reggie), and the help of Highpoint Performance Horses, Mary has a chance to fulfill that goal at the AQHYA World Show coming up in August.
“Reggie and I both love the trail; we know exactly what to do, and, this class is by far his favorite event,” says Raymund, who will be a freshman at Baylor University this fall. “This event has helped me learn to work better with my horse as a team. What I like best about the trail is that there are always new obstacles and patterns designed and you can always learn a better way to approach each obstacle. Trail has also helped me work as a team with my peers and people.”
Like in the trail class, eighteen year-old Raymund has learned how to negotiate difficult obstacles in her every day life. At the age of fourteen, Mary experienced a devastating, life changing event when her father passed away due to chronic health problems.
“My father was a wonderful man and had a huge impact on my life,” says Raymund, whose father was a huge University of Southern California football fan and followed the Trojans’ “Fight On” philosophy. “He was competitive and liked to win, but he was satisfied when you gave your best. He gave me confidence. I remember my first AQHA show in Del Mar when he came and I received my highest trail score at that time. I asked him to bring along some carrots to feed my horse, and I ended up with twenty bags of carrots,” she says and laughs. “He was very generous and taught me to care about others, especially those less fortunate.”
Raymund adds, “Even though my father passed away before we bought Reggie, he was still very influential in spirit. He told that before you buy something, make sure you write a list of what you want. I knew I wanted something that floated over poles in trail, had a great lead change for western riding, great movement for pleasure, and had that wow factor. My father shaped my life to be a good person in short time I had with him. I still miss my dad but I know he is proud of me and with me at every horse show.”
In addition to the lessons she has learned from her father, the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Youth Association President also says that she has learned many life lessons through showing horses.
“Horses teach you how to be patient and confident–also about commitment and responsibility. I have learned many things from horses and they have helped me with my people skills. Also, I seem to have a natural gift for public speaking, and I think that it is all from showing horses–it has given me the courage and confidence to express my thoughts to large groups.”
This duo of four years will also be showing in the Youth 14-18 Trail, Western Pleasure, Performance Halter Geldings, and most recently added the Western Riding. Raymund and Reggie have created a special bond that carries over to the show arena.
“Reggie is a sweet gelding but has a mischievous side. He is very smart and knows what he can and can’t do but likes to let you remind him,” says Mary, who is currently under the guidance of Highpoint Performance Horses. “He loves peppermints, carrots and potatoes. He also loves apples and he likes you to hold the apple and turn it in so he can bite around the core and then he eats the core. He also does not like to be alone especially when he is in a stall–he likes to see or know other horses are near him. Luckily, Reggie has made friends with Rosie the camel on the other side of his window at Highpoint.”
Mary says she is very thankful to be training with Highpoint. “In fifth grade I learned about Charlie Cole and Jason Martin and I knew I wanted to be in training with them one day, and, one day I would be a world champion just like them,” Mary states. “Now I am a senior in high school, they not only are my mentors but my trainers and teachers. They have helped fine-tune the knowledge I have along with teaching me there is still more I need to learn. Highpoint really is the dream barn, and I am so happy I have the chance to be in training with them.”
Raymund says she would like to thank her parents, as well as Kathy Holman, Cathy Hanson, Ashlee Averill, Kelli Hinley, Lynn MacArthur, Brad Ost, and Diane Chilton-Harper for helping her and being her mentors throughout her show career. Also watch for Mary taking her first horse, Dark N Conclusive (Cooper) out of retirement and showing him in the Ranch Horse Pleasure. (Pictured right)
Click here to check out her ad in the April issue of GoMag.
Photo © KC Montgomery
