An Okotoks teen is making a name for herself in the world of show jumping.

Megan Schlosser, 14, will be participating in the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships, which will be held in Saugerties, New York in July.

To be considered for the event, Schlosser says she had to fill out a lot of paperwork and submit official records from previous classes to prove that she would be capable of jumping at the height required by the competition.

She'll be competing against other young riders from the United States and Mexico at the championship, which will feature both individual and team events.

Schlosser says the relationship between horse and rider is key to success in her sport.

"It's more of a conversation between horse and rider when you're riding, instead of just the rider telling the horse what to do, which is what most people believe,"  she explains. "I know that sometimes the horse will have a different idea than you do and that's when things can go sideways, so you have to be on the same page with your animal.

"Having a close connection with them helps build your confidence too," she adds. "Because you can have trust and faith in your horse that they'll help you get through if you make a bad decision."

She'll be riding her own horse Cassie in Saugerties and she says their training in the weeks leading up to the event will focus on preparing for the team event. Of the five Canadian riders selected, four will be participating in the team event and one will be a reserve competitor.

"We'll be working on the things that I might need to change," she says. "Because for a team cup, it's mainly about not knocking any of the rails and not as much speed. So we'll probably
train a little more for getting my horse clean instead of fast."
 
She's started a GoFundMe Campaign called "Help Megan Get to New York" to cover some of the costs of the competition.

The North American Junior and Young Rider Championships takes place from July 18 to 23.

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