An Interview with Raegan McCool: Competing NOW at the 2018 NYRC Championships!

The following interview was conducted on July 28^th by IDS member, Brynne Varvel, with IDS member, Raegan McCool, who is currently competing at the young rider championships in North Salem, NY this week. Photos by Jennifer Kaiser.

UPDATE: Raegan placed 5th out of 30 riders in the tightly contested (only 1.4% separated 1st through 5th places) team competition at the National Young Rider Championships with a 67.333%. The Region 2 team placed 7th. She will ride in her individual championship class tomorrow and you can follow her results here. Live streaming is available at usefnetwork.com

SECOND UPDATE: Raegan placed 7th in a class of 29 riders in the FEI North American Junior Rider Individual Championship on Saturday with a score of 67.176%. Well done, Raegan!

 

 How long have you been riding?

I have been riding since I was 3 but started riding dressage 2 years ago.

How did you start riding?

I had begged to ride just before my 3^rd birthday, so my parents finally gave in and took me to a lesson ( really just a pony ride). I, of course, loved it and, as my dad says, “It all went downhill from there.”

Who do you ride with?

I ride with Jennifer & Margaret Kaiser of Forrest Hill Farm in Lafayette, IN as a working student where I ride client horses as well as farm horses.

Tell me a bit about your horse.

FHF Racharee belongs to Jennifer and Margaret Kaiser. She is absolutely wonderful! She is trained to Grand Prix and has shown up to Intermediate II. She is training me and I’m so blessed to get the privilege to take care of her and ride her.

How has your competition season been going?

The competition season has been wonderful overall. It has provided a lot of training moments, but it’s encouraging and driving me to be better every day.

What rider(s) do you aspire to be like?

I absolutely admire Charlotte Dujardin and Laura Graves. They are so quiet and have perfect timing. They’ve worked hard to get where they are and I strive to do the same thing.

Why did you pick dressage?

Dressage has been the most difficult, yet inspiring, discipline I’ve been a part of. The atmosphere is great and is so encouraging to everyone.

Do you attend school? If so, how do you balance school and horses?

I’m going to be a junior in high school this fall. I’m homeschooled, so that’s made being an intern much simpler. It’s difficult having enough hours in the day to balance both, but early mornings and late nights solve everything, right?

What are your plans for the future?

I’m working to get my silver medal this fall and becoming a successful trainer. The Olympics are the ultimate goal and I strive to get there one day.

Tell me a bit about your feelings on competing at NAYC

I’m beyond excited to have the opportunity to be on the Region 2 Jr/Yr NAYC team. Coming from showing Training and First level last summer, to almost having my silver medal and on a national team is mind blowing. I owe it all to my family and my trainers, Jennifer and Margaret Kaiser. I could never have done it without them.

Raegan scored a 67.333% in the Team test on Thursday August 2^nd. Here are her remarks on her ride:

She (Racharee) was great today. We’re always working on lightness, but she was so attentive. I was focused on accuracy, and really doing the movements as they come and not rushing. I definitely know what I need to work on for the future, but I couldn’t have asked her to be better.

 

About the Author: IDS member, Brynne Varvel, has volunteered to contribute to our newsletter by highlighting the Jr/YRs in IDS.  Brynne has been an IDS member for 7 years. She is 19 years old, lives in Bloomington IN, and attends Indiana University. Her family owns Varvel Sporthorses where she trains. Brynne has been riding for 14 years and is a USDF bronze medalist.  She has competed through 4th level and is working on PSG. Brynne states that, “Everyone has a unique story to tell, and since I am still a young rider I take a connection to their stories. I want the youth in our state to have feel like they have opportunities and support, as well as informing others about these individuals. The horse industry can be a bit tough at times, and when you have a community you are a part of supporting you then things tend to not hit quite as hard!”

Our sincere thanks to you, Brynne, for volunteering to do this!