They went on to win the Washington International Large Pony Hunter Championship and The Gochman Style of Riding award in DC. Kat ended 2018 with six USEF National Horse of the Year awards including her Billy & Blaze mount, Finesse RF, who ranked Champion for the Medium Pony Hunter. She was named Leading Pony Owner two years in a row. And her first year as one of the youngest Junior Hunters in the 15 and under age category jumping 3’6”, Kat’s horse, RS Levitation, was named Champion Horse of the Year, as well. Besides showing over a dozen ponies that she trained to top titles herself, Kat has successfully shown seven Hunter/Jumper horses. At just nine years old, and a month after riding a horse, she and High Noon 3E won the 2017 $10,000 USHJA JR/Amateur National Hunter Derby at the Winter Equestrian Festival and six months later took 3rd in the $10,000 NAL Children’s Hunter Final at Pennsylvania National Championships in Harrisburg, PA. By 2018 Kat was not only winning big ribbons with her ponies, but also winning ribbons with her horses competing at the highest junior division levels in the top invitational National Championships. She was third at the National Horse Show in Lexington on her mount Calvaro last year at JR Hunter Under 15 at 3’6”.

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Kat has won countless Pony Hunter Derbies over the years and placed in National Hunter Derbies. She and Finesse RF are USHJA 2018 Zone 4 Pony Hunter Derby Champions. In 2017, Kat was named top Lifetime Rider. She was also multiple times Eleven and under Equitation Champion including WEF Circuit Champion in 2017. At ten years old last year, she challenged herself to ride her first International Hunter Derby (jumps to 4’6”) and to compete in the highest level of Equitation called the Big EQ. 

 

Kat trains with trainer Jimmy Torano, International Grand Prix Jumper and World Cup Finalist, to take her into the big league. She won 9th, and 11th overall in the 2019 Upperville $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby comprised of primarily 28 professionals, and 6th of 31 top Equitation Competitors in the ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship with her mount Cornell22.

 

Back in the pony ring, Torano helped Kat get multiple 2019 WEF Circuit Championships and then moved up her green pony, Prestige, to the Large Pony Hunter Division. Kat and Prestige were then awarded to three times tricolors Champion at Tryon International Horse Show, Upperville Colt & Horse Show and Lake Placid Horse Show. Finesse RF and Chic In Time remain top contenders for Horse of the Year awards.

 

The 6th grade student's stable of Champion ponies and horses are a passion that is reflected in her riding and accomplishments. In addition to Kat’s equine sports, her favorite hobbies are foot jumping and ice skating; and she loves learning French in school.