Winning in the hunter, jumper and equitation rings and keeping up with their non-horsey peers leaves these girls little spare time, but they found a moment to share some secrets with the Chronicle.

Victoria Colvin

Victoria Colvin, 13, started 2011 by cleaning up on the Florida circuit. She finished the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington with circuit championships in the large green pony hunter division aboard For The Love and in the small junior hunter, 15 and under, division with Sanzibar. She proved she can hang with the pros and saw great success with Scott Stewart’s Inclusive, placing third in Round 1 of the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby. On April 24 she topped 31 entries in the $25,000 Equestrian Sport Productions Spring 6 Grand Prix (Fla.) with Monsieur Du Reverdy. At Devon in May, she was the Best Child Rider on a horse, and rode Sanzibar and Touchdown to the small and large junior hunter, 15 and under championships.

When you’re not at the barn or riding, where is the most likely place to find you?

Playing tennis or in school.

What was the name of your first horse or pony?

The first one we owned was King Of Hearts. He was an amazing Paint pony with a heart on his forehead.

What’s your favorite school subject?

I love science.

What is the accomplishment you are most proud of thus far in your riding career?

I think being champion at Devon [Pa.] in four divisions, [USHJA International Hunter] Derby finals and winning my first grand prix are a tie. Honestly, I think riding well no matter how you place is my accomplishment.

Who is your hero?

Scott Stewart and Ken Berkley, because they are amazing. But my parents are also my heroes.

What website do you spend the most time scrolling through?

Facebook, Formspring and YouTube.

What song plays most on your iPod?

“The Lazy Song” by Bruno Mars. I also really love Katy Perry.

Do you have a good luck charm, or are you superstitious about doing certain things before big shows or classes?

I love to watch my mom say, “I love you.” She’s so nervous it makes me laugh.

What do you want to be or do when you grow up?

Ride professionally and save all the abused animals. I have tried to get the funding for a rescue, but I have been turned down.

How many horses and ponies do you ride every day?

Between seven and 16.

Where is your favorite place to take a vacation?

Well, we have never really gone on vacation. Horses are our vacation. But I really want to go to Hawaii.

Where is your favorite place to show and why?

I don’t have a favorite. I love them all. The hours at [the Washington (D.C.) International Horse Show] are fun.

What is your favorite food?

Rice—white, brown, fried, steamed. I love rice.

Reed Kessler

Reed Kessler, 16, was no stranger to victory at a young age. Two years ago, when she was just 14, she captured the $15,000 Show Jumping Hall Of Fame Junior Jumper Classic at Devon (Pa.) as well as the Pessoa/USEF Hunt Seat Medal at the same show. She went on to become the USEF individual junior jumper gold medalist at the Pennsylvania National. But she’s had her eyes on even bigger prizes in the last two years, expanding her competition schedule to include more grand prix classes and international events. In 2010, some of her highlight performances included winning the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic Grand Prix (Ky.), placing fifth in the young rider individual show jumping at the Adequan FEI North American Junior and Young Riders Championships and winning the $42,711 Land Rover Grand Prix CSI** at the Gucci Masters in Paris. This spring, she was one of five young riders chosen to represent the United States on the Show Jumping European Young Rider Tour, placing fifth with her mount Ligist in the 2011 European Youngster Cup in Leipzig, Germany.

When you’re not at the barn or riding, where is the most likely place to find you?

I’m always riding or in a barn. Possibly sleeping on a trunk but still technically in the barn.
 
What was the name of your first horse or pony?

Shasha—Can you tell I named her at the age of 6 months?

How many languages do you speak, and what are they?

English, Spanish and my French is getting there.

What is the accomplishment you are most proud of thus far in your riding career?

Winning the CSI** grand prix at the Gucci Masters over three former World, Olympic, European
champions.

Who are your riding and non-riding role models?

Katie [Prudent], who I think is one of the toughest and most determined riders/people I know; Nick Skelton, who I think could ride anything (including the desk I’m sitting at) around 1.60 meters; Laura Kraut, for her bond and patience with the horses; McLain [Ward], for his textbook perfection; Beezie [Madden] as a former student of Katie [Prudent’s]—again textbook American [riding] style; and my dad, the self-made man.

What website do you spend the most time on?

Facebook. Not doing schoolwork; it’s a horrid addiction.
 
What is your favorite horse show snack?

Sablés. They must be brought to America.

Who is your movie star crush?

Johnny Depp and Leo DiCaprio in his younger years (circa Romeo And Juliet).
 
Where is your favorite place to take a vacation?

Watching a big show or championship.

What is your favorite brand of riding clothes?

I bounce around from Alessandro Albanese, GPA, Animo and Pikeur.

Do you have a favorite horse? Who?

It’s so hard to play favorites. Flight is my boyfriend (he’s a month older than me) and just so reliable and perfect. Mika and I are closer than I’ve ever been with another horse because we really made each other up. He used to be so nervous, and now we really trust each other. I think he has all the scope in the world. Onisha is definitely the most careful horse I’ve ever ridden, and Goose [Ligist] has come such a long way in terms of speed, and he just has the best personality. My little baby Pacha [Pacha De Nantuel] is relatively new, but I think he’s got a bright future!

Where do you want to live when you grow up?

We’ll see where my career takes me! A lot of top riders are based in Belgium, but that’s all very far away.
 
What is your favorite movie(s)?

Thank You For Smoking, Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo And Juliet (I know so lame…), Black Swan (I go to school with a lot of ballerinas!), The Illusionist, The Hangover, Anchorman, Zoolander, Wedding Crashers.

Where haven’t you shown that you would like to?

Any of the Super League shows.

Are you thinking about college yet? If so, where would you like to go?

I’m not really sure if I want to go, but maybe American University in Paris. Next year is a big year for me because as of January I can do any class I want. So if it’s going really well at a higher level, then college would be a far lower priority for me.

Taylor Ann Adams

At 14, Taylor Ann Adams, now 17,  had already made her mark in the equitation ring, winning the 2007 USEF Pony Medal Finals (Lexington, Ky.) in a class of 200 entries. That same year, her first year showing junior hunters, she piloted Lyle to the small junior, 15 and under, title and tied for the grand junior hunter championship at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. In 2010, she and Rosalynn took the large junior, 16-17, overall championship at the National Junior Hunter Finals-East. Her win in the USEF/Platinum Performance Talent Search Finals-West Coast clinched her a spot in the 2011 George H. Morris Horsemastership Clinic in January at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (Fla.). Later that month, she made the adults and professionals sit up and take notice by becoming the only junior rider to steal a top 12 spot and qualify for the handy round in the $20,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby in Jacksonville, Fla.

When you’re not at the barn or riding, where is the most likely place to find you?

With my family, wherever they are.

What horse that you’ve never ridden would you like to jump around?

Beezie Madden’s mount Authentic.

What are your goals as a rider?

My goals lean more towards the humane side. I’d like to make it a better sport for the horses, because it’s not always the best for them.

What is your most embarrassing show ring moment?

When I was little, like 9, I was at a horse show, and my pony lay down in the model. No matter what I did, it wouldn’t get up.

What is your favorite book?

Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior by Temple Grandin.

Who is your movie star crush?

Vin Diesel.

Do you like the beach or the snow better? Where’s the best place to go?

For sure the beach. I hate the cold. Anywhere in Hawaii—I’d live there for the rest of my life if I could.

High heels or riding boots?

Honestly, riding boots. I’m not good in heels.

Do you spend more time doing homework or riding after school?

Riding. It seems like there’s very rarely time for homework.

What’s the name of the song that best describes you?

“Up Up Up” by Rose Falcon. It’s a song about an upbeat girl that just keeps going no matter what the world throws at her.

Are you thinking about college yet? Where would you like to go?

I want to take a year off before I go to school. I’ve been horse showing every single weekend for my whole life. I would love to go to Auburn or Georgia or somewhere like that—back to my roots. I’m very southern; my family is originally from Tennessee.

Do you have pets?

I have four dogs—one, “Dobby,” travels everywhere with me. And a cat.

Which do you dislike more? Cleaning tack or mucking stalls?

Mucking stalls.

Who is your favorite horse?

I don’t have a favorite; I appreciate them all. But if I had to pick, I have a pony named Stormy who has never been a show pony, and he’s at a camp helping autistic children. He is just so sweet.