Wheat Ridge Colorado resident Leighona Taylor Bernstein has been selected to participate in the United States Hunter Jumper Association's Emerging Athletes Program. Launched in March of last year, USHJA's Emerging Athletes Program is intended to identify and support talented young rider's competing at the grassroots level of competition in the sport of hunter/jumper horseback riding.

"When I got the letter from USHJA President Bill Moroney back in May informing me that I was one of 24 kids from across the region chosen for this elite program, I was speechless," the teen said.

Bernstein participated in a Level I Training Session this summer featuring former Gold Medal Winner Melanie Taylor Smith. Her performance resulted in Bernstein being one of five young riders from the region selected to advance to the Level II Training Session this fall in Texas. If successful there, Bernstein will have the opportunity to participate in the National Training Session.

Horseback riding, unlike soccer, lacrosse, track or other more standard high school sports, is not officially recognized as such. As a result, the participant is responsible for all expenses of horse and rider making it very hard for most kids, no matter their talent, to compete on a national level. That is not That is not stopping Bernstein from pursuing her dream of competing at the International level - and perhaps the Olympics - some day.

"This is a huge opportunity for me," Bernstein said. "I feel really lucky to be able to participate at this level despite not having all the advantages that many of my fellow riders have."

Bernstein isn't all about riding however. She is an honor roll student at Wheat Ridge High School taking several AP classes. Her goal is to earn a scholarship at a Division I college where she would like to study equine medicine with an emphasis on genetics. When not riding or at school, Bernstein works for the Rocky Mountain Horse Rescue in Arvada, helping with everything around the farm from mucking stalls to riding and helping with rehabilitation of the adoptable and resident horses. She also serves as a working student for her trainer Tracye Ferguson of Meridian Riding Club and for her former trainer Debbie Bergman of Rocky Mountain Riding Academy both in Arvada.

That is not stopping Bernstein from pursuing her dream of competing at the International level - and perhaps the Olympics - some day.

Bernstein isn't all about riding however. She is an honor roll student at Wheat Ridge High School taking several AP classes. Her goal is to earn a scholarship at a Division I college where she would like to study equine medicine with an emphasis on genetics. When not riding or at school, Bernstein works for the Rocky Mountain Horse Rescue in Arvada, helping with everything around the farm from mucking stalls to riding and helping with rehabilitation of the adoptable and resident horses. She also serves as a working student for her trainer Tracye Ferguson of Meridian Riding Club and for her former trainer Debbie Bergman of Rocky Mountain Riding Academy both in Arvada.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT LEIGHONA CONTACT: Leighona1@msn.com

ABOUT USHJA EMERGING ATHLETES PROGRAM

The mission of the Emerging Athletes Program is to develop and implement a system of identifying and nurturing talented young riders, by providing them with the support and assistance necessary to facilitate the opportunity to reach their full potential by creating a national program as a pipeline to international competition. The Emerging Athletes Program provides young riders with the opportunity to learn from our country's top professional riders and trainers, www.ushja.org