When she’s not soaring over a jump on her hunter-jumper gelding, Golden Opportunity, or to the top of a Horsemanship class with her All-Around partner, Chex Is The Choice, Natalia DeVencenty is likely still flying high, in a plane at Travelaire, her family’s private air-ambulance service in Pueblo, Colorado.

“Because airplanes are a part of my family’s life, I get free flying lessons from my dad,” Natalia explains.

In fact, the 15-year old daughter of Rocky and Jamie DeVencenty, of Vineland, Colorado, lists her greatest accomplishment outside the show arena as landing a plane without her dad’s help.

But Natalia discovered at an early age that her “happy spot” is aboard a horse.

“My family has always been involved with horses,” she explains. “My mom used to show hunter jumpers, and she used to walk me around on her old hunter horse when I could barely walk. My parents bought me a grey welsh pony on my 5th birthday. We named him Dream A Little Dream.”

At the age of 5, Natalia started showing on the United States Equestrian Federation Hunter Jumper circuit.

In 2012 the DeVencenty family began searching for a Quarter Horse that Natalia could show in Working Hunter, Hunter Hack and Equitation Over Fences.

“After two years of searching and 15 pre-purchase exams we couldn’t find a Quarter Horse hunter,” Natalia explains. “I was giving up on a Quarter Horse hunter, but in the meantime I rode a Quarter Horse all- around contender and instantly fell in love.”

The family traveled to Ohio to the Quarter Horse Congress with Colorado trainer Kelly McDowall to search for an all-round partner for Natalia.

“Kelly found a horse that he thought was perfect, but that horse didn’t pass the pre-purchase exam,”

Natalia explains. “While we were at the Congress, my hunter-jumper trainer, Tracye Ferguson, who was in the Capital Challenge horse show in Pennsylvania, called us and said that she had found the prefect hunter for me even though the horse was not a Quarter Horse.”

The family flew to Pennsylvania to try the horse.

“Even though we were looking for a Quarter Horse, we thought that we could do both the hunter jumpers and AQHA,” Natalia says. The 9-year-old chestnut Warmblood, named Golden Opportunity was a perfect fit for Natalia, so the family bought him and headed back home to Colorado. But on the flight back, McDowall called to say he had found another all-around contender he thought Natalia should definitely try. KM Boalicious, a 2007 bay gelding by RL Best Of Sudden out of Shieks Bodys Hot.

“We were already in Colorado and didn’t want to fly back to Ohio,” Natalia recalls. “We had a pre-purchase exam done and he passed. Kelly had his daughter, Claire, ride the horse and we decided that we would just take the risk, and buy him and hope for the best.”

McDowall brought KM Boalicious (Meatball) home for Natalia and he turned out to be her perfect match.

In 2013 Natalia showed Golden Opportunity to the title of Zone 8 Childrens Champion and Colorado Hunter Jumper Association Childrens Hunter Champion. She also captured the Rocky Mountain Quarter Horse Association 13 & Under and Novice Youth All- Around title with KM Boalicious and they placed third at the AQHA Youth World Show in Performance Halter Geldings.

In 2014 Natalia and Meatball were Reserve Quarter Horse Congress Champions in 12-14 Horsemanship; National Snaffle Bit Association World Champions in Novice Youth Equitation; AQHA Level 1 (Novice) Championships-West Horsemanship and Equitation winners; and finished the year as RMQHA 14- 18 Youth All-Around Champions.

“Showing both circuits has been a huge challenge,” she says. “But it’s such a blessing to be a part of both show worlds.”

This year Natalia has a new show partner in Chex Is The Choice. The 2002 bay gelding is sired by Zippo Pine Chex and out of Ima Lady By Choice. They will focus on Horsemanship, Equitation, Western Riding and Trail.

“Chex is funny. When it is humid outside Chex’s mane goes poof and it gets really frizzy,” Natalia admits.

Natalia is a freshman and has always been homeschooled.

“It gives me freedom to compete, travel, and pursue other interests,” she says.

After she completes high school Natalia plans to attend Colorado State University to pursue a business degree.

“Once I get my business degree I want to be a vital part of my family’s business,” she explains. “I hope one day to become the CEO of the company.”