The Clackamas youth will ride for the nations top collegiate equestrian team

A love for horses has paid huge dividends for 2012 Clackamas High graduate Avery Farley.

Farley has earned a spot on Texas A&M University’s equestrian team, and her passion and proficiency in riding horses could pay for most of her college education.

“My mom and I travelled to Texas A&M to visit the campus last fall,” Farley says. “While we were there we spoke with the head hunt seat coach....

“I told her about my accomplishments in competitive show jumping and how long I have been riding. I gave her a video highlighting some of my riding. After watching it, right then and there, she gave me a spot on the team and a partial scholarship....

“Depending on how I do, it could develop into a full scholarship.”

Earning a spot on the team is no small feat. Texas A&M’s equestrian team is the defending national team champion and the Aggies have won national championships in 10 of the past 11 years.

Farley, who just turned 18, has been riding horses since age 3 and she’s been riding competitively in hunter and jumper events for the past 12 years. She shows in the High Junior/Amateur Jumpers and the 1.40-meter Jumper/Grand Prix Division, which is the highest competitive level in Oregon.

“My biggest accomplishment to date was in February,” Farley says. “I won the Thermo, California, Jumpers High Junior Amateurs on 1.40-meter fences. Riders from all over the U.S. were there — up-and-down the West Coast, Canada, the Midwest and the East Coast.”

The competition ran for seven weeks and Farley said that she emailed in school assignments while she was taking part.

Most of Farley’s high-level success has come on Colin, a 9-year-old imported Dutch Warmblood that she has owned for four years.

Farley, who lives in Happy Valley, boards the horse at Venture Farm in Oregon City, and she is currently looking for a buyer.

“Since the horses are provided by the school, my horse Colin sadly has to been sold,” she said. “I will miss him. He and I have had many achievements.... He has been a great horse to move up on in the divisions.”

Farley says it will be a different type of competition when she reports to Texas A&M in August.

“I’m on their English [saddle] team and it will be equitation over hunter fences, where how you do is based on [the rider] and not the horse.” she said.

Farley reports to college Aug. 14 and practices will begin Aug. 20, with competition running September through April.

“We’ll practice three days a week on a different horse each time,” she said.

Farley, who envisions herself someday owning a cattle ranch in Texas, has been active in the North Clackamas FFA through Clackamas High School. She’s raised three market steers at the Land Lab behind Clackamas High School, and she’ shown them at the Clackamas County Fair, winning reserve champion and champion the last two years.

She plans an animal science major at Texas A&M, with a focus on beef production and a minor in agribusiness.

“I’d like to have raising cattle as a career, with horses more like a hobby,” she said.

“It’s such a great accomplishment to say that I am now a Texas A&M Aggie and a rider for their equestrian team,” Farley said. “I have always wanted to do a sport in college and now I can say that I too am a Division I athlete, just like my sister.”

Avery Farley’s older sister Allison plays volleyball at Seattle University.

“I have been involved in sports all my life,” Avery said. “Whether it was soccer, basketball, cross country, track and field, or competitive show jumping. But riding horses has always been my favorite!”