KINGSTON, R.I. – November 27, 2017 – North Kingstown resident Lauren Henry has been around horses on an almost daily basis since she was a baby. Her grandfather had horses that he used for trail riding, her mother had horses for competition, and Henry started taking riding lessons at age 6 and entered her first horse show about a year later. She’s had her own horse since she was 8.

All of that experience has paid off. Henry is the top rider on the University of Rhode Island’s equestrian team for the third year in a row, and she competed at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association’s national championships as a freshman and sophomore. She hopes to earn another berth at nationals this year as well.

“When I was a freshman, I was the only freshman at nationals and the only one who wasn’t a senior to be in the top 10,” said Henry, who placed ninth in 2016. “Last year I was the reserve champion, which means I came in second. It left me a little hungry for the win this year. So that’s my goal – to win the class at nationals.”

She said the experience of competing at nationals in the Alltech Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, has been quite impressive.

“They try to make it a really big deal,” Henry said. “They bring in the best horses from across the country, we compete in a wonderful facility, and the prizes are great. It’s great to go to nationals because you get to ride such great horses.”

As reserve champion last year, she was awarded a $500 scholarship and a new riding outfit, including boots, jacket and show shirt.

According to Henry, riding as part of a university team was quite a different experience from what she was used to. Rather than focusing exclusively on her own success, she has a team of 43 riders to also root for and encourage. Riders compete in one of eight divisions based on their experience and skill level, so beginning riders can score just as many points as the team’s best rider.

“It’s so different in that way,” she said. “It gives us a different vibe with the sport. I love the team aspect. I’ve found my closest friends on the team, which makes it more enjoyable.”

Last year, the entire URI equestrian team qualified for the national championships for the first time after having won the regional championship for the fifth year in a row, so Henry was joined by seven teammates on the trip to Kentucky for the competition.

When she’s not competing for the URI team, Henry competes with her own horse, Prophet, in show jumping competitions throughout the Northeast. And during the winter break between semesters, she brings her horse to Florida to compete in a 10-week series of horse shows.

“I’m working on riding in local Grand Prix classes, which is the highest level you can do at a horse show,” she said. “And then we’ll see where that takes me.”

Back at URI, Henry is majoring in entrepreneurial management with the goal of eventually owning her own stables where she and others can ride, train and compete. Before she gets that far, however, she plans to work at riding stables in Europe for a few years.

“Show jumping is a much bigger deal over there than it is here,” she said. “Most of the show horses in the U.S. have been imported from Europe. So it would be a good experience to spend some time there.

“And then I’d like to use what I learn from my major at URI to start up my own farm.”