BET/USET Show Jumping Talent Search-East Finals

Broken Hand Doesn't Deter Courtney McKay

Not even a broken hand could hold back Courtney McKay, whose doctor knew the Ocala, Fla., girl would ride with or without a cast on her left wrist.

The high school home-schooled senior had been leading a horse in from pasture a month ago when he threw himself against another horse. Her hand was caught in the fray and broken in two places. When the swelling didn't go down, her parents insisted on medical treatment. She wanted to continue riding with trainer Bob Brasswell, so she and her physician struck a bargain. He found a pliable brace that conforms to the contours of her arm.

She had the pluck to push to make it to Gladstone. She wasn't to be deterred by the questions she had in her mind about the instructions for flatwork nor her horse's inexperience at this type of exercise.

"I don't think Rhumbline has ever done a flat class (like this) before, so I was glad it was by ourselves. Otherwise, he would have thought it was a warm-up class," she said. For her, gymnastics "was a lot of guesswork about what the judges wanted."

Still, the 17-year-old came out of the class, mulling over the possibilities of doing this again next year, then moving a step further in her horsemanship career.

"I certainly want to make a try to make this class next year," she said. Beyond that, she might consider a step toward being a professional and, like her compatriots, trying out for the team. "But I want to play it by ear. I lean towards going to college first."