Central Florida teen becomes No. 1 beginner horse rider in the country: 'I’m excited to just keep excelling'

DELAND, Fla. - Meet 13-year-old Raegan Samson. 

Outside of her eighth-grade classroom, you can find her at Hanover Stables, riding six days a week and getting a kick start for her horse riding competitions.

 We asked the Central Florida teen if she ever imagined being number one in the entire country. Her response: "Not at all. I was not expecting that."

The sport is something she fearlessly picked up two years ago, and after just six months of practicing, she rode in her first show.

 We asked her what goes through her head when gearing up for a competition.

"I’m nervous. I get super nervous, but I’m excited about it, and I’m nervous," she said. 

Seventeen events later have now taken her to South Carolina, Kentucky and across Central Florida, becoming number one in her division.

 "It’s hard. If it were easy everyone would go to the Olympics. They’re a bit animals, they have a mind of their own and they can be unpredictable at times," Rachael Haase, head trainer at Hanover Stables, said.

Haase has been working with Samson for the last two years and says, it’s a no-brainer that Samson would climb to the top so quickly.

 "She’s very driven and dedicated. She spends five to six hours a day out here as much as she can and rides any horse I give her. She takes every opportunity that she’s given and she is like a sponge, she absorbs information really well," Haase said. 

It's Samson's passion and admiration for the horses that keep her galloping along. "I’m excited to just keep excelling, I love winning and I’m super competitive," Samson said. 

"What I love about the sport is you can bond with the animals. I like that you can create a bond with an animal that doesn’t speak your language," Samson said. 

 We asked her if this is something she wants to do forever. "Yes, long term. I want to be super good," she said.