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55 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, September 10, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 7, 2004 Alysa Baird, 16, of Jacksonville, rides CT Roustabout, with whom she won a national championship at a horse show in New Mexico last month. Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli National champion Jacksonville youth overcomes her own tragedy and that of a horse to take top honors at the Youth National Championship Horse Showin New Mexico recently Allyssa Baird is keeping her national championship all in the family — her horse’s family,that is. When her national champion Arabian horse, HL Mr. Mistik, was injured at the start of this year’s Youth National Championship in New Mexico, Allyssa was left to rely on his less dependable half-brother. With a little bit of luck and a lot of focus, Allyssa and CT Roustabout stole the show. "Never in a million years did I think he’d be a national champion," said Allyssa, 16, the daughter of Mark andTrish Baird of Jacksonville. In just four years of competition, Allyssa has earned two national titles at the Youth National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show in Albuquerque, N.M. Horses must go through a rigorous qualifying process to get to nationals. "These are the cream of the crop," said Trish Baird. "These are the best horses in the country." Allyssa and CT Roustabout won the Country English Pleasure class out of the top 48 horses in the country. Advertisement Allyssa, who first sat on a horse at 18 months, has overcome many obstacles over the past years to reach the level of national champion. Two years ago, a serious accident left her in the hospital for a week. Her horse fell while she was riding, crushing half her face. After several surgeries, all that is noticeable is a small scar near her chin. "I don’t remember anything," she said. "If I did, I probably would be scared to get back on the horse." Allyssa continued to compete. But with 12 competitions a year and time spent recovering from the accident, Allyssa fell behind in school. Fed up with the frustration of playing catch-up, Allyssa decided to finish high school over the Internet. "The curriculum is harder, but I can get through it faster," she said. "I can take my laptop with me anywhere. "I don’t miss high school at all," she said. "Horses are my life." Her boyfriend, who lives in Texas, also rides. "My best friends are my horse show friends," she said. Allyssa will finish high school in a couple of months and then enroll in Southern Oregon University. Eventually, she said, she wants to go to school at the University of California in San Diego. "I’ll be closer to my horses," she said. The Baird family owns 13 Arabian horses; during competition season, the horses stay in California with their trainers. Allyssa took three horses to the two-week Youth Nationals competition, held at the end of July, but her luck seemed to quickly run out once she arrived. "My show started out really bad," she said, referring to Mr. Mistik’s injury early on. The second horse had problems with the bones in his foot, making him tire easily. (He still managed to finish in the top 20, however.) Allyssa persisted with CT Roustabout. Throughout the different events, she rode him, drove him and showed him, staying in form the whole time. "It’s all about form and how your horse looks," she said. She must keep the horse in full view of the judges and not let another horse obscure the view. If one horse spooks, she has to keep hers calm. "Any nervousness you feel radiates," Allyssa said. "If you’re confident, he’ll be confident." Trish Baird said her daughter is a national champion because she’s "extremely focused." "She’s very analytical and perfects everything she does," Baird said, adding Allyssa also plays the piano and does ballet. Although prize money didn’t come with the champion title, the Bairds will be able to sell the winning horse for more money to help keep up with competition expenses. "It’s not cheap," Allyssa said. "It’s an expensive hobby. "I can’t thank my parents enough." Once Allyssa turns 18 she’ll be able to earn money by winning, but she doesn’t want to make horses her career. She would rather find a job as a graphic designer and ride on the side. "I want to be able to afford it myself," she said. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities