Catherine began riding when she was five years old. At age nine, she received her first pony and began to train seriously and compete in the world of dressage. Dressage is a French term for a competitive type of horse training, which is occasionally referred to as “horse ballet.”

Catherine and her horse, Chance, compete at least once a month. They are competitive on the national level, competing in the North American Junior & Young Rider Championships. For one week each month, Catherine and Chance travel from Arizona to compete in various shows.

Catherine’s drive to succeed in the world of dressage has already enabled her to make a name for herself. She has won several awards. Most recently, she won two silver medals in the 2010 North American Junior & Young Rider Championships in Lexington, Kentucky. In this highly competitive championship, she beat a field of 36 horse-and-rider combinations. In addition, Catherine won the United States Equestrian Federation’s Junior Reserve National Championship in Gladstone, New Jersey.

Her immediate goals are to compete in the North American Championships, secure a sponsor, and continue to further her education. Catherine spends six to seven hours a day focused on riding and training. At age 12, she enrolled in Arizona Connections Academy so that she could balance her passion for horses with her education. Choosing Arizona Connections Academy was an easy decision for the Chamberlains. Catherine’s older sister also attended Arizona Connections Academy while pursuing her goal of becoming a singer, songwriter, and actress.

Catherine praises Arizona Connections Academy for giving her the opportunity to meet other, like-minded students who are pursuing similar goals. She appreciates that her dreams can be nurtured through an academic arena such as Arizona Connections Academy, without the constraints of a traditional school. She enjoyed seeing and spending time with her Arizona Connections Academy friends at the many statewide Arizona Connections Academy field trips.

This highly energetic, focused horsewoman found that attending Arizona Connections Academy gave her the flexibility to maintain her education by allowing her to customize her schedule, whether at home or on the road. Catherine is currently working at Adventure Farms training horses for dressage competitions in hopes of competing in the 2016 Olympics.