Photograph by Paul Myers
Christina McGurran not only rides and exhibits, but also feeds and grooms, the paint horses at her family's mountain ranch, including Phoenix, a blue-eyed mare.
Award-winning rider dreams of Olympic gold
By Shari Kaplan
When folks have "horse sense," at least according to most dictionaries, they have a good head on their shoulders and a healthy dose of gumption. What the dictionaries don't say is that the term can also be defined in just two words: Christina McGurran.
Along with possessing these attributes, the mountain resident defines "horse sense" in the literal sense as well--she's a lifelong lover and rider of the equines, has an intuitive gift for understanding them and has won enough belt buckles, saddle blankets, commemorative jackets and other honors at horse shows to fill a hayloft.
Not bad for someone who's too young to drink or vote. The seasoned rider can't even obtain a learner's permit yet to drive a car, a fact belied by the strength with which the 13 year-old drives her horses and herself to excel.
One example came earlier this summer, when Christina captured a Reserve All-Around World Championship in the Youths 13 and Under category at the World Championship Paint Horse Show in Ft. Worth, Texas. It's the world's largest event for exhibitors of American paint horses, a hardy, good-natured breed named for its distinctive coloring, which often looks like the horse had a run-in with an errant paintbrush.
To earn her title, Christina and her horse, a 9-year-old gelding named Just Passing Thru, had to demonstrate proficiency at events such as jumping over hurdles, trotting, walking, turning, spinning and reining.
Christina, who lives with her family on their Montebello Ranch property--which sits in Castle Rock State Park with portions in Los Gatos, Saratoga and Santa Cruz--began riding before she could read and hasn't stopped since. The slender, sandy-haired girl has been fearless since day one, according to her mother, Tina.
"We couldn't keep Christina away from the horses. She'd be out there at the age of 2 with a whip, hanging out with them," Tina says, chuckling at the memories from the family's first horse ranch in their home state of Minnesota.
One of Christina's more vivid memories is when she was 5 or 6 and had the thrill of her first horse jump. After lugging hay bales into a pile, she got on her pony and attempted to leap the obstacle. She ended up getting thrown.
"I broke my glasses and almost dislocated my shoulder," Christina recalls. "I was in pain, but I wanted to get back on and make him do it right."
In pondering what she likes most about horses, "their personality" is what she says first. "They can act guilty or naughty sometimes, but they can also be really sweet. If you have a bad day, they warm your heart," she adds, smiling. "When you ride them, you get to know what their feelings are. They're just really great animals."
Tina suspects her daughter's fascination with horses may run in the family, as Tina herself grew up loving them. "My parents never had horses, so I'd beg, borrow and plead to ride people's horses," she says. When she was 16, she saved up enough money to buy her own horse.
Although Tina exhibits horses at times, husband Tim loves watching horse shows and elder daughter Stephanie exhibited horses before going to college, it's Christina who remains glued in the saddles of the various paint and Arabian horses who live at the McGurrans' stables.
Shuttled by her mother, Christina also spends several days each week, two to three weeks each month, practicing with horse trainers Ron and Bobbie Emmons of Plymouth. Mother and daughter also travel throughout the year to state, regional and nationwide shows and competitions.
By necessity, home-schooling takes the place of a traditional schoolroom, though not all of Christina's studies are at home. For her more creative pursuits, she takes classes at the Artful Eye studio in Saratoga, where she says oil is her favorite medium with which to paint. In her free time--"when I have it!"--she enjoys snow skiing.
When she turns 16, Christina says she will try out for the United States Equestrian Team--her dream is to compete in the Olympic Games. If not, she'll remain on the competitive show circuit.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
