At first glance, Ava MacCoubrey seems like a typical horse-crazy teenager. She enjoys spending time at the barn, hanging out with her friends, and sharing funny photos of her equine exploits on social media.
But the 16-year-old native of Cobourg, ON, is anything but ordinary. The top-ranked FEI junior dressage rider in Canada, MacCoubrey is a world-class athlete with a talent matched only by her determination to be the best she can be.
MacCoubrey started riding at the age of seven, begging her parents for lessons after returning home from a family vacation where she had the opportunity to ride. She progressed quickly to owning her own pony, on which she competed in pony jumpers and low-level eventing. The pair were always successful during the dressage portion of events, so when a bad fall prompted MacCoubrey to give up jumping, focusing on the dressage ring seemed like a natural step.