Equestrian standout Leonard headed to Texas A&M

Bonsall High School senior Nicole Leonard, a standout on horseback, has earned a scholarship to Texas A&M and will be part of the Aggies' prestigious equestrian team.

A rider being recruited by Texas A&M for its equestrian team is parallel to a defensive end being recruited by Alabama for its football team as both are powerhouses in those respective sports. The Texas A&M equestrian program has won 13 national championships.

"I'm very excited to continue not only my education, but to ride at a top riding school in the nation," said Leonard. "I'm looking forward to the tradition and the (school) spirit."

Leonard, who has maintained a 4.0-plus GPA while taking honors and AP classes, is a proud member of Bonsall High's first graduating class.

"It's very cool," said Leonard of being part of the first class to graduate. "I don't even know how to describe it."

Leonard made history when she signed her National Letter of Intent to attend Texas A&M and compete for the Aggies.

"I feel very honored being able to say I'm the first student-athlete to ever sign from Bonsall High School," said Leonard. "I'm very excited about that."

Leonard has excelled in the classroom despite her busy schedule competing as a Hunt Seat rider.

"It's been great," said Leonard of her school experience. "I've been able to manage horses and school, and be involved with the school. I'm very close with the student body and all my teachers. Miss Fleming (principal Lee Fleming) has been great about accommodating for my crazy schedule."

Leonard, who has been riding since she was age four, rides for the United States Hunter Jumper Association and the United States Equestrian Federation and competes – and wins – in recognized horse shows.

In 2017, Leonard placed in the top-12 at the Greater San Diego Hunter Jumper Association (GSDHJA) Junior Medal and was the GSDHJA Finals Champion in Equitation on the Flat, qualifying for the GSDHJA Medal Finals. Leonard was named the champion of the GSDHJA Flat Medal Finals in 2016 and qualified for the GSDHJA Junior Medal Finals and GSDHJA Medal Finals, where she was named champion in Equitation on the Flat and Reserve Champion in Equitation over Fences. In 2015, Leonard was the GSDHJA champion in Equitation 14-17 and Junior Hunters and placed third in the Equitation Challenge. Leonard was named champion in the San Diego Scholastic Equestrian League's Varsity Medal and Varsity Junior Hunters and was the SDSEL's High Point Hunter Rider.

Leonard said her most memorable moment to date was winning the 2016 Greater San Diego Hunter Jumper Association Flat Medal Finals on a substitute horse named Louie.

"My horse had gotten hurt the morning of, so we were searching around all day to try and find me a horse to use for that medal final," said Leonard. "Somebody loaned me their horse, and so it was my first time ever riding him when we stepped into the arena. I didn't have any warmup time, so the first time I got to sit on him and do something on him was in the competition."

Leonard has a keen ability to get along with all types of horses.

"My strength is being very versatile," said Leonard. "I'm able to hop on whatever horses are thrown at me. Just like humans, horses have different personalities, so you have to be able to find what sort of clicks with them. I've grown up on so many different horses and I've earned 'catch rides' – where people want me to ride their horses to help show them off – and that has actually helped me grow as a very versatile rider."

Leonard competes at top horse shows such as the HITS Coachella Desert Circuit and the Del Mar National, and its those shows that attract the college recruiters. Leonard visited Texas A&M the summer before her freshman year in high school and said she quickly knew she wanted to attend the university located in College Station and compete on its Division I equestrian team.

"It's a college town," said Leonard of College Station, noting that every store in town carries merchandise stating, "Gig 'em Aggies." "I've been born and raised here in the Fallbrook/Bonsall communities and I'm excited to try something new."

Leonard is going into Texas A&M's college of engineering.

"The first year you are required to take general engineering and if you maintain the correct GPA you stay and choose what you want," said Leonard. "I'm planning on going into chemical engineering and then taking that into the pharmaceutical industry, which will be like designing/creating medications. So, that's my goal."

Leonard, as evidenced by her scholarship to Texas A&M, knows a thing or two about achieving goals.

"From a young age I knew I wanted to ride on a Division I team," said Leonard, who will do just that come August.