In love with riding since she first stepped into the saddle as a 6-year-old, Victoria Giachino has proven over and over again that she’s a talented equestrian. However, the 2009 St. Charles East grad knows she needs to prove herself each time she steps into the ring.

The youngest of Sarah and Nick Giachino’s two children, Victoria convinced her mother to let her start riding after watching her sister, Olivia, take lessons. Since the day she first rode Barney, a 20-year-old grey warmblood, Giachino has compiled an impressive resume, winning the 2006 Kentucky Spring Classic and finishing third at the United States Equestrian Federation Junior Hunter Horse of the Year in 2007.

Now, Giachino – who turns 21 today – is a junior at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, one of 23 colleges and universities to offer equestrian as a varsity sport. As “nerve-racking” as freshman year was for Giachino, she feels as comfortable as ever juggling practice and a rigorous course schedule in the Neeley School of Business.