NORTH SMITHFIELD – It was five years ago when Ava Lavoie’s friend joined Prospect Hill Farm in Lincoln, riding and competing with horses, and one day, Lavoie decided to tag along.

Last weekend, the Woonsocket native and North Smithfield High freshman, who is enrolled in the school’s business program, found herself competing in the IEA (Interscholastic Equestrian Association) Hunt Seat & Dressage National Finals, which were held from last Wednesday through Saturday at the Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort in Tryon, N.C.

Lavoie placed second out of 18 riders from throughout the nation in last Friday’s Varsity Intermediate Over Fences class.

From doing something fun with a friend to finding a love and passion for horses, Lavoie was watching horses warm up last Wednesday when she spoke to The Breeze with her trainer, Alicia Cugini, who is also the Prospect Hill Farm owner.

Lavoie is part of a team at Prospect Hill Farm, but the team did not qualify for the national finals this year, so Lavoie was competing as an individual. She competes on a regular circuit from September to December, with the regionals taking place in February, the Zone 1 (New England) competition during the first week in April, and then the nationals.

Cugini said that the IEA program is for 4th through 12th graders. This year, they had 14,600 members and 550 riders at the nationals.

To qualify for the nationals, Lavoie competed in five local shows during the regular show season to earn 18 points for the regionals. She competes individually at the Varsity Intermediate Over Fences, which is jumps set over two feet.

“The riders must to able to ride multiple different horses at the 2-foot-6 height in order to qualify for this level of competition,” Cugini explained. “At the regional finals, Ava earned first place to move on as one of the top two riders to go to the Zones.”

There are 10 Regions in Zone 1, as well as 10 zones in the country. The Zone 1 competition was held in Springfield, Mass., and Lavoie placed third out of 12 riders to qualify for her first national competition.

As for the nationals, “I’m happy to be here and make it this far,” Lavoie said.

Lavoie said that she is now used to riding unfamiliar horses, but back in Rhode Island, she has a pony named Strawberry, and she leases a horse called Tizzy. She uses Tizzy in the regular circuit and when she competes in the Connecticut Horse Shows Association and the Connecticut Hunter Jumper horse program.

“I really enjoy training the younger horses,” Lavoie said about her favorite part of competing. “It’s more gratifying teaching a horse what to do instead of having a horse do everything for you.”

Being only a freshman in high school, college isn’t an immediate thought on the brain, but Lavoie said it would be nice to attend a school that offers an equestrian team. Right now, she wants to fully enjoy her experience at the nationals and then return to Prospect Hill Farm.

“Being here is pretty amazing,” said Lavoie, who gave thanks to Cugini and her parents, Trina and Brendan Lavoie. “This is a really amazing experience.”

“She not only rides and competes, but works at the barn with her mom, three to four days a week, to make this all possible,” Cugini said. “She helps with the day-to-day chores, as well as helps the little riders learn how to tack up and get ready to ride. She is a great mentor for the little ones coming up the ranks. Ava is a great team member, friend, and horseman.”