Ocala, Fla.—March 25  

Cooper Dean’s the real deal. He’s the kid who grew up with ponies in the back yard, mucking stalls and lugging water buckets and dreaming of winning big classes.

And now, as a working student for grand prix rider Aaron Vale, Dean’s getting that done in a big way. With three lovely, flowing rounds, Dean, 17, topped the HITS Equitation Championship aboard Denver S during the final weekend of the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit (Fla.).