【Ｂｒｙｎｎ Ｃｏｎｎｏｌｌｙ】nicknames: none
age: 17 years old
gender: female
height: 5'8"
orientation: bisexual (closeted)
sport: hunter/jumper
horse: Tide
Brynn Maddison Connolly was born in northern Alabama to her parents Michael and Katherine, the third
of four children. The wealthy Connolly family owned a grand quarter horse ranch, so Brynn, her two
older sisters, and her younger brother knew how to ride from an early age; each sibling, however, had
their own impression of the horse business. Her brother's experiences with cutting made him decide
that he preferred the company of cattle to that of horses; her eldest sister ultimately decided the
ranch life wasn't for her at all and quit riding at age fourteen; her middle sister is still a decorated
barrel racer and pole bender, though she has now taken up reining as her primary discipline. Brynn
herself was gifted her first horse, a fairly young quarter mare named Faith, at age 10 from her
parents; she followed in her middle sister's footsteps for several years, participating in several rodeo events. Eventually, however, she discovered hunter/jumpers and was immediately enamored with the adrenaline rush of jumping. Her parents begrudgingly hired a trainer to teach Faith to jump; very quickly, however, Brynn began to prove her talent in the English saddle as she and her beloved mare began to climb the AQHA and 4-H hunter/jumper ranks. Eventually, local trainers began to take notice; she joined a local hunter barn at age 14 and showed a number of her trainer's nice horses - alongside the ever-trusty Faith, of course.
Brynn's parents purchased a second home in Kentucky to get away from the "stresses of the ranch life" after their second daughter graduated, and so Brynn spent the summer of her 15th year in the eastern US. Crestwood Estate's Mr. Campbell had been seeking some young riders to add to his show string, and he was very impressed with the show records Brynn's parents presented him with. He would take her on, he said, but he refused to allow her to show Faith with his team - she had to buy a nicer thoroughbred or warmblood. Brynn's father, who had been wanting to breed Faith due to her nice conformation, told Brynn he would not allow her to keep a horse she was not showing or regularly riding. After many lengthy arguments, Brynn reluctantly agreed to let Faith become a broodmare. Her parents bought Tide for her, and she showed him with Crestwood for two years before Mr. Campbell sold the estate.
-
Brynn may have traded in her cowboy boots for tall boots, but she never
quite lost the unique spirit of a rodeo queen. She's fun-loving and
adventurous and, when she's not in her riding gear, loves to dress as
though she's ready for a night on the town. She has a great sense of
humor and - when she wants to - a knack for making friends. She's an
incredibly hard worker on and off the horse and has a fiercely
competitive spark in anything and everything she does.
This all being said, Brynn's a Grade A troublemaker; several rules at
the Crestwood boarding school program are credited especially to her.
This is a point of pride for her, too; growing up in a family of four
kids, she had to get creative when it came to getting attention,
having fun, and outshining her siblings. More than that, however, her
competitive attitude coupled with Mr. Campbell's harshness has made
her very unsportsmanlike. While she'd never tamper with someone's
horse or otherwise play dirty, she's loath to lend a hand except to a
very close ally of hers and is often a great source of judgmental
commentary on other riders.
Truth be told, Brynn is very unhappy with where she's at in her riding.
She sorely misses Faith and, secretly, really doesn't like Tide much at
all, though she spends much of her time pampering him in an effort to
bond with him. Moreover, she is desperate to move to jumpers, though
Mr. Campbell never allowed her due to her failures in the hunter ring.
She was raised in a "never quit" family, but her show nerves often get
the best of her. Overall, she is very unsure of herself and who she is,
and since so many of her previous "friends" at Crestwood stabbed her
in the back, she isn't sure who is trustworthy and who isn't. Brynn can
actually be very self-deprecating, but this nature tends to add to her
constant drive to improve and hone her skills, especially on horseback.
Likes:
- Brynn loves anything involving mud and gasoline; big trucks,
four-wheelers, dirt bikes, and whatever else she can get
her hands on.
- Brynn still greatly enjoys riding western whenever she
gets the chance, even if it's just for a trail ride.
- As embarrassing as they are, sappy rom-coms still brighten
Brynn's world - one could say they're her guilty pleasure.
- Brynn is extremely adventurous with food; trying a variety
of cuisines is extremely exciting to her.
- Brynn enjoys watching a variety of sports; from rodeos to
polo matches, football games to hockey games, horse races
to baseball games, she can get excited for any team or
player - that is, unless there's a chance they might be
competing against her.
- Brynn does love to spoil a horse; she spends a lot of time
grooming and caring for Tide and making sure his stall is in
absolutely perfect condition.
Dislikes:
- Laziness seriously irritates Brynn; anyone who won't put in
the work to care for their own horse is automatically not
worth her time.
- Structure and Brynn do not get along; she prefers to do
things on her time.
- Brynn is not at all a fan of the constraints of the typical
hunter dress code, and is constantly trying to push
boundaries on what is and isn't acceptable.
Appearance:
Eyes: Green
Hair: Dirty blonde
Skin: Moderately tanned (most likely via spray)
Identifying marks: Birthmark on left shoulder, circular
scar on right thigh from barrel racing accident, long scar
on right shoulder from four-wheeler accident.
Clothing/Style: Country chic - jean shorts, fringe, neutral
colors. For riding, mostly denim breeches and a stylish
riding shirt. Likes large and noticeable earrings. Wears
makeup daily, even to the barn.
