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Steamboat Springs — It's not often that a youth with legitimate Olympic aspirations considers those games his secondary goal.

But it's not often a guy like Jason Kvols comes around on the youth show riding circuit.

Kvols, who is ranked in the top three among all youth riders in North America, certainly has the goal of making the Equestrian Olympics in Parker this summer. The top 20 youth riders are invited to that event.

However, what really drives the Steamboat Springs High School senior is taking a young horse and molding it into something that's all his own.

Kvols hopes to get a young horse, train it himself and then ready it for major reining competitions within two years.

"Making the Olympics would be really cool," Kvols said, "but it's about getting that sense of accomplishment that you can provide."

Judging by recent results - Kvols couldn't remember if he'd won 14 or 15 of his 23 events in 2007 - it's definitely likely Kvols will be able to do both.

In two recent youth reining shows, Kvols proved he's one of the best.

Kvols placed first in a Junior Olympic Qualifier on Jan. 13, receiving the highest point totals in all of the youth classes. Kvols came into the show ranked third among participants from North America and certainly made a push for a top-two billing.

Then, at the National Western Stock Show Paint Horse Show, Kvols showed Tinker - a horse he trained at his family's Circle K Ranch - and placed second in the Youth Reining, third in Open Junior Reining and second in Open Senior Reining with his other horse, Sunny Spotacular.

"I have two years left in the youth competitions," Kvols said. "God-willing, I'll accomplish both my dreams."

Reining is a test for the horse and the rider. A horse and rider follow a pattern, riding in large, fast circles and small, slow circles, but a horse and rider also must spin and come to sliding stops, where a horse slides on its back two legs kicking up dirt.

For Kvols, it's the offseason now. His next competition isn't until March, but Kvols said he continues to ride every day in hopes of accomplishing his goals.

"It's not as intense now," said Kvols, who wants to go to college and major in mechanical engineering. "I keep working on making (the horse) softer and more responsive. I have to keep my mind in it. You never stop learning. Not only the horse, but me too."