Abbey is the Fall 2021 OYES Microburst Pony Rider awardee, sponsored by an anonymous donor.
Hello! I’m Abbey, 21, and I own Cookie, my 2010 paint mare. I just moved from Pittsburgh to El Centro, Calif., earlier this year where I scored my dream job training and barrel racing full time. I first started riding when I was really young, probably around 4 years old on a family friend’s farm, but I started actual lessons at 9 years old. I met my now best friend, Jessica, at a store in the mall who mentioned 4-H and horse lessons. I ended up leasing her horse and joining 4-H!
My current riding goals are to get Cookie legged up after enjoying a much-needed break before moving across the country with me, and to get her working as well as all of the other training and personal horses on the pattern. I also want to get some of the other training horses ready to list for sale ASAP. We want to have our barrel horses ready by next year to be entered in futurities and then move to PCRA/WPRA rodeos and eventually qualify for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR).
My ultimate goal is to make it to the NFR. I also would like to do some futurities first before the horses age out. Some of our personal horses are eligible for the Pink buckle, Ruby buckle, etc.
I would say I’m very close! I just moved across the country to make this possible. Thanks to an amazing mentor through this program, I was able to find this job where I am training and exercising horses as well as barrel racing full time. It is going to take some time and hard work to get the horses ready first. Lots of long hours riding, colt breaking, etc.
I want to continue to support my community and be an advocate for equality and human rights. I am passionate about making the rodeo world a safe place for all. I want others to know it’s possible to achieve your dreams and goals no matter what.
I have definitely had to find a way to afford my hobby on my own without financial assistance. Lots of working long hours, multiple jobs, etc. The move for this job really impacted me financially and set me back, but I know it will be worth it in the end. I have also had to deal with a lot of homophobia in the barrel racing world. Constant hate comments and messages online, as well as having to hide things like that in person or in public. I am an advocate for equality and human rights and want to continue that the whole way to the top. No matter how hard it is or how much it takes, I want to be someone others can look up to who also struggle with similar things and just being a good role model in general. I want kids and people to know that dreams can happen even if you come from nothing. There is always a way.