equestrian - Optimum Equine

08Sep

OYES Feature: Grace Chung

Grace is the recipient of the Spring 2023 Dream & Scheme Horse Show Award, sponsored by Dreamers & Schemers.

My name is Grace Chung, and I am a 22-year-old equestrian from Saratoga, California. I am currently a third-year student majoring in Human Biology at Stanford University, and I compete on Stanford’s western equestrian team.

I’ve been horse-crazy since I was 3, begging my parents for pony rides and Breyer collectibles at any chance I could get. My family tried to support my addiction, paying for my lessons at the local hunter-jumper barn, but ultimately the lessons became too expensive for us to afford. Because of my family’s difficult financial situation, I never got the chance to ride consistently throughout my childhood. So as a teen, I began to volunteer at a local therapeutic riding barn, working with special-needs children and assisting them with basic horsemanship and horse care. I found this position to be extremely rewarding, as it gave me the opportunity to work with horses and share my passion for horses with other horse-crazy kids.

In college, I started my own business as an artist making custom horse portraits, and I also became a research assistant at a stem cell laboratory to pay for my riding lessons. During freshman year, I began riding at a western barn with retired reining horses, and this is where I found my true passion. I fell in love with Quarter horses, particularly for their honesty, their big hearts, and their athleticism, and sought to get one of my own. While I couldn’t afford anything with fancy papers or an extensive show record, I was able to acquire a quirky, retired western pleasure horse for free. An arthritic, barn-sour cribber, my horse Joey proved to be more of a handful than I had bargained for, and I often struggled to pay for his extensive maintenance. Still, I was able to accomplish many firsts on him, including my first patterns, first flying lead changes, (first emergency vet visits!), and first solo trail rides. He truly became my lifeline and my source of happiness, and I was proud of the team we became together. Although I often struggled financially as a horse owner, Joey taught me not just how to be a better equestrian but also how to be a better horsewoman–and what it means to put my horse first. After a few years of ownership, I was able to find Joey a stellar home where he could live out his days in a pasture as a family horse. Although our time together was short, Joey has made me the horsewoman I am today.

After rehoming Joey, I still wanted to improve as a rider–so in the fall of 2022, I joined the Stanford western equestrian team. Because I had no prior show experience, I began showing in the Walk-Jog division, and I unexpectedly placed 2nd at my very first IHSA show. Being in my university’s equestrian team has allowed me to ride tons of different horses of all backgrounds and abilities, from reiners to ponies to pleasure horses, as well as learn from many different trainers, and I have become a much more versatile rider as a result. Showing was one of my bucket-list goals, and as I think about my future show goals, I know the experiences I made at the intercollegiate level will help me when I show my own horse in the future.

Currently, my main goal is to continue improving my skills as a horsewoman and excelling further in the show ring as I continue to practice with my team in preparation for the next show season. I also have bigger goals of competing in ranch versatility, reining, or reined cowhorse with my next horse, and I am working with a ranch versatility trainer outside of Stanford to learn more about these disciplines as well.

Some of the main roadblocks to my current goals include finances: as a student on financial aid at my school, I have difficulty paying the dues necessary to continue being a member of the equestrian team. I pay $500 horse-use fees quarterly and $750 team dues yearly, and all of the money from the Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship would be used to pay for my team dues and part of the quarterly dues in the 2023-2024 school year. Through this scholarship, I would be able to continue to both show and receive coaching. Paying these fees is the only way I can continue to compete as a college student, and this scholarship would greatly alleviate that need.

Additionally, as a queer Asian American equestrian, I have often faced scrutiny, exclusion, and racial discrimination from old trainers and fellow boarders and riders. I felt out of place growing up as a horse crazy girl and never seeing any representation of people of color in horse-related TV shows and media. As a first-time horse owner, it only got harder when I began boarding at a predominantly-white barn and experienced bullying from other horse owners. I am still usually one of the only minorities at IHSA shows, and not much has changed since I was little. However, I would like to continue occupying space in the equestrian community as a queer person of color, and I hope to inspire other horse people in marginalized communities to pursue their passions as well.

Within the next few years, my plans are to graduate and go to medical school to become a physician focusing on rural settings. I plan to continue being involved with horses and showing before medical school and beyond as well. Although I am not sure where my equestrian journey will take me, I am excited to continue learning and growing as a horsewoman, and I am proud to be a queer rider of color in the equestrian community.

29AugAugust 29, 2023

By admin

OYES Feature: Emma Powers

Emma is the Spring 2023 Dressage Dreamer Award recipient, sponsored by Optimum Equine LLC

I didn’t get the opportunity to grow up riding, as unfortunately it wasn’t realistic for my family financially. Something always drew me towards horses though, and the moment I was able to get my first job at 14 I worked towards being involved with them. I did what I could given my circumstances, volunteering all of my free time to a local horse rescue in order to gain as much experience as I could with horses. Something about them just made me feel better, and gave me something to work for. I thankfully was able to get my own horse and begin showing at my local competitions. Working with horses is still the highlight of my day, and so for that I hope to make it my goal to one day do it professionally.

Because I had a “late” start in riding, I’m trying to learn everything that I can to help continue advancing myself in Dressage. More specifically, I would like to move up the levels in Dressage, and once more hopefully ride professionally one day. As of right now, I ride in 1st Level and so am certainly not close to where I would one day hope to be. I ride on the daily and am constantly thinking of what I can do to help get better through lessons and reviewing videos of myself riding. I dream of becoming a professional rider, or even giving lessons of my own. As little or as big as the goal may be, in the end I wish to simply land in the equine industry by the end of it all.

Since I have started working with horses, I have been able to overcome quite a lot. I struggled with social anxiety for all of my life, and still do. Once I began handling and training horses, most of it has since alleviated. The same could also be said for my depression. I feel so much better than I once did, and found it to be more therapeutic and beneficial than anything else I have tried. My former social life had to be dropped as well, but it was certainly for the better, as now I’m able to surround myself with supportive individuals to share the same passion as I do.

If I am to receive the scholarship, I primarily am going to be putting it towards lessons, as I find that more valuable than showing at this stage. This all would help me immensely, as I would be able to further my experience under saddle to hopefully one day apply towards a working student or an apprenticeship position.

23AugAugust 23, 2023

By admin

OYES Feature: Grace Rogers

Grace Rogers smiles while sitting on a palomino horse

Grace is the recipient of the Spring 2023 OYES Dream It Award.

After attending a close friend’s 8th birthday party at the barn where she rode, my horse interest began. However, it would take another ten years before I got on my first horse and took my first lesson. When I started, though, the excitement and joy I felt as an eight-year-old quickly returned, and I was hooked.

Since then, I have developed a particular interest in the hunter/jumper disciplines. It’s been my dream to participate in the hustle and bustle of a horse show. Due to the demands of being a full-time college student, I’ve never had the opportunity to show my skills in a show; however, competing in a hunter/jumper show is one of my most incredible riding goals.

My future dreams and plans include starting my equine-assisted learning facility that would combine the knowledge I’ve gained through pursuing my bachelor’s (and eventually master’s) in psychology. I believe that the healing power of horses, combined with proven effective therapy practices, can positively impact others’ mental health. In addition to this goal, I am working to reinstate the Equestrian Club on my university’s campus.

Unfortunately, student interest in the university’s horse program is little to none. I want to educate my peers and the local community about these beautiful animals and inspire lifelong participation in the equestrian sport. I plan to use my free time to use this club to teach people of color about horse-centered horsemanship and increase their representation in the sport. I am moving forward with pursuing my Equestrian Club goals.

I have gained a lot of interest surrounding the horses available to students at my university, and I am excited to offer classes to students and the local community. There is a parade that the university puts on annually that showcases students’ hard work and commitment to their respective organizations. It also showcases community members and small businesses and is a unifying force throughout the Hampton Roads community.

I dream of having members I’ve helped to teach leading or riding on horses in this community parade. Our presence in the parade as equestrians of color will hopefully inspire someone who may not have felt represented or included in what it means to be an equestrian. Hopefully, seeing me, an African American, first-generation college student, riding horses will show them that they can simultaneously accomplish their dreams, ride horses, and pursue their educational goals!

The financial and racial challenges of breaking into the horse world have been steep in my riding career. However, I have been allowed to take lessons with an instructor, and I’ve had many opportunities for growth in the sport I’ve had to turn down because of finances. However, I continue to overcome this challenge by working in exchange for lessons and instruction. I am proud to be a rider of color, and I always feel like I am changing the narrative of what a horsewoman looks like whenever I talk to new people about my riding passions. Showing people that the horse world is a diverse place filled with people united by our shared love for horses despite race, socioeconomic status, physical ability, mental ability, gender identity, and even body type.

I would use the scholarship funds to replace the 12-year-old tack that the equestrian club members would utilize. I will purchase a used all-purpose English saddle so that I can teach English lessons to my riders. Having an English saddle at our disposal will also allow me to properly educate people about the features of the saddle and its proper use in a hands-on manner. Thus, I can introduce the community to English disciplines in horsemanship and Western ones using the appropriate riding equipment. In addition, I will purchase helmets for riders to use so they do not have to buy them out of their pocket; this ensures that no one has to choose between cost and safety.

24JunJune 24, 2023

By admin

OYES Feature: Reanna Barin

Reanna is the recipient of the Spring 2023 Reserve Champion Award.

As my mom says, I got bit by the horse fairy at birth, and I have been involved in horse riding since I was four years old. My passion for horses started when I joined a lesson program for toddlers in Denver, Colorado, where the barn was located next to a women’s prison. I spent most of my childhood riding and learning the ins and outs of horse care. A few years later, my family and I moved to Carmel, California, where I joined a women-owned private ranch to further my riding skills.

My riding goals have always been ambitious, and I am currently training to reach the Grand Prix level in Dressage. I am also training my two-year-old Friesian Sport Horse, which has been an exciting and challenging experience. However, my passion for horses goes beyond just riding. I aspire to establish an equine therapy center that will cater to the needs of disabled riders, individuals with financial hardship, and those struggling with mental wellbeing and trauma.

In 2022, I launched my own magazine called KISMET, a sustainable digital and animated magazine featuring female sustainable fashion designers, artists, photographers, writers, musicians, athletes, business owners, and much more. As the editor, photographer, fashion stylist, and video editor, I have poured my heart and soul into the magazine. We are currently releasing our third issue in April and have hired Holly Lovejoy, a para dressage Olympic hopeful as our Executive Creative Coordinator and Sales Account Manager. (Holly is the Fall 2021 OYES Travel Fund Awardee.)

To further my reach and help the equestrian and para-equestrian community, I am in the process of creating a KISMET App that will include meditations called Mind, Body, and Soul. The meditations will be created by equestrians/para-equestrians who are struggling with different mental health topics and will be customized by a licensed meditation therapist. The app will also include KISMET Magazine, KISMETTV, KISMETFashion, KISMETItalia, KISMETKids, and much more.

As an entrepreneur and a rider, I have experienced financial difficulties, and it has been up to me to financially own a horse. Thus, I have saved every cent since birth. With the scholarship funds, I will allocate 30% towards building the app, 10% towards administrative costs such as website fees, 10% towards horsemanship training for my two-year-old horse in dressage, 30% towards travel expenses to go to a clinic in Fresno to photograph para-Olympic hopefuls in dressage, and 20% towards unexpected business expenses.

My equestrian goals are not just from a personal level but an entrepreneurial perspective as well. My ultimate goal is to establish a center of excellence barn that caters to para and non- para equestrian needs, involving therapy horses. With hard work, dedication, and a passion for horses, I believe that anything is possible.

09DecDecember 9, 2022

By admin

OYES Feature: Mia Rodier-Dawallo

Mia is the Fall 2022 Dressage Dreamer Award recipient (sponsored by Optimum Equine, LLC).

One of my first memories of my entire life was on the back of a horse. I was two years old, and I still remember it like it was yesterday. This is a memory that changed my life forever, and no matter how many decades go by, I will never forget it. Her name was Honey Buns, and she was one of a kind. She was a beautiful, loyal, and special mare who above all else was kind.

On a warm summer evening in North Carolina, and sort of on a whim, my auntie Nancy, who has recently passed on, threw me up onto Honey Buns and told me to hold on tight to her beautiful mane. And I felt a feeling I had never felt before in my young life. I was changed. It was transcendent. It was like an out-of-body experience. And in that moment I knew, that is what I needed to feel every single day. And naturally, when it was time to dismount, I didn’t want to stop. I never wanted to stop. Over the last few decades since then, I have worked every single day to make my dreams come true, and for the first time in my life, I have horses of my own, and I feel like I can finally breathe; like I am finally whole.

My ancestors, for millennia, have been horsemen and horsewomen. Their blood runs through my veins. From my ancient, tribal, Bedouin ancestors who escaped persecution and fled from genocide on the backs of horses; to my father, who trained horses for work and ran a taxi company in Iran using horse drawn carriages. Just as generational trauma leaves memories via scars on your soul, I also think that you can have generational muscle memory that draws you to the same passions of and lives of your ancestors. So, in a way, I feel like horses are a part of my DNA that predates my existence and the common era as we know it. Like a fingerprint left on your heart.

My current goals are the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, The World Dressage Champions in 2026, and the LA 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. I am a top contender for all of these. If I am to be successful in this goal, I would be the first ever Person of Color to represent US Dressage or Para Dressage in any Olympics, Paralympics, or World Championship.

I am not only on track but also ahead of the timeline necessary to be able to qualify for not only Paris 2024 but also WC 2026 and LA 2028. The steps I have taken toward my goal are as follows: I currently have 3 horses, Pudding, Meo, and Leo that are ages 8, 5, and 4. I have strategically bought these horses at these ages to have my bases covered not only for Paris but also for LA and the World Championships. Not only will I have 2-3 horses in contention at one time, they give me security against lameness, age, etc. so I need not lose a second of time training and qualifying for each of my goals. I am also exceeding every qualifying score necessary at each and every CPEDI (international Para Dressage competition) and breaking records at both The World Championship Selection Trials in Tryon in June but also The Festival of Champions National Championship (at which I won overall champion) in Chicago IL in August. I am also currently a finalist for one of the most prestigious international awards for riders of all disciplines: The FEI Against All Odds Award which is awarded to “an inspiring individual who has pursued their equestrian ambitions and overcome challenges and obstacles along the way.” In this last year, I have gone from 29th to 13th in the FEI World Individual Ranking for ALL riders from ALL countries in the world that are in my grade. And for Team USA, I am ranked second in the World Individual Ranking for grade 2. I am now considered to be an athlete of distinction by the Selection Committee and The US Team. I will be competing all over the world to make my dreams a reality, and I am closer than ever to making that happen.

In 2013, my life changed forever when I survived a brutal assault that left me with a TBI, PTSD, and several other debilitating conditions. I had to relearn how to speak, read, and write. It was like my hard-drive being wiped clean and having to start my entire life over from nothing. One year later, I was hit head on by a drunk driver which left me with a fractured T12 and subsequent TBI. After that, I am now and forever will be a wheelchair user for the rest of my life.

I am very open about my mental and physical health. People think that “surviving assault” is just staying alive through being attacked, but the reality of the situation is that the real fighting for your life comes after. Fighting for your life after trauma comes in the form of living life through victim blaming, through coming to terms with your newly different and permanently disabled body, through learning to love yourself unconditionally, being patient with your brain while you struggle with brain fog, confusion, and fatigue, and being patient with your heart while you learn to manage the symptoms of your PTSD. This gave me a whole new perspective on life and gratitude. There were a few days where I wasn’t sure that I would live to see another day. But with a lot of work, I am thankful for every moment that I am alive. I am thankful not only that I have a future but that it has been made so bright by the people in my life. I have survived everything life has thrown at me to make it to exactly where I am meant to be, today.

Outside of my Dressage career, I have been an avid advocate for the intersectional rights of marginalized people, women, People of Color, the disability community, and low income communities, amongst other causes. These causes are especially personal to me because I check every box. As a disabled woman and wheelchair user who is the child of an immigrant family, from a first generation American, Muslim and Baháʼí family, growing up in a post 9/11 world, life has been a slippery slope. Most recently, I made a feminist statement at the World Championship Selection trials by in the middle of my freestyle, dropping my reins, doing a free walk, and playing part if a speech on feminism by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. (Kismet Magazine recently did an article about this.)

It is easy to feel invisible when you don’t fit the mold and it is even easier to feel erased when your sport, your struggle, and your generational trauma is invisible too. But my baba always used to tell me when I was a kid, through actions and the wise words of Rumi ” ت و با بال به دنیا آمدی. شما هرگز در زندگی

نخواهید خزید .” “You were born with wings. You will never crawl through life.”

Dressage has always been my safe space. But as I got older and got more serious about my own dressage career I started to feel different and realized that I didn’t have any idols who looked like me. It might not seem like much to feel ”other” in the sport that’s your whole world, but it carries a heavy and silent weight only those who’ve experienced it will truly understand. I channeled the feelings of isolation and detachment into fuel for my dream to fill that space and be the person that young me would’ve done anything to see on that podium. I’ve chased this dream for decades and it’s finally coming true. My win is a win for all the unapologetically Brown and beautiful people who grew up feeling different. It’s our differences that make us beautiful and together we’re unstoppable. To anyone who feels other, under-represented, this is for you. You deserve to take up space and wear your team’s colors. You deserve to be seen and heard. You deserve to be celebrated. You deserve to be extraordinary.

01FebAugust 16, 2022

By admin

Don’t Quit. Be Strong. Keep Going.

I was having a conversation about running, as I’d recently hit a tiny distance goal (2 miles, ugh) after rehabbing an Achilles injury for the better part of 2 years. “What do you think to yourself when your body hurts and you want to stop?” A valid question. I’d been a half decent distance runner in the past, so the answer came easily. I have a mantra. In time with my labored footfalls and ragged breath, I tell myself: “Don’t quit. Be strong. Keep going.” Over and over and over. “Don’t quit. Be strong. Keep going.” For miles and miles and miles. I also had to laugh and say, “I also have a nerdy neuroscience viewpoint on ‘keep going’.” Something I learned in a neuroanatomy course way back when and never forgot.

Humans (and all mammals) have two main distinctions in their brains. One we can simply call the “primitive” or reptilian brain. It includes the structures that operate automatically or on instinct. These deep, buried structures in the mammalian brains are responsible for reflexive things like breathing, regulating hormones, detecting threats in the environment, and for the purpose of this story—movement patterns. The other main part is the evolutionarily newest part of a mammal’s brain—the neocortex. The cortex gives rise to consciousness, decision-making, and also goal-directed movement.

Our actions then can arise from two different pathways. Top-down, where our conscious thoughts influence the automated structures. And bottom-up, where reflex and instinct influence our conscious thought. Where am I going with this…? Here’s the cool part: in animals where movement patterns like walking or running have to be maintained, it’s a primitive structure, called the basal ganglia, that operates in a feedback loop to keep you walking or keep you running without you having to think about performing every single step.

So the moral of the story is that you DECIDE to start. And you also DECIDE to stop. To keep going is automatic. To keep going is the default. Your brain will automatically tell your legs to go and go and go until the you part of you, your conscious, decision-making part of you, says ‘ok stop’. To keep going is bottom-up. To stop is top-down. You have to WANT to quit.

Powerful stuff, right?

It’s no secret that the last several months have been especially difficult for me, with crisis on top of crisis, grief layered upon grief, nothing but uncertainty when it was time to make critical decisions. I didn’t feel like myself at times. Usually so sure of myself, I felt paralyzed. Once so motivated and energetic, I felt withdrawn and unable to function. I somehow pushed through the initial waves of grief and anger and confusion until they slowly started to subside. And now, I remind myself once again that to keep going is the default. Not just with running, but with living. With horse life and all the challenges that come with it… Maybe the nuances of finding a way forward through pain and grief and uncertainty and that finding a way to love and care for a fragile animal is not controlled by a simple structure like the basal ganglia, but if you’re a horse person like me, there MUST be something in our brain that tells us to just. keep. going. To not give up. To know that challenges will come, but they will pass. Somehow, even in unimaginable crises, life goes forward. The sun still rises. There are still horses to care for. I would have to choose to stop.

And will I?

No, I don’t think so. From the bottom of my heart to the top of my brain, I am a horse person. It’s in my DNA, it permeates every action, every thought. The default in my body for some reason is to just. keep. going. I go back and look at the smiles when I’m near them, the look of determination when I’m riding, how I don’t care about frozen fingers while I admire their beauty on a snowy day and I know that I could never not do this. I look at my happy, muddy Beau out in the field and at the tiny, sensitive mare next to him and I know what I have to do. Be strong. Don’t quit. Keep going.

Just a Ride in the Outdoor: White Breeches Edition

05AugAugust 16, 2022

By admin

Just a Ride in the Outdoor: White Breeches Edition

It happened the way many horse show entries do: on a whim. I was three states away immersed in my Masterson Method Advanced class and didn’t think much about our home show except for the fact that I would be missing it. Then came that midweek text inquiring about my missing entry… my subconscious took hold of my phone and said sure, I could be there if they needed entries and that was that.

Instead of a leisurely drive home from a friend’s house in Cincinnati on Saturday morning, I white knuckled my way home from Indianapolis that Friday night, fueled by a healthy dinner of iced coffee and pistachios and chatting on the phone to stay awake. When I finally collapsed into bed at midnight-thirty, I could barely sleep for the horse show excitement buzzing in my brain.

In true horse girl fashion, my anxiety woke up an hour before the alarm said to. It wasn’t about the ride though: it was about the white breeches. In the three years that they had been hanging in the closet untouched, a lot had happened. I’d spent over two years not riding and slowly losing fitness. I stress ate my way through a global pandemic. The gyms closed, the marathons were cancelled, I sustained an Achilles injury to my good leg, and my physical health (and mental health) took a hit. F*ck it, I told my brain. If the white breeches don’t fit, I’ll wear the pink ones. It’s only a schooling show, after all. When the moment of truth came, the breeches zipped and my heart did a little somersault. For something that seems so silly, it was a huge moment. The last time I zippered those white breeches, I rode Beau down centerline for what would be the last time, though I didn’t know it then. The last time I wore the white breeches, I had no idea of the changes and challenges that would have to be endured to get to a place where I would wear them again. Between these two shows were three years marked with tears, with triumphs, with outlandish dreams and huge risks all in pursuit of a chance to do this once again.

While I grumbled at the heat and humidity as I pulled on my black coat, I secretly knew I wanted to wear it again–the Bronze Medal pin proudly pinned to its lapels as a nod to the horse who carried me so far. I swung myself into his saddle, took up his reins into my hands, and felt so much gratitude for my dear Charlie Brown though it was his tiny successor now sporting his hand me downs.

Even though the last chapters of his career were not written the way I would’ve penned them, I felt ever grateful to be on this path once again–living the tumultuous journey of developing a dressage horse. Nothing with horses is a given, a sure thing, or the least bit linear. But for the Type A dressage riders, that’s a hard concept to come to grips with. So after a soft and steady warm up with Lucy on her best behavior, we headed to the outdoor just to “ride around except in show clothes.” And that’s exactly what we did. Not quite educated enough to execute an accurate test yet, Lucy and I contested a Materiale class alongside another super youngster at Uphill. Both four-year-olds were calm and composed and everybody even picked up the left lead! It was exactly as boring as you want it to be with young horses, but I left the ring completely elated.

Sure, it was just another ride in the outdoor (though to be fair, we only have about 6 of those under our belts) but this one represented a lot more. Because this ride involved white breeches, and white breeches mean you have a sound horse to ride. It means you have a sane partner who won’t lose their marbles if you ride in front of a dozen people. For me, white breeches mean not only do I have a sound, sane horse, but that I’m back on the wild and curvy road that I’ve been trying to get back to for three long years.

It’s been three years since I last rode into a show ring, two years since I met my latest adventure, and just one year since I first swung a leg over her back. This story is for everyone who thinks their dreams have been derailed forever, are unattainable, or just plain silly. If it sets your soul on fire, if it lights a spark and a passion inside your soul, it is not silly, it is not unattainable, and no matter how long it takes, those dreams are worth chasing.

Here’s to more white breeches and more dressage dreams coming true!

All photos courtesy Kate Rebecca Photography

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03MayJune 15, 2022

By admin

OYES Feature: Micah Green

Micah is an equestrian from Florida who has been riding horses his entire life. As a child, his parents allowed him to take birthday pony rides and for one birthday they even rented two ponies for rides in their backyard. Eventually this evolved into regular riding lessons, first Western then English because Micah wanted to learn how to jump. His show career began in 2015 in a crossrails division where he was pinned grand champion.

“It gave me a tremendous boost. I knew I was capable of excelling in that field.”

Micah is considering a move to Texas to continue his education in the equine field after graduating from University of Florida in 2022. He is currently working on a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science with an Equine focus. He knows that whatever the future holds, he wants to make a career in the equine industry.

“As an African American male, this sport isn’t something that’s necessarily in my field. My friends didn’t exactly bully me, but they would tease me for riding “My Little Ponies” and would call me ‘the horse boy.’ This sport is something that is seen as feminine and people would always say to me, ‘you should be playing basketball,’ or ‘you should be playing football.’”

Micah persevered in following his passion and is currently able to continue riding as part of his college equestrian team. He dreams of making a move up to jumping and competing at a higher level at the top horse shows and making an unforgettable appearance in the rings at HITS or WEC.

“I won’t win every horse show, I know that. But being an African American male in a predominantly female and predominantly white sport, I am leaving an impact in every arena I ride in.”

18MarJune 15, 2022

By admin

OYES Feature: Abbey Lynn

My name is Abbey! I am 21 years old, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I am a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, and I am an activist for black lives, the lgbt+ community, human rights and equality. In the rodeo world, it is TOUGH for BIPOC/LGBT+ people to get into. I am hoping to make positive changes in the barrel racing/rodeo world and make people feel more welcome. I would love to use my platform to speak up for others and be someone others can look up to in the barrel racing world.

I own a 10-year-old 14.1hh paint mare named Cookie! I got my horse for free; halter broke in 2015 since that’s all I could afford. We competitively barrel race locally as of right now; hoping to race bigger and more in the future. I got involved in riding through 4H (Allegheny County). My best friend I met in a store at the mall and we started talking about horses. I was 9 at the time and she was 17 or 18. She introduced me to 4H and lessons. I grew up leasing her horse and showing him in 4H. My current riding goals are to make it into the rodeo circuit through WPRA and long-term goal would for sure be the NFR.

I would LOVE to make it to the NFR. I am so far getting a good bit of barrel race time; I am having friends haul me to them to get my horse finished as she’s still in the training process. We are currently hitting 3D/4D times, but I know we can make it to the top if given the right resources and if I continue working my butt off. I am currently working every day, 7 days a week, day and night to make this possible. I am actually applying to a second and maybe third job as I’m typing this to hopefully help fund my dreams.

I have definitely faced a good bit of challenges, and still am… financially, I grew up poor. I am still poor honestly. I use every penny I can on my horse and training. Barrel racing is the only thing that keeps me going. Another struggle I have been dealing with is homophobia from my family. My dad told me these past couple months he was ‘tired of gay people’ and that I’m ‘not allowed to be openly gay’ in our household. I struggle with my mental health because of this, and I have since been getting help with everything thanks to a wonderful therapist.

I will say it also causes a lot of anxiety showing up to races with my BLM/LGBT tack set, but I do it to make others comfortable and to show we are in the barrel racing world and proud of it. I would love to be an LGBT+ barrel racer at the top and become an inspiration to others. It also is an amazing feeling having others say you inspire them to be out and loud, fight for what they believe in, and them quietly coming up to you at races and just thanking you. It makes me so unbelievably happy.

23FebJune 15, 2022

By admin

OYES Feature: Ranée James

Take a seat, grab a cup of tea, and let me tell you the incredible story of my life. My name is Ranée Tamia James, I am 22 as of and I am based in London in the U.K.

My riding story begins in 2008. I was in Antigua for my grandparents’ wedding vow renewal. The hot Caribbean sun was shining, the air was magical. I was 9 and decided to join my cousins at a summer camp. About a week into the camp, a local man brought his horse for the campers to have a ride on. I had a 2 minute lead round in a circle, then after a lot of begging and pleading, I got another ride. I was addicted to horses already, announcing their presence every time I would drive past them, but for me, this moment, the first time I ever sat on a horse, was the moment that made me who I am today.

It wasn’t until I was 14 that I rode again. I had asked my dad for lessons numerous times in between, however, with lessons as expensive as they are in the U.K., and being the oldest of 4, this was not affordable for us at the time. When I was 14, my uncle booked myself and my sisters a riding lesson, my first ever lesson, on July 13th 2013. This one-hour lesson re-sparked my fire, and drove me to further pursue riding. After many months of nagging, and begging, my parents finally allowed me to volunteer at a stable about an hour away from my house.

For around 2 years, I spent all my free time volunteering at the stables, weekends, school holidays, and occasionally after school. My duties there would be to groom, muck out, tack up and lead riders on the horses and ponies through the woods. It was a busy yard, so I wouldn’t get to ride as often as I wanted to, and prior to volunteering here I had only had one lesson before. Despite this, opportunities that I got to ride were very valuable to me. Lessons were not offered at this stable, so I would ride a horse or pony in the woods accompanied by another volunteer. I learned the basics of riding through a combination of watching others ride, and copying what I had seen in YouTube videos. It may have not been the best start riding, as I did pick up a few bad habits, and well, old habits die hard, but learning this way really pushed me to want to learn more and want to be great. Over the years, I worked at many different stables, in exchange for my lessons, I found this to be the most affordable way for me to develop.

At 16, I had my first lease horse. The name I gave her at the time was Majesty, but this was later changed. Things were complicated with her from the offset. She was meant to have arrived in June, however, there were so many complications, which meant she didn’t arrive until September. The day I got the phone call she was arriving, was unfortunately, the day my grandad passed away. She was a 13-year-old thoroughbred horse that was bred to race but never raced, she had a rough life prior to coming, and wasn’t trained at all. Even with everything I was facing at the time, I still made my best efforts to care for her. I had asked for her to be stabled at the bottom of the road from my sixth form so I could see to her. I was in sixth form five days a week, from early in the morning, and had to be dressed in business attire as part of the sixth form dress code. This meant that every day I was going to the stables in the mornings and afternoon in a skirt or dress or some kind of business attire. I tried my best to care for her, but I was looked down upon by other people at the stable. There was an incident, where a woman who disliked me and was very clearly racist, told the owner that I was constantly coming to the stables “inappropriately dressed” and that I had attempted to ride Majesty, which we had agreed not to, as she was not ready. This was a lie. I had taken her tack out to get her used to it, in order to train her to ride. But it was this woman’s word against mine, and the owner decided to not loan her to me anymore. This was heartbreaking for me, as I loved this horse very much. I would still visit her at times, however, when I returned from Antigua from my granddad’s funeral, I went to visit her, only to find out that she had moved her while I was away. I haven’t seen her since. I had other loan horses since, but she was my first, and special to me.

Between the ages of 16 and 18, I spent my time hustling for riding time, with my ambitions of one day riding in the Olympics always in my mind. At 18 I took a scholarship opportunity and moved to my country of origin, Antigua. Here I began to have weekly lessons. It seemed I overestimated my riding abilities at first, thinking I was much better than I was, and all my bad habits came to light. However, with a lot of patience, and hard work, from myself and my coach, my riding developed leaps and bounds, and I am now a more confident and developed rider. Being in Antigua opened up the opportunity for me to compete well as getting to ride a variety of horses. Not only did I get the opportunity to ride, but also the opportunity to work with rescue horses and nurture and help to train them. Since I was little, it has always been my dream to compete Internationally representing Antigua, and my time in Antigua has allowed me to build the foundations to do so.

During my time I have faced a lot of racism. On many occasions I was called derogatory terms, had tack stolen or tampered with and put on dangerous horses for other people’s amusement. One of the worst things I have ever had said to was to be called “Crook,” a reference to the book ‘Of Mice and Men’. Over the years I have suffered with depression and anxiety and have managed to overcome these, using horses as a therapy. Many times I nearly thought I couldn’t make it, and the love and energy I got from horses saved me.

Since leaving Antigua I have been working with The Urban Equestrian Academy, with them I have been working with them to teach theory sessions to the kids and hopefully open up an Urban Equestrian Academy in London.

The next step for me is to now pursue my Olympic goal in full force. I have set my sights set on the 2024 Olympics in Paris, and without a doubt, I will be there, by force or fire!