About Me
I have always had a passion for horses- I would dream about becoming a Veterinarian. My parents split when i was 7, and my Dad would always take me riding- at the riding stables he worked at. I had been to some junior rodeo's and gymkahana's- but i had my heart set on training ym own horse to Barrel Race in the "Big times." So i have been riding since i did some volunteer work at a Western Trail riding stables at age 11. My dad had a horse he got in Colorado named "Roscoe." He was a 2 year-old gelding, trim and sleek- he was a sorrel with a blaze face and 3 white stockings. Gorgeous, the horse i have always wanted!! i rode him for the first time on a beautiful open ranch in Colorado. i was about 13 or 14. He was sooo fast- my dad really trusted me with him- he knew Roscoe wouldnt hurt me! I had to go back home to California, and my dad was gonna make the trip out with Roscoe- but one night Roscoe wandered, away slowly and my dad came to find out that he was hit by a car and was killed. He walked up to see the rendering truck pulling him onto the truck by his legs. Oh!! it was sooo sad, my world and hopes dreams of becoming a great barrel racer were crushed.
Shortly after (around 15) i met Brenda, she was giving me riding lessons and knew what happened to Roscoe, and how i wanted my very own horse soo badly. She had a retired 5 year old Arabian gelding for sale for $2500. I rode him a few times and he was great- a little much for me- but I WANTED HIM. (i did not know at the time, how much better quarter horses were for barrel racing, but thats besides the point) he was MY VERY OWN HORSE and i could train him to do anything i wanted- and i did!!! i trained him to barrel race- and i won ribbons, hi-point awards, buckels, and money on him- but soon i felt he wasn't the horse that could get me there. i knew i needed a better horse- a more versatile horse- that wasn't easily frightened. I took him to High school rodeo- it was fun, but i knew i'd never win- i know, poor attitude...but look at a lot of the kids that rodeo- their parents do or a least fully support them- my dad is broke, and my mom doesnt really "support" me emotionally.
The summer before my senior year in high school- my dad brings home this horse we named "cherokee." he was a 3 year old, sorrel gelding with a blaze face and 4 white stockings. He was magnificint!! (i would have personally kept a little more weight on him- but my dad can barely afford hay). so i had the perfect plan in my head.
I had decided that for my Senior Project- i would Train my horse to Barrel Race. By the end of my senior year and the last rodeo of my high school days i ran cherokee twice- we inproved our time by 4 seconds from a 24 to a 20. i know it was really slow- but that was only a few months of training!!! so i kept on him- and in 2005 we won a breast collar from NBHA from 3rd in the 3D. That was about a year into training. I have continued to race him, but due to no job i cannot afford to go as much as i used to. I started Fresno State, Ca in Jan 2008 at 23- and was on the rodeo team for 3 semesters. Again due to competition i did not win any awards or money but i had a great time and i learned a lot!!
In August i will be moving to College Station, Tx and attending Texas A&M for a semester or 2. i plan on bringing Cherokee with me- but i have yet to find a boarding facility. I am very excited and i hope to meet great people there that can help me and Cherokee succeed in making my dream of Barrel Racing in the "big Time" a reality!!!
Shannon's Riding Style
| Primary Discipline |
 Western |
|
 Pleasure  Trail  Western Riding  Barrel Racing  Gymkhana |
| Secondary Discipline |
 Other » Rodeo's |
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