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.