Cora is the Winter 2022 recipient of the Inaugural OYES Eventing Award, sponsored by Savanna’s Sweet Horse Treats.
I was very fortunate to start riding at a young age when I was a child in Pennsylvania. I absolutely loved the horses and the riding, but I HATED the racist and barn culture that permeated the sport. When I was in college, I was fortunate enough to stumble across the endurance community during the COVID lockdown when I was desperate for anything to do, and I was pleasantly surprised when they welcomed me with open arms despite my skin color. Unfortunately, my work schedule does not allow for endurance conditioning during the school year, but I was fortunate to find a trainer/ally nearby who coaches eventing. Additionally, because of my physical disabilities, I realized if I fell off a horse 10 miles from my check point, I would be stranded, given the fact that walking is not my best skill.
I am a person with big dreams, and I want to compete on a USEF level in eventing or showjumping. I currently am taking regular lessons and lease a horse, however there are financial limitations that prevent me from taking lessons as often as I would like.
As a para rider, I have personal beef with the para riding classification system and the fact that all para rides are relegated to dressage, which, no hate on dressage, is not my interest. Every disability is unique as a fingerprint, and I want to prove that a rider with disabilities can compete and be successful in any variety of disciplines (even if they are not classed para riders competing in para divisions).
I am also re-learning how to ride due to a complex spinal cord injury called Syringomyelia. In layman’s terms, I have a cyst growing inside my cervical spinal cord which impacts my motor function, muscle strength, coordination, and more. I have found some amazing adaptations (such as looped reins and magnetic stirrups), but ultimately, I just need more hours in the saddle to rebuild muscle memory.
While I make a respectable income in my job, I am still a teacher who has significant medical costs. If I were awarded this scholarship, I would be able to pay for 11 lessons with my trainer (Amy Silvera Olson) which is huge in regards to rebuilding muscle memory and strength in the areas that have been impacted by my spinal cord injury. That would be in addition to the lessons I am already taking, majorly increasing the frequency of my training.
My short-term goal is to compete in the 2022 summer show season, and while I may not be the winner at any of these events, I want to make an important point that just because an individual is in a wheelchair or has physical disabilities does not mean they are any less capable of participating in the sport.