1. Where did you learn to ride?  How long have you been riding?  What was your first horse?
At my Aunt & Uncle’s Farm.  I started riding on my own (well always with my sister) when I was 5.  My first horse was a grey Welsh Pony named Smokey.

2. When and how did you become interested in barrel racing?  Did you have a teacher?  
      I competed in gymkhanas when I was young, and I always wanted to be a barrel racer.  We always had our own horses and rode most every day, but I guess our horses weren’t real superstar barrel horses (we thought they were).  I purchased my first broke barrel horse when I was 23, and Norma Muldoon helped me out a lot.  I then purchased my gelding Cody and sent him to Dave Manning’s to train him on barrels.  Dave Manning and Norma Muldoon have both been great teachers.

3.  How long have you been competing?
Besides the gymkhanas when I was young, I have been competing at barrel jackpots and the odd rodeo for 10 years.

4. Tell us about your horse... name, stable name, how old, big, breeding, colour, sex, where
your horse came from, training background, how long you've owned him etc...
 My futurity horse is Marthas Ebony Moon out of Fast Moon Chic.  She is a 2002 beautiful black Mare.  I call her Ebony.  She is 15.2HH, and has the biggest heart ever.  I purchased Ebony from Denis & Geraldine Sanregret as a long yearling. I started Ebony as a 2 year old (Had Lyle Pambrun put the first two rides on her), and did a lot of arena and trail riding, and then as a 4 year old Dave Manning took her for the whole summer to fix all my mistakes, and get her where she is today. (Dave also really liked her)   My husband Doug and I are blessed to have her.

5.  What other horses do you have on the go? Young prospects?
 Besides Ebony, I have my 15 year old gelding Cody that I still run.  I also have Ebony’s ½ sister out the same dam and then Honor Lady Bug is the sire.  Her name is (pending Honor’s Blue Bug)aka Sitka and she will be 2 in 2008.

6.  What other things occupy your time? School? Work? Hobbies? Family?
 The majority of my time is taken up with work.  I work full time as the Manager’s Assistant at a large oil & Gas Company.  Hobbies outside of barrel racing, include trail riding, camping, quading, and snowmobiling.  I am married, but no kids yet.

7.  What are your future plans & goals?
 Short term goals would be to compete with Ebony in her two Derby years, and then hopefully have a futurity horse the year after, and then have Sitka going the year after that.  I love Futurities and Derbies, so I hope to continue on with them and jackpots.  I am also working on getting another full sister/brother to Ebony next year.  My husband and I may have kids which would change things up a little, but we haven’t decided on that.  I don’t like to plan too far ahead.

 

8.  What do you consider the biggest challenges and benefits of barrel racing?
 My biggest challenge barrel racing is keeping my horses sound and in the best shape possible.  I guess balancing my time with work, family, daily tasks and still getting the riding in that needs to be done.  The benefits far outweigh any challenge.  I just love barrel racing.  I love going to the jackpots, and futurities.  I love the people, and seeing all of the other great horses out there.  I love seeing my horse improve and figuring out how to fix problems and move on.

9.  Do you have a favorite barrel racer that you admire? Tell us why.
I don’t really have one favorite barrel racer.  I mean I am sure we all look up in awe at women like Charmayne James, Martha Josey, and all of the greats, but I am more impressed with the ladies that are competing with us here.  Ladies like Dee Butterfield, Norma Muldoon, Monica Wilson, Twyla Bruhn, and the list goes on.  These are the ladies that are making a difference for us right here in our own province.  It is so awesome that these ladies are out there still winning and that they are positive, and always wiling to help, and offer advice.  These are the women that I admire the most

Any other comments you'd like to add.
I would just like to thank Doug & Carol at the Sandy Ridge Stallion Station for bringing great stallions into this province.  I would also like to thank them for their support of the barrel racing world.  You support both the Canadian Barrel Horse Incentive and the Sandy Ridge incentive.  The barrel racing world is what it is today because of the generosity and support from people like you.

I can’t wait to purchase my next Fast Moon Chic Filly (Has to be a filly)hehe!!!