People often assume my love of horses began in Kentucky, but the truth is—it started much earlier.
I became horse crazy the Christmas I received my first rocking horse at age three.
Not long after, my family moved from San Jose, California to North Carolina. For a brief time, we stayed with my aunt and uncle and my cousin on their dairy farm in Statesville, NC. My Cousin had something far more exciting than tractors or barns in my eyes: a pony named, "Cotton". At five years old, I rode double for the first time and something clicked. Horses stopped being something I admired and became something I felt connected to.
Years later, that fascination took shape in an unexpected way.
Before I ever sat in a cutback saddle, I attended one of the most iconic horse shows in the country—The Tar Heel Classic—in my hometown of Statesville, North Carolina. The atmosphere was electric: polished tack, perfectly turned-out horses, riders with impossible elegance under the lights. It felt theatrical and timeless all at once.
I was hooked.
Soon afterward, I began taking ring lessons in Charlotte at Porter’s Riding Club out on Nations Ford Road. That’s where I was introduced to the art of riding saddle seat.
(That's me on the grey pony)
There is something unmistakable about a Saddlebred.
Their presence fills an arena before they ever enter it. Their animation, expression, and willingness create a horse that feels equal parts athlete and artist. Saddlebreds don’t simply move—they perform. Every stride seems intentional, elevated, proud.
As a young rider, I found that irresistible.
The discipline demanded precision but also celebrated style and connection. It taught me to appreciate details—the subtle communication between horse and rider, the elegance of presentation, and the traditions that surround the sport.
That early experience opened the door to a lifetime around horses.
Eventually, my path led me to Kentucky, where I rode professionally and helped break yearlings for Saudi royalty at Juddmonte Farm. The work was entirely different from the show world—young Thoroughbreds, early mornings, patience, instinct—but the same foundation remained: respect for the horse and admiration for what these incredible animals can become.
Looking back, I realize American Saddlebreds were more than a discipline for me.
They were an introduction to horsemanship as both sport and art.
From a rocking horse under the Christmas tree… to a pony ride on a dairy farm… to lessons in Charlotte and professional riding in Kentucky—the thread has always been the same.
(Me at five on Cotton)
Horses have never simply been something I loved.
They’ve shaped the way I see beauty, discipline, craftsmanship, and movement—lessons that continue to influence my life and my approach to my art.
