OVERALL HIGH POINT
As told by the winner,
Taressa May Rankin
GREAT AMERICAN TRAIL HORSE FESTIVAL
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Horses have always been a part of my life. By age six, I had my first stiches, due to a horse accident. A loose girth, and sharp corner, at a fast lope, on a gravel road, weren’t a good combination. I survived, and got back on, of course.
I continued to trail ride, and competed in "shodeos," which were the local speed event shows in the area. Shodeos were fairly small scale, and lots of fun. Through competing, I earned a few buckles, halters, and other goodies. When I turned 16, I went and got my drivers license, and that same day, I drove to Branson, Mo, and applied for a job at Uncle Ike’s Trail Ride. I got the job that day, and became a trail guide and ranch hand, which I did for two summers. I learned why God gave people eyebrows while working there. They are to help keep sweat from rolling into one’s eyes. I worked hard there. I met lots of people, and furthered my knowledge in horses too.
I got married when I was 17, and had my first son at 18, and just did light trail riding for a little while after that. I went to college at Missouri State University for four years, and earned a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science in 2013. While in college, I joined the MSU Ranch Horse Team for one semester. Although I didn't do well in competitions, I learned a lot. I also took a therapeutic riding class at MSU, which led me to Horses of Hope, a therapeutic riding center in Buffalo, Mo. I became a certified PATH Intl. Therapeutic Riding Instructor in 2012, and worked in that field for a couple of years. Then I had my second son, and decided to be a stay at home mom, and began home schooling our oldest son. My youngest son is a year old now, and most of my rides are trail riding with him in front of me, and with my oldest son on his pony.