On this hot weekend in June, NTEC is hosting it’s first (of hopefully many) Para-Equestrian Young Rider Youth Camp and Talent Search! By partnering with USPEA, NTEC is able to hold this clinic for people 21 years and younger to get a feel for para-dressage and to start their journey towards the Paralympics. We started the day off meeting with Kai, the head Olympic and Paralympic trainer at NTEC and learn what his hopes our for this clinic and what we can expect to gain from it. We moved straight onto riding from there, starting with Alex Henry (15), a left ak amputee who is currently a grade 5 and competes in local shows on her horse. She has been riding since the age of 8 but got cancer in her left leg at the age of 12 and decided to have it amputated. Excited to be back in the saddle, Alex’s goal is to make it to the Paralympics! Alex got the pleasure of riding a top-notch horse here at NTEC and really showed her what a WEG horse can do. She learned how sensitive some of these horses can be and is ready to take it up a notch as the weekend goes along! Continuing on with our riders, Jessica Thoma (25), a triple amputee on both legs (bk) and her left arm (be) who is currently a grade 1. Since beginning to ride at the age of 6, Jessica has been in love with horses and was working her way to her first horse trials when she was diagnosed with a rare form of vasculitis that damaged her limbs to the point of amputation. But, nonetheless, it would not keep her out of the saddle for long and she is back stronger than ever! She has three horses at home and has started riding them and beginning to use aids where she needs them. Jessica did fantastic on her mount and learned about extra aids that para-riders use while in the saddle. She is very determined to bring down the house with her riding skills as the weekend progresses and looks forward to performing her tests on Sunday. Our next riders are the cutest little girls ever! Ellie Butts (7.5), born with AMC and Rina Carr (11), a right bk amputee who also has tethered spine syndrome. Both girls ride at a facility in their hometowns and are eager to learn more about para-dressage and work hard as they continue to grow into the sport. Both girls got to trot their horse and Ellie’s mom was ecstatic as that is the most that Ellie has done. We can’t wait to see where these girls go and how the change the para-equestrian world! Carson Browning (13) was born with left hemiparesis and is a grade 3 who competes in local shows and hopes to go for the Paralympic glory! Training with Kai for about a year and a half, Carson is showing drastic improvements and has really flourished. Riding a different horse than the one he has his usual lessons on, it was good for him to get out of his comfort zone and learn from another horse. Carson worked heavily on straightness and having soft and steady hands, something he continually works on every time he rides.
Last but not least, Alyssa Cleland (20) is a right ak amputee who is currently a grade 5 and competes in local shows and trains regularly at NTEC. Alyssa has been riding on and off since the age of 10 and started training with Kai for 7 months and has made leaps and bounds from where she was when she first started. With Tokyo in her sights, Alyssa had an excellent ride and was able to work through some obstacles that she and her regular horse were experiencing. Keeping her tests in mind, she is working on precision and making better use of her aids. Concluding the first day of the clinic, we were able to meet back up with Kai, and ask questions, express concerns, and get insight on what he saw while everyone was riding and what he plans to focus on with each individual. All in all, it was an incredible day with all the riders, staff and incredible volunteers ready for the rest of the weekend and what it has to offer!
