Lifetime Friend

BTER Trainer's Challenge 2020

This was Abby's 5th year to compete in the Blaze's Tribute Equine Rescue Trainer's Challenge and what an incredible year!  Abby met all of her goals this year, which was super exciting!  She won fan favorite, which was a super big deal to her!  Her horse broke the record sell at $10,300!  Pretty amazing!  She is also the only 3-time champion, with a near-perfect score of 2687! She had a pretty amazing run with Washington...

Watch their freestyle here:

Adult Champion/Youth Champion

Pick up day

2 weeks before Challenge

About halfway through the challenge, Elly and Selah really wanted to get in on the action.  I did not get "pick up day" pictures of them with their horses, but they each picked up a horse to showcase at the Challenge.  They had roughly 60 days to get some training in and see what they could do.  They both did an excellent job!  They were not competing, but it gave them kind of a feel for it without the added pressure.

Elly and Lipps:

2 weeks before Challenge

Day of the Challenge:

Watch their freestyle here:

Selah and Shakira:

2 weeks before Challenge

Day of the Challenge:

Watch their freestyle here:

Several people have asked me why Sherrod didn't compete this year.  Well, her original plan was to take the year off and have a break.  Ha!  Some break THAT turned out to be!  That girl is on FIRE!

I'm pretty sure she never sits still. 😂  She has her dog training business up and running pretty well and between instructing therapeutic riding classes, managing a large herd, interning in both horse training AND dog training, cleaning a church (her regularly paying gig😜), and giving lessons, she's one busy lady.

But when Elly and Selah asked to bring on horses to further their own skills and help Blaze's get more horses adopted, she didn't even hesitate and quickly committed to helping them.

We were clear from the beginning that if they were going to take this on, it had to be their own work and they wouldn't have had it any other way.  But, they are young and this was their first experience with a horse that hadn't previously been broke.  It can get pretty dangerous, especially for a beginner, so the rule was, no working horses without an adult present.  We all know that ended up being Sherrod 99.999% of the time!  She spent many early mornings, looooong afternoons, and late nights coaching, prompting, giving tips.  There were lots of tears.  Elly's horse was super difficult to start, but once he started picking things up, he caught on pretty quickly.  Selah's horse had been ridden before but was scared of her own shadow and prone to losing her mind.  Sherrod helped both of them overcome many hurdles and they learned a lot in the process.  The experience was a good one for them and they both feel ready to take on the next challenge.  Sherrod jokes that her break year turned out to be triple the work!  But she loved it, too! And she made everything run smoothly on the day of the Challenge.  She called herself their manager and she definitely was!

Everyone got in on helping at some point, though I don't have pictures of everything.  We are so grateful for the friendship and support of so many!  💜💜💜

Wheelchair Memories

I began cleaning out my closet recently...packing away some of William's things.  I finally threw away the old medicine that expired over 4 years ago and will never be used.  I packed up all of his hospital bracelets, gowns, and miscellaneous and put them in the attic.  I left a lot of his things out but there were certain things I just decided need to be used by someone.  I think he would want it that way.  His TheraTogs got donated.  His white cane.  We donated his processors, Roger, and KidWalk long ago.  This week I gave his wheelchair to my nephew.

Pushing it out of the corner in my room to the front door was such a mix of emotions.  Those handles felt so natural in my hands again.  Oh, how I long for that sweet little boy again.

My nephew will get good use from that chair.  He was so thankful for it and proud of it!  It was precious to see him take to it so quickly and just get himself around wherever he wanted.  What a level of independence it brings!!!  I know it did for William.

No Fear

I needed to hear his sweet, little voice again.  Oh, how I miss him.  Desperately.  Completely.

I am so grateful that he lived his life to the fullest.  No fear.  Touching others.  He changed so many people with his love and kindness and grace.

He changed me.

He sure was mighty...

Even more so now.  I can't wait to see him again!