How old were you when you started riding?
I actually started riding dirt bikes when I was 5 and did kids competition until it became a little too expensive. So when I was about 8, I started playing “cowboy” with my sister’s old pinto pony, “GITANE”… I haven’t gotten off of a horse since!
When did you start riding reiners?
I was like 11 or so when I was introduced to reining by a non-pro friend of my parents.
What made you interested in reining?
I thought it was fun to see those horses run hard and do those sliding stops or the turn- arounds. It was just really cool as a kid for me to see that.
Who did you start training with?
I spent a couple of summers at a ranch about an hour away from my house. They taught me how to ride, and I learned most of the basics. My family wanted to see if I would really like it. (What is not to like!!)
The first real teachers I had were Eddy & Ginnette Franks from St-Hyacinthe in Quebec, in 1999. They taught me a lot about starting colts and the basics of reining.
After that I went back to Europe to try applying what I had learned in Quebec to a few different places. I got to meet Rudy Kronsteiner (x3 NRHA World Champion) in 2004, and began working for him. It has been a real step up for me to get the opportunity to work for Rudy; He has been a good mentor and someone I continue to look up to.
In January 2006, I came to N.C. to work for Brian Bell. I was there only a month, because since he already had 6 employees, I didn’t have a whole lot to do. He hooked me up with Bryant Pace where I worked until an opportunity came to learn from Matt Mills. In 2007, I wanted to come to the heart of the horse industry,”TEXAS.” I spent month learning from different greats such as Casey Hinton and Patrice St-Onge.
Then, I met Ruben Vandorp at a horse show where I had some of the best opportunities a young trainer could look for. I worked for Ruben for over a year, until I felt that I had the skills to begin on my own.
What were some of your favorite horses?
My Way Marla was a really nice mare. The first time I showed her I marked a 222.5 to win the Intermediate and Limited Open and R-pro at the SOUTHWEST futurity in Ardmore, OK. That was also my first Morrison and saddle!)
What are some of your favorite memories?
It was a great honor for me to get to show the amazing horse Einstein’s Revolution and to be part of the team reaching the 300k mark, along with Mike McEntire.
