Disabled riders strut their equestrian skills in Fort Worth

From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in Texas. In the picture, Brittany Breen, from All Star Equestrian in Mansfield, Texas, waves to the audience after winning her class in the western pleasure competition.

FORT WORTH — Dressed smartly in English riding clothes, her hair in a French braid, Courtney Miller appeared poised and composed Tuesday morning.

But her stomach was doing somersaults.

"I’m nervous," she admitted, flashing a toothy grin.

Miller, 18, and her horse, Delilah, were about to enter the show ring, where Miller would be judged on her English riding ability and how well she put Delilah through her paces.

Miller and Delilah were not just any horse and rider. And this was not just any show.

The pair were competing in the Chisholm Challenge for Special Riders, a three-day event for riders with physical and mental challenges. Since 2004, the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo has donated the John Justin Arena for the event so special-needs riders can showcase their abilities as equestrian athletes.

"This is the only sport I can do," explained Miller, who has congenital defects that include mirror movements (one limb moves involuntarily when the opposite limb moves voluntarily). "And I love horses."

Beaming, Miller’s father, David, said that despite his daughter’s disabilities, she has become an accomplished rider with Stable Strides Farm in Flower Mound, a nonprofit riding club that teaches riders with disabilities to become competitive horse people.

"She has many ribbons to prove it," he said. "It’s awesome. She has always wanted to do some kind of sport but isn’t able to play things like soccer. It gives her a chance to compete, and it makes me proud to watch her."

Perhaps nobody was prouder Tuesday than Cheril Becker, vice president and co-founder of the Chisholm Challenge. Becker, whose mother had special needs, works all year, for free, to put on the three-day competition.

"We get paid in full — we just don’t get money," she said. "This is a huge reward.  . . . The most important thing to me is that the Fort Worth Stock Show recognizes them as true equestrian riders. They earn their buckles and ribbons."

Jack Hare, a 12-year-old riding for Swan View Therapeutic Riding Center in Azle, had his own cheering section Tuesday, with supporters holding signs that read "Ride Em Jack!" and "Cowboy Jack."

Jack, who has Angelman syndrome, a neurogenetic disorder marked by lack of speech and by walking and balancing problems, rides with assistance from a "leader," who leads Jack’s horse through an obstacle course, and "side walkers," who help him stay in the saddle.

"He started walking two or three months after horseback riding," said his father, Robert. "It really helps. It loosens up the kids’ hips. He has a lot more stability and composure and self-confidence."

And while Jack was a veteran in the show ring, Reagan Whealy was competing for the first time.

She was among five riders representing ManeGait, a nonprofit therapeutic riding center in McKinney.

"I’m a little nervous, shaky," said Whealy, 35, who has attention-deficit disorder. "But I’m focused."

Whealy and her horse, Shades of Gray, took home a fourth-place ribbon Tuesday morning, a nice showing for a debut performance.

James Taylor, 24, and his horse, Susie2, took first place in the same event.

"I’m excited," said Taylor, who has Down syndrome and rides for Equest Therapeutic Horsemanship in Wylie. "I was doing my best."

And while the ribbons and accolades are nice, that clearly wasn’t the most important thing to Taylor, who also competed in the Special Olympics World Games in China.

When asked what he liked best about the sport, Taylor didn’t hesitate:

His cowboy boots, he said.

And getting kisses from Susie2.