EC Youth Profile – Megan Waldron

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248 – May/June 2019

By Susan Winslow

Megan Waldron of Parker, Colorado, is going into her final year of youth competition in 2019 with some impressive titles already under her belt. This well-rounded rider has already earned a NSBA World Show third place finish in Youth Hunter Under Saddle, Congress Championship in Novice Youth Western Riding, and a Congress Reserve Championship in Youth Hunt Seat Equitation. She has known the thrill of winning and the heartbreak of saying goodbye to a beloved horse that had been her best friend, confidante, and show partner. Through it all, she has maintained excellent grades at Chaparral High School, earning National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society accolades, academic letter awards, and a National Girls and Women in Sports Award. In addition to graduating in the top 1% of her class, she also excelled in varsity track and field. Megan has also represented AQHA youth as the RMQHA Youth Vice-President, Treasurer, Reporter, and Youth Excellence Seminar Delegate

She also has the effervescence of a typical, outgoing teenager, with a quick smile and a great sense of fun, as evidenced by the occasional dance party that breaks out in the barn aisle with her equestrian buddies. When she speaks of her horses, it’s clear that Megan’s love for the sport is rooted firmly in her love for her animals. Sadly, she lost her beloved horse, Talkin Some Zip, two years ago. “MayDay was my best friend. I told her everything and spent endless hours with her. When we lost her, saying goodbye was one of the hardest things I’d ever had to do,” she says. Rallying from the loss, Megan has developed a strong bond with both of her two new horses, Rumors Are Hot and Spook Shine Spook. “I’m really blessed to have more than one horse, and they each have a special place in my heart. For some reason, all my horses tend to be very quirky. Rumor is my all-around horse. He hangs his lower lip down a lot, so I like to call him Grandpa. Those who know me, know I can be quite a character, and ‘Shine,’ who is my Reining horse, is the most calm and tolerant horse I have ever known. He deals with all my shenanigans and the funny stuff I do like crazy dancing,” she says.

Megan’s passion for horses started early. She recalls, “My dad always says that my first word was ‘horse.’ For as long as I can remember, I have loved them. My aunt had horses, so when I was younger and our family would get together at her house, I would always spend my time with her horses in the barn, instead of the rest of the family. I begged for riding lessons. Finally, for my seventh birthday, my parents gave in to me. That’s when the obsession started.” Megan’s parents not only fulfilled their daughter’s wish, they continued to support and encourage her gift with horses. As her riding progressed, Megan began training with Bruce Vickery and Anthony Montes at Vickery Performance Horses. She’s open and honest about her gratitude to her parents for the support they have given her. “I really look up to my parents. They are a huge support system for me and have always done whatever they could do to help me achieve my goals, both in and out of the arena. Besides my parents, my coaches at Vickery Performance Horses, Bruce Vickery and Anthony Montes, and my coaches at Shane Brown Performance Horses, Shane Brown and Emily Emerson, have also had a positive influence on my show career. They are always positive, and they push me to be the best rider I can be all the time,” she says.

Click here to read the complete article
248 – May/June 2019