Many of you know me, but if you don't, my name is Taylor. I'm 19 and the new Vice President of ETI 118. When I was just 8, I started showing at ETI with my POA, then I moved up and started showing my Mom's paint horse. We went on to win the Super Horse Award, which was my first saddle I had ever won; it was not easy! I had plenty of bad shows and hard lessons where I just wanted to quit, but I didn't. Imagine that? An 8 year old not quitting when it gets tough (I'm still surprised). Fast forward 11 years later, I have gone to shows I use to fantasize about, I've won buckles, trophies, plaques, trophies, money - things I never imagined I would ever win, I didn't even think I could do it. When 10 year old me was standing on stage at the banquet, while Dan announced me as Super Horse Champion; I never thought, that years later I would go on to win a World title. This is my message to you - Sometimes, you may think you don't have it or you'll never be good enough, sometimes the patterns are hard and you don't want to do it. Don't quit because it's hard, don't quit because you think you can't do it; DO IT!! It will only make you that much better and you don't, well then you'll never know what you're capable of. You have to push yourself, don't sit and think "well so and so is better than me" or ... "her horse is nicer than mine" - NO don't tell yourself that, tell yourself you're going to show off your horse the way you know you can. What's the worse that could happen? You miss your diagonal or you forgot your pivot? WHO CARES! We make mistakes, but we learn from them too and that is what makes you into the rider you are today. You have to believe in yourself that you can do it!! We all start somewhere.
