Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Meet the Wyoming Horseback Riding Vacation Winner, Dixie Lee West

Dixie Lee West of Arkansas:
I was raised in southern California, got my first pony when I was four and rode in my first gymkhana when I was 7. When I was a kid I basically lived on my horse! I was a member of the California Gymkhana Association for 14 years before moving to Arkansas shortly before my 22nd birthday. Mostly what they had here then were rodeos so I ran barrels for a few years. I even learned to breakaway rope! I'm not the best at it but it sure is fun when I get to do it! A few years later I got involved with the National Barrel Horse Association and have been doing that ever since. We raise a few Quarter Horses, and I ride what I raise. I start and train them myself and occasionally ride horses for other people. The horse I compete on (my favorite) is a 10-year-old black Quarter Horse mare named Wicked Falina. She’s silly, temperamental, moody, pushy and spoiled! My husband says I’m the only one who likes her but that suits me fine because she and I get along great! 

My family consists of my husband, Chris, and my daughter, Sierra, who is 8. Chris is mainly a trail rider, but he enjoys most everything "horsey" and he’s also my biggest support in whatever new adventure I take on. Sierra also barrel races and is making quite a handy traveling partner! She has decided to train her own horse this year instead of moving on to a faster one that knows the pattern. We all reside in central Arkansas with 14 horses, 2 dogs, 6 cats, a bird and some chickens.