What Makes a Champion?
By Deanie Humphrys-Dunne
I was born with
cerebral palsy, which made walking difficult. In fact, I was nearly
four-years-old when I took my first unsteady steps. A doctor said I’d never
walk, but Daddy wouldn’t accept that. Instead, he chose to teach me to ride
horses.
I grew up at my family’s riding school, called
Sweetbrier. It was the place where my dream could come true. What did I dream
about? Becoming an equestrian champion. Lots of kids can do that, right? In my
case, there was an obstacle to overcome.
Daddy and I worked
diligently toward our goal. After six years, I’d learned basic things— walking,
trotting, and cantering. I asked Daddy if I could learn to jump.
“What if you fall
off, honey?”
“Daddy, I’ll get up.
I always have.”
He said he’d
think about it, but my intuition said success wasn’t around the corner.
My fingers felt clammy, because I was
nervous. “Daddy, you can’t refuse. You’ve always said I can do anything. You
can’t change now. How can I become a champion without jumping?” I stared into his
big blue eyes, holding my breath.
“Alright, we’ll give
it a try.”
“Can I jump with
Cocoa? She’s small and we’re already friends.”
“Sure, honey.
Cocoa’s a good choice.”
The next day,
Cocoa and I were cantering around the riding ring. Would this the big day?
Would we take the first jump? Daddy walked into the ring and set up a cross
rail. My mouth felt dry. My hands felt cold and clammy. My legs trembled.
“Okay, honey, steer
Cocoa toward the jump.”
Clip, clop, Cocoa
trotted toward the little jump. Her front feet landed. I slid off and stared at
her.
“Are you okay,
sweetie?” Daddy brushed me off. “Next time, try to press down more on your
heels.” He hugged me and lifted me back into the saddle. I sniffed back the
tears.
“Let’s try again.
Steer her toward the jump. That’s it. Heels down.”
Again, when
Cocoa’s front legs landed, I fell off. Again, Daddy brushed the dirt off, kissed
me, and lifted me back on. I expected him to tell me to try again, but he
looked into my eyes. “Honey, I think we need to wait until your legs are
stronger before we try to jump again.”
“Daddy, isn’t that
giving up?”
“No, we’re taking
a break. I’ll let you know when you’re ready.”
Tears ran down my
cheeks. I patted Cocoa, wondering if she felt sad too.
Nearly two years
later, Daddy surprised me. “You’re ready to try jumping again.”
“Hooray!”
I steered a big,
cream-colored horse named Laddie toward the cross rail. He was calm, but my
heart thumped in my chest. My legs shook. I stared at the tiny jump. Laddie
tilted his blue eyes down, looking for it. I held my breath. When we reached
the other side, I was still in the saddle! “Daddy, I jumped!” Daddy kissed me and
said we did a good job.
Things didn’t
always go smoothly and it took another three years before I could jump well
enough to enter competitions. Every day, I imagined becoming a champion,
especially on the days when I fell off once or twice. Perseverance is the
key to success, I often whispered to myself.
Daddy traveled
across the country to find me a special horse, one who could compete in the big
shows. Her name was Fleet Nancy, but her nickname was Peach. She was beautiful,
black, and gifted at jumping. When we did well, she’d buck or crow hop to show
me she was pleased. She’d press her neck against my hand when I patted her.
When we entered our first competition, we won first prize! I was so nervous, I
wasn’t sure whether we did well, so I asked my sister. Over the following
years, Peach and I won many championships together.
Whatever your
goals, stay focused and work hard. We all have challenges. Learn from your
failures instead of dwelling on them. Never lose sight of your dreams. I
believe that’s how champions are created. ‘I can’t recall any winners who ever
quit, because they know it’s what happens after you fall that matters.’
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