Riding along with her dream

Thanks to a scholarship that will cover all of Mandy Harris’s tuition, she can keep on riding.

Harris, an Encampment School senior who graduated last week, is moving on with her life, but she doesn’t plan on abandoning her joy of riding horses.

Harris said she will attend Laramie County Community College in September majoring in equestrian studies and will be the newest addition to the community college’s equestrian team. Harris was recently awarded a scholarship which will pay for all of her tuition in exchange for being on the equestrian team, Harris said.

Harris said her entire life has led up to this moment.

“I’ve been riding horses since I was probably 3 years old. I’ve been showing horses since I was 5, so everything that I have done has added to my experience over the years,” Harris said.

She also said being Miss Carbon County Fair and Rodeo Queen also added to her riding experience.

Getting the scholarship, however, was no easy task, she said.

“It is something that is granted to people,” Harris said. “It’s not necessarily something people apply for.”

For the past couple of years, Harris has been in contact with the coach of the LCCC equestrian team, who is also head of the LCCC equestrian program.

Harris’ networking finally paid off when she got a chance to display her riding skills in an evaluation.

“It was really at that time she and I had a private lesson,” Harris said. “We went over English riding, and she made the decision I could be part of the team.”

Harris has the rest of her life planned out after she completes three years at LCCC, she said.

“The goal for my entire life is to own my own equestrian center,” she said. “The reason I chose to go to LCCC is because of their equestrian team, but also LCCC is about the only college in Wyoming that has a professional program.”

After attending LCCC, Harris wants to attend Rocky Mountain College in Montana.

“They are the best equestrian college in the United States,” Harris said.

Rocky Mountain College already accepted Harris into the program, but Harris wants the opportunity to work up her riding experience and try to get more scholarship opportunities before attending.

Harris said graduating from high school will be different, but is glad because it gives her the opportunity to do what she loves.

“The thing that I am most excited about is my life is finally going to revolve around the thing I love the most, and that is perfect in my mind,” Harris said. “I just have a love for horses and in everything I have ever done, it has been the most important thing to me. I love sports and school and everything, but just being with the horses and competing and training … it’s a feeling that’s hard to explain.”