A message from our Incoming Sliders President

Pictures-taken from Dawnna's facebook page...is nothing sacred??

As your new new president I thought it was time to introduce myself..as I had been promising Bella I would do all last year! I started riding at three when my parents bought me my first pony..she was rotton of course. I continued to love horses despite her.I have ridden dressage, jumping, gymkhana, cutting and pleasure showing....I rode dressage for 5 yrs with Rex Rhodes..I showed open  and apploosa as a youth and after my son was born I competed hunter jumper for a couple of years...I just didn't have the lion heart for that!  lol I bred quarter horses for a few years until my health deterioated and I sold off most of my herd except for a couple of brood mares and two riding horses...(at the time babys!)...both of the horses I compete on now.  I fell in love with reining about ten years ago and it has been my focus ever since...I do still enjoy showing and compete most weekends..I love trail class and horsemanship.

 I have ridden with such great clinicians as Roy Yates, Les Voight, Richard Shrake and Deana Millard, taking from each what knowledge they have had to pass on to make me a better horse person. I have also recently started to compete in barrel racing and joined the BCBRA  this year, hoping to do well.

 I suffer from severe rhumatoid arthritis which has caused me to make certain adaptations in the way I ride and compete...I, at the present time have little use of my hands so must make sure my horses are as light as they can be..I have a weak left leg that is numb  on the back side..I must think and make the leg move as it doesn't do that when it's tired....We all have things that we must over come-each of us has a hill or two we must climb...

 I hope this lets you know more about me and my goals. I will try to be the best president that I can be and hope we can all achieve our goals this year 

Dawnna Monks 

100 Mile Sliders President 2010

Thanks for this Dawnna! I still encourage ALL our members to send me your "bio" so I can post it here as a way to help us learn about each other!! (Isabella MacQuarrie)