After spending my first morning at Keeneland watching the race horses during their early morning work out, I took the scenic route to the Kentucky Horse Park so that I could see some of the beautiful farms on my way. I had read that sometimes the roads the farms are on can be busy because all of the people driving around and looking, but lucky for me I was early enough in the day that I didn’t really run into many other cars. Once I arrived at the Horse Park it was time to try to navigate the show grounds, which are huge!! I actually ended up driving around for quite a while before parking, and even after I parked the first time decided to go back to the car and drive around closer to the Rolex arena to park. One thing I learned today is that golf carts are not optional at the horse park, they are a way of life. I don’t think you will ever catch me complaining about showing in the far arena at Great South West again, and if you do, just remind me it could always be further.
I actually didn’t realize that the Bluegrass Festival Horse show as going on until I was loading the plane in Houston to head to Lexington. I quickly realized I was surrounded by horse people, everywhere..and then the little girls in their riding breeches began to appear and I realized that there must have been a big show going on. And was soon enough informed by a woman in line next to me which show it was. I absolutely love how small the entire horse world is, you are guaranteed to know the same people or have connections to almost any horse person you meet.
I am so incredibly excited to be embarking on this journey photographing horses, my love for the equine community is what has really called me back into working with horses again. They have always been a huge part of my life ever since that first day that my best friend in 6th grade took me to the barn where she rode. They led me to major in Animal Science at Texas A&M, and join the Horse Judging Team..and probably one of the biggest life changing events for me was having the privilege to be a working student for Fran Dearing at Windy Knoll Farm. This is when I first picked up a camera. Those days spent at Windy Knoll watching Fran ride, are when I sat down and really dug into my camera and learned how to use it. These summer days at the farm are also when I fell in love with photography.
Little did I know that those summer day would change my life. That soon after that I would be contacted to start working for a livestock photographer and really begin my career with photography. That one day I would walk into a restaurant and have someone recognize me as the wedding photographer they want to photograph their wedding one day when they get married…that one day I would be in charge of capturing some of the most important moments in someone’s lives. That I would be able to build my own photography studio and live out my dream that I didn’t even realize, until it was happening.
And now here I am, it has finally come full circle and I am back to where it all began and back to my true love.
HORSES.
