98
|
Winningat TheRoyalhadbeenNoraGray’sgoal sincechildhood.Now,
she looks forward tocompeting inadulteventsand tosomedaybecoming
aprofessional.Fornowhowever,education is thepriority.Shewasoffered
scholarships from twodifferent TexasUniversities,SouthernMethodistUni-
versity (SMU) inDallasandTexasA&M. Bothoffer topprograms so she
spent this past spring in Florida riding in different events andpondering
whichschoolwouldbe thebest forher.Sheandhermother then flewdown
to Texas to tour both schools. One is a large university in a very small
town… theother a small university in themiddleof a very large city. She
ultimately choseSMUbecause it is the smaller school and shebelieves it
will offer hermorepersonal attention. During thenext four years shewill
becompeting in theNCAAon theSMU team.Oneof theNCAA stipula-
tions is that riders cannot beprofessionalswhile competingat their sanc-
tionedevents.
Thiswillbeagreatopportunity forNora tonotonlycompeteasaneques-
trianat theU.S.College level,but to learnata top institution likeSMU.She
planson takingabusinessprogram so shecancontinue towork inabusi-
nesssimilar to that inwhichshegrewup—ahorse farm. IaskedNora if she
ever thinks of higher goals like theOlympics and she saidof course she
does. She understands that a goal like that will not come easy and it
doesn’t come to everyone, but she is adetermined youngwomanwho,
oncesheputshermind tosomething,worksdiligently toachievehergoals.
Whenaskedwhohas influencedher themost, she repliedwithoutasecond
thought…“Mymother”. Jenniferhasbeenhercoachand trainer sinceshe
was a junior andNoradescribes her mumas beingboth aperfectionist
andacompassionate teacherandNoraalways trustsheradvice, “Ihope
toemulatemymotherand trainother young riders tobe theirbest.”
|E|
ESCARPMENT
®
FEATURE
|
nora gray equestrienne
Nora, a confident, little rider, with her pony Taffy (above). Nora today, relaxing in the sun at home, Rose Hill Farm (below).
Yavus Photo
photo| TomHakala
{
No hour of life is wasted
that is spent in the saddle.
~WinstonChurchill
