Seven Questions With Equestrian Junior Victoria Lee
4/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Equestrian
April 13, 2011
Nicholas Olivier, TCU Media Relations Student Assistant
FORT WORTH, Texas - TCU junior Victoria Lee recently sat down with GoFrogs.com to discuss her role model and the differences between Fort Worth and her hometown of Memphis.
The No. 8 Horned Frogs will look to finish the season in style at the 2011 Varsity Equestrian National Championships beginning Thursday, April 14 at the Heart O' Texas Fair Complex in Waco, Texas.
What is your favorite thing about riding?
My favorite thing about riding is that, for me, it is an escape. You can be having such a bad day and go ride and all of a sudden everything seems better.
What brought you to the sport?
My mom grew up riding and showing horses and we had some trail horses when I was very small. My parents wanted me to get involved in something and I chose horseback riding lessons.
Who is your role model and why?
My role model is my big brother. Many people might think this is strange because he has Down Syndrome, but it is actually because of this that I look up to him. He sees life through rose-colored glasses and never holds a grudge for more than five minutes. He is always happy to see me and is always willing to give anyone a hug, even though he has been through so many hardships throughout his lifetime. He had over 25 surgeries in the first few years of his life and came frighteningly close to death on more than one occasion. My brother really is a hero and I try every day to be more like him.
How is Fort Worth different from home in Memphis?
This is actually an interesting question for me. The DFW Metroplex recently became home for me after my family relocated following a house fire at our home in Memphis. My dad got a job in downtown Dallas and we recently closed on our new house in Southlake near the DFW Airport. Memphis will always have a place in my heart, but I love having my family so much closer (35 minutes versus 8 hours) and being able to see them so much more often. We have grown so much closer and it is so special that they get to come to a lot of our competitions.
Fort Worth is different from home, mainly in the underlying culture and also in my experiences. Memphis has such deep roots in the civil rights movement and in its musical history with Elvis Presley and BB King, while Fort Worth has its history rooted in the cattle industry. I often call the Stockyards the "Beale Street of Fort Worth" when describing it but I really enjoy it a lot better than I ever did Beale. Also, my experiences here have been drastically different than mine were in Memphis. I grew up going to a very small all-girls school. I graduated with 66 in my class and I spent a majority of my time riding my horse and traveling to horse shows. Obviously, this has changed so much and I am so blessed to be a part of this school and this team.
What is the biggest achievement of your career so far?
The biggest achievement of my career so far is actually my end-of-the-year meeting with my coach, last year. The Hunt Seat team was recently the first team to ever come in ranked No. 12 and beat the No. 5 ranked team in the first round. We were truly the underdogs coming into the tournament and we were able to pull together and win two rounds, finishing in sixth place. I had shown at world championship level shows before and won many nationals awards, but winning that was a real high because I had to rely on my teammates for the win, not just myself. At the meeting, my coach told me that I was really the leader in Equitation over Fences, starting the team off with high scores and motivating my team to do the same. That statement of pride and confidence in me was better than any award I've ever won.
What is it like competing in Fort Worth?
I love competing in Fort Worth. We are so blessed to be on this team. It is so easy to reach out to other horse-related events and organizations, like the Stock Show and Rodeo and the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. It is so amazing to know that Fort Worth is so supportive of our team and our sport.
What are your career aspirations outside the ring?
My career aspirations are a little unclear at this point, but I love dealing with people and I hope that I can do something possibly with public relations or HR. I do hope to get to stay in the Metroplex, near my family.
Players Mentioned
