Motivation Monday: Meet Kanyon Walker

Kanyon Walker is preparing to ride in this week’s North American Youth Championships in eventing at Rebecca Farm — and he learned the ropes the old-fashioned way, with hard work, dedication and the support of a non-horsey but loving family.

Kanyon Walker, without the horses, would already be an above-average high school student: he’s a student athlete, balancing regular high school classes with college coursework and the football team. On top of that, he’s a youth competitor in eventing, finding the time in a busy schedule not only to train but to take care of his own horse. His athleticism on the playing field, while far different from the athleticism required of him in the three phases of eventing, serves Kanyon well: he’s a competitor, he’s more than willing to work hard, and he’s hungry.

Like many of us as youth riders, Kanyon comes from a non-horsey family, with both parents working hard to support Kanyon’s dreams and learning a lot as they go. As Kanyon’s mother Kayce states, it wouldn’t work if everyone didn’t work together.

Let this video inspire you to dream big and work hard this week: featuring interviews with Kanyon, mother Kayce, father Sheldon and coach Jennifer Holling, this video will remind you that any dream is truly within your grasp if you’re willing to work hard.

It’s easy to get caught up in the glamour of the upper levels of competition in any discipline, and it’s equally easy for those of us who weren’t born with the proverbial silver spoon to assume that we can never get there on our own dime. As Kanyon’s story illustrates, however, it’s truly possible to reach the top if you’re willing to work hard.

Best of luck to Kanyon Walker this week at Rebecca Farm! Follow our sister site Eventing Nation for more updates from Montana this week.

Go riding.