• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Us
  • Videos
    • Featured Video
    • Foodie Friday
    • Monthly ReCap
  • Online E-Editions
    • This Week’s E-Editions
    • 2023
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
  • Social Media
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
  • Advertising
  • Local Jobs
  • Puzzles & Games
  • Circulation Request

The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

  • Home
  • News
    • Land O’ Lakes
    • Lutz
    • Wesley Chapel/New Tampa
    • Zephyrhills/East Pasco
    • Business Digest
    • Senior Parks
    • Nature Notes
    • Featured Stories
    • Photos of the Week
    • Reasons To Smile
  • Sports
    • Land O’ Lakes
    • Lutz
    • Wesley Chapel/New Tampa
    • Zephyrhills and East Pasco
    • Check This Out
  • Education
  • Pets/Wildlife
  • Health
    • Health Events
    • Health News
  • What’s Happening
  • Sponsored Content
    • Closer Look
  • Homes
  • Obits
  • Public Notices
    • Browse Notices
    • Place Notices

Age just a number for young equestrian

August 2, 2012 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Jeff Odom

When she was just 14 months old, Reagan Moore fell in love with horses.

It was her mother, Allison, who decided to take Reagan and her brother, Dylan, to Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo, which is where the young equestrian’s passion was first sparked.

Reagan Moore, 5, proudly displays her winning horse after earning best in show at a recent competition.

While the giraffes, rhinos and monkeys were a neat sight, Reagan’s eyes widened when she saw the row of ponies. At the time she was four months younger than the age requirement to ride, but Allison obliged and Reagan’s journey into the barn began.

Reagan continued to go back to the zoo with her mother to ride the “Hee Hee’s” as she called them.

“Everything was always Hee Hee this and Hee Hee that,” Allison said. “The people (at the zoo) were always very nice and accommodating, because we were there a lot, and they knew us. She would just ride around the track in that circle.”

Reagan, who will be entering the first grade at Learning Gate Charter School in Lutz, said she took an interest in the animal because of its intelligence.

“They’re smart and lucky,” Reagan said. “(The best part is) when you’re going fast with the wind.”

Riding the ponies was fun, but she wished for more. She wanted to ride a horse.

Two weeks before she turned 3 years old, Reagan and her grandmother went to the Avalon Horse Academy in Lutz to inquire about the possibility of her riding, but Carly Duggan, an assistant trainer, told her she had to wait until her birthday.

“When her birthday came, we were right back at the farm, and she was ready to go,” Allison said. “She’s been in love with (Carly) since she met her and just developed this relationship and, they have just this great rapport.”

The equestrian began to shine on the track and moved into her first full season of Saddle Seat competition, a form of English riding, this year when she turned 5.

For the youngest rider in her under-8 division, the best part about participating in shows is winning, “because you get blue ribbons.”

She won so many ribbons that Allison had to add more wire where she hangs them at their home.

“I’m tremendously proud,” Allison said. “For her to find something that she was so passionate about at 3 years old is huge, and she lives and breathes (horses) and is quite obsessed with it. Every holiday she asks for a horse, but Santa Claus doesn’t bring live animals.”

Allison said she plans on taking Reagan to competition next year in North Carolina once she gains more experience. She added a professional riding career could happen one day, if her daughter continues to work at her passion.

“We love to watch her and she has been teaching us a lot of things about hard work and drive at her age,” Allison said. “She has a lot of potential, and I know horses are going to be in her future, no doubt. From (Saddle Seat) she’s talking about wanting to jump and trying out other English riding. I see her going A-Circuit, which is the professional version of horse riding probably in the next few years. I think she’s gonna move fast, and I know we’ve got a lot of horse shows in our future.”

–Follow Jeff Odom on Twitter: @JOdomLaker

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email
  • Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Search

Sponsored Content

Avalon Applauds African American Club of Pasco

March 7, 2023 By Kelli Carmack

One of Avalon Park Wesley Chapel’s main missions is being a champion for culture. “Celebrating culture is a vital … [Read More...] about Avalon Applauds African American Club of Pasco

CMK Construction: Expertise Guaranteed

March 3, 2023 By Trevor Lloyd

When creativity strikes, it’s only natural to want to get the job done ourselves, and quickly, too. However, some … [Read More...] about CMK Construction: Expertise Guaranteed

More Posts from this Category

What’s Happening

03/21/2023 – Chess Club

The Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, will host a Chess Club on March 21 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., for all ages and abilities, in Adult Multipurpose Room C. Participants can use the chess sets provided or bring their own. For information, call 813-929-1214. … [Read More...] about 03/21/2023 – Chess Club

03/21/2023 – Teen Advisory Board

The Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, will host the Teen Advisory Board on March 21 at 6 p.m., for teens who would like to discuss ideas and recommendations for programming at the library. Call 813-929-1214 for information. … [Read More...] about 03/21/2023 – Teen Advisory Board

03/22/2023 – Florida Landscaping

The New River Library, 34043 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, will host “Florida-Friendly Landscaping 101” on March 22 at 2 p.m. Participants can learn how to create a successful home landscape by following the nine Florida-Friendly program principles. Register online at PascoLibraries.org. … [Read More...] about 03/22/2023 – Florida Landscaping

03/22/2023 to 03/24/2023 – Betmar Chorus

The Betmar Chorus will perform its annual Spring Concert on March 22 at 2 p.m., and on March 23 and March 24 at 7 p.m., at Betmar Acres, 37145 Lakewood Drive, Clubhouse 2, in Zephyrhills. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. The choir will perform a variety of show tunes, hymns, spirituals and classics. Tickets will be available at the door for $5. For information, all 810-837-0520. … [Read More...] about 03/22/2023 to 03/24/2023 – Betmar Chorus

03/23/2023 – Free Food Distribution

The Pasco Sheriff’s Office, Farm Share, Veteran’s Memorial Park, the Gentlemen’s Course, Samaritan Corporation of Pasco County Inc., and the Pasco County NAACP will team up for a free community food distribution on March 23 at Veterans Memorial Park, 14333 Hicks Road in Hudson. The food will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis from 9 a.m., until the items run out. … [Read More...] about 03/23/2023 – Free Food Distribution

03/23/2023 – Paint with Puppies

B Creative Painting Studio, 6013 Wesley Grove Blvd., Suite 103, in Wesley Chapel will host “Paint with Puppies” on March 23 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., in support of the Mercy Full Project. Guests can get creative and cuddle with puppies. Only 50 spots available. An RSVP and $5 deposit is required online at tinyurl.com/PaintWithPuppy. Balance will be due at the event. The total cost of $50 includes a dog bowl, paint, glaze and fire of the bowl. … [Read More...] about 03/23/2023 – Paint with Puppies

More of What's Happening

Archives

 

 

Where to pick up The Laker and Lutz News

Copyright © 2023 Community News Publications Inc.

   
%d bloggers like this: