Seventeen year-old Sarah Dow of Brownsville, Ontario has had a roller coaster ride this year full of highs and lows. Her mother, who grew up showing saddle club and shared a strong bond through showing horses with her daughter, passed away February of this year from a long fight with breast cancer.
When her mother, Paula, became really sick a few years ago, Dow sold her horse and spent every waking moment with her mother. After her mother’s passing, Sarah felt she wanted to resume her love of showing horses, and her father, John, was very supportive of her desire to start showing again. Dow recently purchased a new horse, Gentlemans Club (Wyatt), a week before the Congress, and she late entered and will be showing him in the Novice 14-18 Hunter Under Saddle on Friday. Dow has only ridden Wyatt, who is by Invitation Only, three times, but she is hopeful she will be able to have a good ride on her brand new partner.
“Both my mom and I were very close, and I got involved with horses through her,” says Sarah, who also shows her other horse, Cool Bita Can Do in the pattern classes. “I feel close to her when I ride and show because so many of our memories are from showing horses and her watching me. She would book her chemo sessions around the horse shows. One of my favorite moments was in 2010 when I won the Novice Horsemanship 14-18 at the Region 4 in Columbus. We were so ecstatic. I remember laughing and crying and hugging my mom.”
This year is a year of many firsts for Sarah. This is her first time to show at the Congress; the first time to show her new horse; the first time without her mom cheering her on at a major show; and the first year to be under the supervision of Suzanne Pickard and Jason Duquette of Glencoe, Ontario. (picture of Sarah and her mom riding when she was young)
“Sarah is such an inspiration. It is hard to believe she has such a positive outlook after having such a rough year, but she is so mature for her age. She gives me goosebumps when I think of how she has handled all the obstacles that life has put in her way,” says Pickard, who will be showing Wyatt in the Green Hunter Under Saddle in a few days. “She is dedicated and loves to practice to improve her riding skills. We had an instant bond and she is like a daughter to me.”
Pickard and Dow says they will be wearing pink at the Congress in support of cancer patients, survivors, their families, and also in honor of Paula. This year, the Congress Queen Contest is sponsoring the third annual Congress Goes Pink day on Saturday, October 20th.
“The advice I would give someone that has a loved one that has cancer is to talk about it a lot and spend a great deal of time with them. My mom had breast cancer since 2005 and she had such a positive attitude that I think that is why I was able to spend eight more years with her before she passed away. She never seemed to be sad and just dealt with her condition. The most important thing I learned from my mom is to be positive and live everyday like your last.”
