Raised in the shadow of Mount Rainier in beautiful western Washington, I grew up in a small town with two of the best parents any kid could ask for. They adopted me as an infant and have been loving me as their very own every day since. 

When I was about three months old, my parents bought a little ranch just outside of town. Horses were my mom's dream, but moving around so much in her childhood it was never a dream she could realize - until now. The family they bought the property from had a Shetland pony they weren't going to take with them and offered it to my parents for free. Yes, a free pony. This story does end exactly the way you think it does.

His name was Trigger, and he most certainly was pistol. I cut my teeth in equines in the most thorough of ways, getting chased around on the daily by a pony with a certifiable case of Napoleon Syndrome. He kicked, bucked and bit his way into our hearts, and we loved every moment of the journey. Mostly. 

Not one to scare easily even at a young age, I persevered, and before long my mom’s dream became mine. My life now revolved around horses, boots, buckles, spurs and fringe. I dabbled in everything from 4-H (halter, showmanship and western pleasure) to rodeo, trails and beach rides until I could finally afford to chase my big dream - reiners, cutters and cowhorses.

After my first ride on my first cowhorse, I was hooked and there was no looking back. I’ve also competed in reining and was even fortunate enough to own the famous Carmine, originally trained and shown by Matt Mills. 

Through it all and alongside my career as a diesel mechanic, engineer and fleet manager, I’ve always loved being able to immortalize memories and moments in time via photo and video. And of course, as a millennial, I’ve been lucky enough to grow up in the thick of social media as a form of self expression. 

So, here we are. What started as a hobby founded in passion for helping people create memories has turned into a labor of love, and every day I thank God for the opportunity to make a living via the animals that have saved my life countless times (and tried to take it a few times, too) and to connect with their incredible owners.