DILLON, Mont. —
At just 5-years-old, Julia Carrasco realized her love of horseback riding is what her family calls, the Horsey-gene.
She tells me she always knew she wanted to work in agriculture and animals. What she didn’t was that riding horses and following her dreams would eventually win her several ribbons, buckles, trophies and so much more.
Julia started riding horses with her grandmother. Eventually, her parents realized more space and dedication was needed so she could better her craft. She then started training at Happy Horse in Burbank, WA/
While attending Chiawana High School in Pasco,WA, Julia joined the Future Farmers of America(FFA). There, she learned the English style of riding.
Eventually, Julia earned her spot competing in the Washington High School Equestrian Team.
After graduating from Chiawana, Julia moved to Dillon, Montana where she attends the University of Montana Western. She says her move to Montana was quite the 180 for her riding career.
She tells me she eventually realized it wasn’t about riding to compete but for a lifestyle, meaning her and her horse’s skill sets needed to change.
“Now I’m out on a thousand acre lot chasing cows and you know trying to get jobs done.” Julia tells me.
Adding that now it’s a different mindset than before.
“From trying to perfect my technique to trying to perfect my horse’s technique.” she tells me.
A technique that’s grown the partnership between her and her horse.
A partnership that earned her not one, but two buckles as a Skijoring champion in Montana.
“My friends and I have tried it before for fun.” Julia says.
She tells me her friends and her eventually joined the competition for fun, not knowing she’d win.
“We showed up, fully expecting to just have a good time.” says Julia. “We were standing near the announcers booth then all of a sudden they called our name and oh my gosh I was caught off guard. I was not expecting it at all.”
However her mom, however, has seen the determination Julia has and says there wasn’t a doubt Julia would win.
“To watch her succeed and to win is just fun.” says Amy Sweetwood. “Like she said, she’s just going out there to be with her friends to have fun just trying.”
Amy tells me a lot of what Julia does is because she’s built confidence in her abilities and it comes from the good and the bad.
She says as long as Julia continues to follow her dreams, her support system isn’t going anywhere.
A support system Julia says she’s always felt and had.
Talking to Julia, she showed me that people should always be willing to accept help no matter what you set your mind to.
“You can learn from your mistakes ,you can learn from your failures and there’s room to grow.” says Julia.
