Kerry was one of the first participants in the early days of High Hopes (formerly LCVERA). Six years old and diagnosed with developmental disability and mild Cerebral Palsy, when Kerry began riding with High Hopes she was unable to sit in the saddle without support, had little head control, walked with a scissors gait, fell repeatedly when walking and had no “functional” speech.
Nineteen years later, in 1994, Kerry at 25 years old was able to ride independently, groom and tack her horse independently, and perform dressage tests. Kerry enjoyed the excitement of competition and participated in the Connecticut Special Olympics for ten years, winning gold and silver medals for her performance.
Kerry’s growth wasn’t limited to her riding ability. In 1990 Kerry received the Patrick Moreno Sportsmanship Award, given to the rider who shows outstanding sportsmanship, consideration of others, and encouragement to his or her fellow riders, exemplifying Patrick’s way of helping others, never giving in to adversity.
And over 30 years later, in 2021, still a High Hopes participant, Kerry was awarded the Marianne Pfeiffer Scholarship. The recipient is a deserving student who demonstrates wholehearted dedication to the sport of therapeutic riding and loyalty to High Hopes.
To quote Kerry’s mother, “Riding has given Kerry a sense of purpose, it is a special part of her life that is very unique to her. Kerry does not meet a new person that she doesn’t tell about riding.”