Interview...

I recently completed an interview that had some interesting questions, which I thought might be interesting to share: 

Birthday: March 28, 1985

Favorite food: Chocolate 

Favorite TV Show: Entourage

Favorite Pastime: Snowboarding

Favorite Music: Country 

Favorite Movie: Million Dollar Baby 

Favorite Drink: A good ol' Canadian "Caesar" 

Favorite Colour: Yellow

Who are your current horses?

"Orion" 1996  gelding by Jazz x Consul

"Fablella" 2002  mare by Federmark x Lemon Park xx

"Anited" 2005 gelding by United x Cocktail 

"Santa Maria" 2007 mare by Sir Donnerhall x Weltmeyer

What is your career highlight or greatest achievement in riding? 

Winning team and individual gold at the 2006 North American Young Rider Championships and being the reserve rider on the 2012 Canadian Olympic Team 

How old were you when you started riding and what got you involved with horses? 

I was riding even before birth, as my mother, Dagmar Fortmuller, an ambitious horsewoman herself, rode for the first six months of her pregnancy with me. After I was born horses were always a regular part of daily life. As kids we always had the option to ride, but my mother never forced it on us. Consequently being around horses has always felt like "home" for me.

What would people find surprising about you? 

That I love the adrenaline rush of skydiving! 

Who was the biggest influence in your riding career and why?

My mother, Dagmar Fortmuller. Not only is she the reason that horses have been such a major part of my life,  but she has also been my strongest and most constant supporter throughout my entire riding career. Most importantly, my mother taught me the importance of all-around horsemanship, and that if I ever want to achieve something great the words "I can't" are not allowed to exist in my vocabulary.

Do you have any pets, what are they and what are their names? 

Yes, I have a dog named "Lecoya" she is an Australian cattle dog mix and is the BEST side kick ever. "Lecoya" is always at my side, she comes everywhere with me. She is my shadow both at home and on the long road trips to competitions. I do my best to pay her back by playing Frisbee with her whenever we have a spare minute! 

What was your worst injury from riding and how did it occur? 

I broke my wrist at the beginning of 2012 when I got bucked off a very frisky young horse. The thing that makes this injury "the worst" was that it happened during an Olympic year and I needed to start collecting my qualifying scores if I was serious about making it on the team. Because I was determined not to let anything get in the way of my goals I rode my first olympic qualifying competitions with my cast. 

What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you?

I used to be really good at talking myself out of speeding tickets and my brothers used to hate how I never got punished for my speedy way of driving. Until I moved to Germany to continue my dressage training and I not even within a year of living in Germany (which is the only country in the world with highways without speed limits) I had my licence suspended for a month. So it took moving to 'the worlds fastest counrty' to slow down my driving habits.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

Although I have many embarrassing moments, I can't think of a good one to compact into a quick story. But everyone who knows me, has seen my face go tomato colour red, because that's what happens when I'm embarrassed!  

If you could possess one super-human power, what would it be and why?

I wish that I could fly. I often dream that I am flying to all of these cool places in the world and am then very disappointed when I wake up to discover that it was just a dream. The reason that I wish I could fly, is that I love to travel, and discover new places and experience different cultures. Flying would totally help me cover ground faster and with my schedule that would be down right awesome!

What celebrity would you most want to meet and why?

Usain Bolt. I find any athlete who achieves excellence in their given sport extremely inspiring. Usain Bolt has not only broken world records, but shattered them to the point that he has actually changed the definition of "fast". To be able to shake Usain Bolt's hand and to have a conversation with him, particularly about what it takes to become the best athlete you can be, would be an extremely enlightening experience

What is your happiest memory?

I have many happy memories, so it is very difficult to choose just one. But one moment that will always remain precious in my memory is arriving at the hospital, on Aug. 6th, 2002 shortly after my mom gave birth to my little sister, Jade. 

What are you really bad at that you'd love to be great at?

I am a really bad singer, I often turn up the music super loud when I am driving and I sing along so that my own voice is drowned out and it sounds like I can actually sing. It would be pretty cool if my real singing voice actually sounded that good. 

Who do you admire the most in your family and why?

My older brother Max is someone I really admire. Max, is a professional bull rider and him and I are often each other's "mental coach in the corner" when it comes to dealing with the pressures and challenges of our respective sports. Although we compete in two very different sports, bull riding and dressage, there are many parallels that can be found in the mental preparation. The greatest reason for my admiration of Max is his ability to look fear and self doubt straight in the eye.