Blog 5-Laura Bergey

Going to OU and competing individually sounded better than chasing her collegiate equestrian dream at OSU for this Norman local.

“OU is the only school in the Big 12 without an equestrian program,” junior Laura Bergey said. “I wanted to be on a collegiate team but the closest school was OSU and I wasn’t about to go there.”

Bergey’s mother, Jennifer Bergey, trained horses professionally and taught her how to ride when she was 5 years old.

“Laura probably spent as much time in the barns with me and the horses as she did at home,” Jennifer Bergey said. “We taught her how to ride on a little grey pony named Rosie.”

Bergey’s dreams and her horse have gotten much larger. She is now riding a chestnut thoroughbred that stands 17 hands high, weighs close to 15,000 pounds, named Toby.

“Toby’s back is about 5-foot-6, he used to be a racehorse, his legs are really long,” Bergey said. “We do high adult jumpers so the fences are between 3-foot-6 and 3-foot-9 inches tall.”

Bergey said that training for a show is a lot like training for a sporting event.

“I have to keep my horse in shape and myself in shape,” Bergey said. “People think the horse does all the work but it’s a team effort. I have to steer him and show him where to go but I also have to control the speed and distance of his stride and find the spot to jump. If I don’t control him he’ll just gallop full speed and it’ll be a disaster.”

Bergey said she’s gotten used to disasters and that falling was one of the things she had to accept when she decided to become serious about riding. When she falls, Bergey said she gets mad at herself instead of the horse and focuses on how she can improve.

According to the National Collegiate Equestrian Association, collegiate athletes jump between 3 feet and 3 feet 6 inches. In the Olympics, athletes are jumping between 4 feet 7 inches and 5 feet 3 inches.

“I’m glad I compete individually because I’m already competing at a higher level than college athletes,” Bergey said. “The highest I’ve jumped is 4-foot-6.

“After college I want to turn pro. My goal isn’t necessarily the Olympics but I’d like to compete in Grand Prix events. Those shows are in pretty high paying classes. I’d love to be able to make a living out of this.”