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Jimmie Schramm - Journey to Rolex 2015 #RoadtoRolex
My journey to Rolex is a pretty long one. I would say everything started with one of my sisters, Nicki. Originally, she was the first horse lover in the family, and naturally I copied her. One year my mom took her on a special trip. She had decided they would go to Kentucky for the weekend and check out the prestigious Kentucky Horse Park. They just so happened to end up at the horse park Rolex weekend by chance. They watched all three days and came home raving about this fun crazy horse competition.
The next few years it became a mother daughters trip. She would take all four of us girls for the three day weekend. If I have to be perfectly honest, the thing I remember loving most about Rolex was the funnel cakes and caramel apples. I am pretty food oriented, but it was so obvious to me while I was there, I absolutely had to compete in this event one day. Now I think almost every 8 to 15 year old girl that rides horses thinks this at one point or another. That being said, in my mind it wasn't a question of if, it was a question of when and how. I day dreamed of it, for years and still do now, of what it is going to be like, how I am going to do, if I will be able to handle the pressure, the list goes on.
There are so many things that have to fall into place to get your name posted on that entry list. Then after that there are even more things that have to fall into place to get there and compete. It is not for the faint hearted. Though the journey has ups and downs, as most journeys of any importance do, the people I have met along the way are what I value the most. Eventers are all nuts in their own way, but we have such a connection that we all (or at least I think) want to wish each other well.
I am beyond thrilled about competing at Rolex. I have groomed at the event more then once and yet I still feel like I have no idea what to expect from a riders stand point. My whole family will be there to finally see why I have sacrificed so much, why it has taken so long, and why I love this sport and this horse so much.
- Jimmie
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