Julie H Smith and Felix (OR)
Team #918: Julie H Smith and Felix
From: Beaverton, Oregon
Ages: 73 & 27
Combined Ages: 100
Test: Training Level Test 3
I began riding saddle seat equitation at age ten and have continued on and off for the past 60 years, with some long gaps. As a teen, I competed in Western Pleasure with my Quarter Horse, Red, and even tried cutting. College and work put riding on hold, but in my thirties, I returned to the saddle with Ben, my Appaloosa, and began competing in Novice Level eventing. When Ben developed moon blindness, we transitioned to dressage.
In 2018, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. After five years, I returned to riding with Navador, a kind and talented Dutch Warmblood.
Finding a dressage horse for me to lease was always in my retirement plan. After kissing several frogs, Felix, an Arabian/Quarter Horse trained to Prix St. Georges, came along. The first time I rode him, I knew he was special. He’s been helping me refine my dressage and loves the trails.
In 2024, I was diagnosed with MDS (a blood cancer), possibly caused by earlier treatments. Then, in April 2025, my breast cancer returned, this time in my colon. After surgery and medication, I now live with an ostomy bag.
Throughout it all, Felix has been my steady partner. He seems to know when I need to take it easy and always offers quiet support—a horsey hug when I need it most.
This Century Club ride is a celebration of resilience, healing, and the joyful companionship between horse and rider. And yes—riding with an ostomy is absolutely possible.
