TWHBEA^SM Instructor of the Year - Regan Mercer

By Sarah Gee
©Voice, May 2006

Jane Meredith, Regan Mercer, Joni Jenne’, and Nicole Carswell
Barnsby Show Saddle donated by TWHBEA^SM & World Champion Horse Equipment

Hard work and determination truly do pay off, just ask Regan Mercer, the
2006 TWHBEA^SM Instructor of the Year

“When your heart is in your dream, no challenge is too extreme!”
-Regan Mercer, 2006 TWHBEA^SM Instructor of the Year

Regan Mercer grew up in Louisa, KY and moved 45 minutes outside of the city to Martha, KY where her family owned a small farm. Regan’s grandfather was a horse trader and had a pony for Regan and her cousins to ride, and this is when Regan began on her journey to get where she is today.

When Regan was 10 years old she decided that she wanted a horse, so she started mowing lawns in the summer.

When Regan raised $250.00 she bought her first horse, which she rode around the farm and on the trails of eastern Kentucky.

Regan’s mother noticed her interest in riding, so she contacted her friend, Keith Blackburn who let Regan show some of his walking horses.

Now Regan was hooked!

Regan’s mother wanted her to become a more refined rider, so for Christmas one year she gave Regan a gift of 15 riding lessons. Once Regan had taken the 15 lessons she went back to mowing lawns so that she could pay for her weekly lessons instructed by Nicole Carswell. Regan achieved great success with Nicole, becoming not only a wonderful rider, but a mentor to younger students of Carswells. Soon Nicole let her assist her with riding and equitation lessons.

Regan’s mother also knew that with a great rider you should have a great horse, so when Regan was 16 her mother purchased Shadow Boy’s Pride, an equitation horse that brought Regan to the winner’s circle on numerous occasions.

While assisting Nicole, Regan started to concentrate heavily on the equestrian side of her life, majoring in animal science and minoring in education at MTSU. This combination gave Regan the knowledge of horses in the skills of teaching and mentoring.

During the time that Regan was attending MTSU and building her own riding program, she still made the time to show and compete on her own, and at the Celebration in 1999 she won the Adult Equitation World Championship.

Regan went on to teach riding lessons at Midland Equestrian Center in Shelbyville, TN, creating a successful riding program at the center.

Regan has also taught lessons at Crowder Farms and Great Strides, which is a therapeutic riding program for children and adults with special needs.

In addition to being a TWHBEA^SM Certified Riding Instructor, Regan also holds a certification with the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association.

Many of Regan’s students have become successful riders, including her sister Megan who was reserve in the Adult Equitation World Championship in 2000, and Danielle Reed who won the 11 and Under Park Pleasure World Championship in 2004.

Currently Regan is the 4-H Agent in Bedford County and she is teaching lessons part-time at her new barn in Shelbyville, TN. She also continues to instruct at the Great Strides Therapeutic Riding Program, where she has been working since 2003.

Regan will be assisting with a 4-H Riding Camp at the Shelbyville Agriculture Center. The camp will include riding instruction and horse and barn management. For other information on the camp please feel free to reach Regan at (931) 684-5971.

TWHBEA^SM is very proud of Regan and all of her accomplishments!

-Shauna Clark

The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeder’s and Exhibitor’s Association^SM would like to congratulate Regan Mercer on being named “Instructor of the Year”. TWHBEA^SM would like to take this opportunity to thank the Trainer’s Association for allowing us to hold the Academy Championships during their horse show. As in prior years, we are once again happy to donate the entry fees from the Academy Championship to the Trainer’s Association.

Thank You
Walking Horse Owner’s Association
Walking Horse Trainer’s Association
Walking Horse Report
World Champion Horse Equipment
Marsha’s on the Square
Our Valuable Volunteers