Kurstyn’s horsemanship journey started when she attended a summer riding camp at the age of 9. “At the end of camp, I cried because I couldn’t take the horse I rode home with me,” Kurstyn says. “A couple of weeks later, my parents put up a fence on our property and bought the horse.”
Kurstyn matured into an accomplished horsewoman, and her parents’ support never wavered. The Texas cowgirl has competed successfully in AQHA shows, goat tying, pole bending, high school rodeo and cutting. However, her true passion lies with barrel racing, and she has many accolades to her credit, including two American Paint Horse Association Youth Finals barrel racing world championship titles.
Although she gets plenty of odd looks at events for using the Method, Kurstyn believes in the training approach. “It works. It’s that simple,” she says. “You can get so much more accomplished with a horse that is soft and supple compared to one that has no foundation.”
The Academy was a natural fit for the dedicated horsewoman. “Clinton’s the best. My thought was if I was going to learn from someone, I wanted it to be from the best. Go big or go home,” she says.
As a Method Ambassador, Kurstyn focuses on training barrel horses and teaching lessons. “There’s always something to learn as a horseman, and I love to share my knowledge with other horse owners,” she says.