Iowa Amateur competitor Teresa Krueger likes to tell people that her addiction to horses is something she just never outgrew.

When she was just a child, her sister decided to buy a half quarter/half Arabian mare.

“I used to ride double with her everywhere,” Krueger recalled. “I was finally able to get my first 50-inch black pony (Hondo) when I was about 8 years old. At first I was scared of him because he was so rotten. But, after riding him a bit I figured out he was only trying to scare me and I would ride him  all over the place.”

Before long Krueger and her sister got involved in 4-H and her sister in FFA and they never looked back.

“I was hooked,” she said.

Like many, Krueger got her competitive start showing in 4-H where she learned about different disciplines like Western Pleasure, Showmanship, Halter, Trail, Horsemanship and Hunt Seat.

“The first trophy I ever won in a  costume class at the Bremer County (Iowa) Fair,” she said. “We were dressed in a Hawaiian outfit. My mom sewed plastic garbage sacks and slit them up the middle and we put the ‘Hawaiian skirt’ all the way around him. We had flowers down his tail and around his neck as well as me. I was so excited to win.”

In high school Krueger graduated to open shows, which she says were very competitive. Then after a break to attend college she started competing in American Paint Horse Association (APHA) and American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) sanctioned shows.

For the past eight years Krueger has been competing under the guidance of Shannon Walker, Hannah Lind and Spencer Groth, of Show Horses by Shannon. Teamed with Peace Of My Heart, a double registered AQHA/APHA mare, she won numerous Circuit Championships in Equitation and Hunter Under Saddle.Then with Slew Of Details, Krueger won the Amateur Showmanship at the 2019 AQHA Level 1 Championship Show-East.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Krueger said. “I would never have thought I would win a Showmanship class. Slew of Details is  a Showmanship machine. She probably could have done the pattern without me. I was so excited and blessed.”

Last August Krueger received a picture of Its Game On (Rocky D),  sired by Machine Made out of Moonlite In Dixie, from Walker who asked her if she’s be interested in flying to Florida with Lind to try him out. The 2018 brown gelding was owned at the time by Tali Terlizzi and was in training with Amanda Ringer.

“He was a trooper,” Krueger said. “Hannah put him through Equitation, Horsemanship, and even tried some lead changes. At that point he had only been shown in Hunter Under Saddle but Amanda had started him on some Trail and Equitation. We were excited to find how quickly he picked up on things.”

Rocky D was purchased and Lind showed him a couple times in Hunter Under saddle classes last fall before Krueger launched her show career with him in February. They compete in L1 Hunter Under Saddle, Equitation, Horsemanship and Performance Halter.

They got off to a strong start by winning Circuit Championships in Level 1 Amateur Hunter Under Saddle at the Arizona Sun Circuit in March and in Cloverdale last month.

Krueger is excited about the future with Its Game On.

“I have been riding with Shannon and Hannah for at least eight years. Over this time I’ve owned three to four different horses. I was very fortunate to purchase Rocky D, who has a great foundation, and they both have worked hard on getting him ready for the pattern classes as well as on coaching me.

When Krueger is not at a  show she is busy as Executive Director for Brio of Johnston (Iowa), a WesleyLife Community, where she is responsible for all of the different levels of senior living – independent living, assisted living, skilled care and memory support. Krueger also enjoys wake boarding, boating, concerts, golfing and walking her three dogs (Coco, Cooper and Gigi), who also accompany her to work every day and visit the residents.

In addition, her fiance, Jeff Drummond owns a six-passenger Saratoga plane and they love to fly to Nashville.

“Before he met me, Jeff had never been to a horse show,” Krueger said. “He’s been super supportive and serves as photographer, videographer, cheerleader and stirrup holder,”

Amateur Profiles are part of InStride Edition’s editorial content. If you know someone who would make a good subject for an Amateur profile email Corrine Borton, Editor, at: CorrineBorton@InStrideEdition.com.