Does She Really Ride?

Torree began riding in 4-H and received her first horse, Stormy, for her 11th birthday present. She has never been without at least one horse since then. She grew up competing in 4-H and high school rodeo until she went to college at the US Air Force Academy. Her horse followed her there, and she rode briefly on the Academy's equestrian team.

After college, during medical school, her horses were her sanctuary away from the stresses of medical training. She met her husband, Tim, at a team roping, and so added not just a husband but another horse to the herd.

Her horses were part of every move with the military, including a trailer ride from San Antonio, Texas to Palmer, Alaska (right outside Anchorage). She started barrel racing again in local jackpots after moving to central Oregon.

Her last barrel horse, Annie, was involved in a pasture accident in 2024 and had to be put down. Torree fully embraced what she calls her "mid life crisis" and pivoted to reined cowhorse lessons, purchasing her current horse Lulu later that year. She's currently having a blast in the rookie novice division of Western States Stock Horse and is looking forward to moving up to reined cowhorse shows when she's ready to remove her "training wheels."