In the lead-up to the 2016 SVAG FEI World Reining Championships, the United States Equestrian Federation will feature a four-part series that highlights the athletes, horses, and their owners that make up the U.S. Team.

Before Troy Heikes and Denise Bixler met, both were at entirely different places in their reining lives. Heikes wanted to cut back, being selective of his clientele. Bixler was losing enthusiasm and love for the sport. 

Bixler got hooked on reining during the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG). She became enthralled with the excitement of the sport, especially the thrilling sliding stops. After she witnessed the U.S. Reining Team win a Team Gold medal at the WEG, she longed to be one of the competitors or at least have a horse that could make it to a world competition. As such, she got a couple horses, but learned very quickly she was working with the wrong trainer.

“Personally, I wasn’t getting where I wanted to be. My horses were not reaching their full potential. Within a year, I was ready to get out,” said Bixler.

Not knowing where to turn, she elicited the help of her friend, Anna Schwartz, a mutual friend of Troy Heikes, who encouraged Heikes to connect with Bixler. What started out as a conversation about helping Bixler find the right trainer quickly turned into one about Heikes competing with her horses.

“I get calls all the time from people talking about their dreams, and sometimes they’re bigger than life, but I took it for what it was and decided to look at her horses,” reflected Heikes.

When Heikes caught his first look at Bixler’s horses, it was like he was on the island of misfit toys. All of them had problems and no one would give them a second look. One horse had been off for eight months with a tendon tear. RSD One Hot Deal, also known as Rudy, just came off an abscess with a quarter of a hoof missing and had a funny looking eye, and Lil’ Gun Dun It, or J.J., had a sore back. At the time, these were horses not for the faint of heart. Heikes could not saddle them, let alone ride them.

“I got J.J. vet care and Rudy’s hoof grew back. They were horses no one gave a second thought to, no one looked at, and no one could show them. I think it was a much bigger leap of faith on his part than on mine because they really are so talented. I can’t believe, looking back, I was the mother who believes her child is gifted,” laughed Bixler.

So much for Heikes cutting back. With their awkward, gangly features, Heikes committed to the horses and their idealistic owner. Even Bixler was enjoying the sport again. Her partnership with Heikes was a match made in heaven and both wanted to give the horses a great experience.

“If we went out and didn’t win, I didn’t care. I do not think Troy believed me at first. It wasn’t about running the horses into the ground to try and get them to win. It was, ‘are they at their full potential, and are they happy,’ not riding them within an inch of their life to get them to their full potential. That’s not who Troy is, and that’s why I love him so much,” explained Bixler.

Heikes’ leap of faith and Bixler’s confidence in her horses and in Heikes paid off when Heikes represented the U.S. at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) as an individual with Lil’ Gun Dun It, a 2006 Quarter Horse gelding. RSD One Hot Deal, a 2007 Quarter Horse gelding, landed an alternate spot. Bixler’s dream came true and it was a surreal experience for Heikes.

“It was truly a great feeling and a highlight of my career. A lot of great things have happened to me as a breeder of reining horses, as a trainer, and a coach. The experience of representing U.S.A., competing in a foreign country, and walking in opening ceremonies was overwhelming,” said Heikes, who finished just out of the top 10 during the WEG.

Heikes has come a long ways since pretending his bike was a horse, tying ropes to his handlebars like bridle reins. As the veteran international competitor, Heikes will help guide the U.S. Team at the SVAG FEI World Reining Championships in Givrins, Switzerland. This time, he will compete with RSD One Hot Deal and Lil’ Gun Dun It will be in the reserve position. Bixler gave RSD One Hot Deal the barn-name Rudy, after Rudy Ruettiger, the small, determined, and big-hearted Notre Dame football player. Like his namesake, he may not be the most athletic, but Bixler and Heikes believe in him because of his tenacious inner-drive and positive attitude.

“The name definitely fits. This horse doesn’t look like a reining horse. He’s long legged, but he is one of those horses who digs in deeper than most horses you ever get to throw a leg over. [Bixler] said someday he’s really going to be able to get in [the arena] and play. How she knew, I don’t know, but as a six-year-old, he really came into his own and was Reserve Level 3 [National Reining Breeders Classic] Derby Champion. He had a tremendous year as a six-year-old,” said Heikes.

Having two horses compete at such a high level goes far beyond Bixler’s dreams. If it was not for Heikes, she would have sold the horses. Now, she will have to wait and see if her ambitious horse and his magician rider can claim the Team and Individual Gold medals.

“It was just a magical thing that happened when Troy got them [the horses], and he was somehow able to get through to them in the most kind, fair, and generous way. Because of that, you can see the partnerships that they have,” said Bixler.

The 2016 FEI World Reining Championships take place August 11-13.