OCALA, Fla. — Tyra Vernon is a Dressage competitor and trainer; owner of BREC Dressage in Ocala. She has earned her United States Dressage Federation Bronze, Silver (2009) and Gold medals (2015). She has owned BREC Dressage for more than 15 years, debuting the training center in her home state of Wisconsin before moving it to Ocala in 2012.

How did you get your start in Dressage?

Tyra Vernon: I grew up in northern Wisconsin, Ashland, pretty much as close to Canada as you can get. I always had a love for horses. There was a very small farm, and the owners had a son who was interested in dressage, so I was fortunate enough to get connected with that, and of course that was on a very small scale. But they had a couple of horses that they would give lessons on that were safe enough for kids to ride.

I absolutely fell in love with it. I was hooked right from the get-go. And when the summer would come, then mom would just drop me off and I would spend the whole day out there.

What do you love about it?

Vernon: I think the draw was just being able to work one on one with a huge animal like that. And taking lessons, they gave you a challenge and you had to figure out how you were going to accomplish it with the horse.

I have a special relationship with my horses that goes beyond riding and competing, and I think that carries into your training as well, and that carries into the competitions. It’s really my life. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

What would you like the average person to understand about Dressage?

Vernon: Dressage is unique because it is very detail-oriented, and it isn’t so much a push on a time frame. It’s multiple levels. It goes from training level all the way to the Grand Prix level, which takes years to accomplish. So it’s kind of like a ladder that you climb. You learn different feels and different experiences. You learn about the balance of the horse, you learn about rider positions, how the aids work to make the horse do what you want him to do.

Tell us about your training center, BREC Dressage.

Vernon: BREC started in Ashland Wisconsin. Then I discovered Ocala. I never knew something like this ever existed. It was this horse-oriented area. From the tack stores to the restaurants to everything, it was horse related. Just amazing. So I started out coming down for a couple of weeks to do a clinic with a trainer that I’ve know for years. Then that next winter grew into three months, and we did that for a couple of years, and then we bought some property down here and it wasn’t long before we were here full-time.

What are some of the highlights of your career?

Vernon: One of them would be that we created such a big, successful facility that can educate people in the area, and it’s got a great reputation. That, I am very proud of. As a competitor, at the World Equestrian Center they were offering international competitions called CDI competition, and so last year I did my first one. That was a huge highlight for me, that I could be competitive coming from the north woods of Wisconsin.

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