Jerry Guo claims Chinese Nationals equestrian title

The heat was real as Jerry Guo (9C) competed in the 2nd Youth Games of the People’s Republic of China competition from August 2nd to August 4th. Although the competition lasted for only two days, the amount of time and effort Jerry put into winning this competition was quite unimaginable. Youths of all ages and genders came from all over China to gather in Shanxi province on the day of the thrilling competition, all eager to step in first place. Little did many of us know, the person who managed to steal the show for this contest would be someone from SMIC-I.

Jerry’s certification award Photo courtesy of Jerry Guo (9C)

Jerry’s interest in horse riding began after he went to a park that had a horse riding track with his friend. He was intrigued by it, decided to give it a try professionally, and loved it. In  Jerry’s mind, playing a sport is not all about winning– it’s about genuinely having fun with what you’re doing. “Just enjoy it, because it’s like other sports. The first thing you need [is] to enjoy it so you can be good at it. [I think that’s the most important thing.]” said Jerry. 

Jerry Guo trains for his competition Photo courtesy of Jerry Guo (9C)

The path to being a professional equestrian is long and tiring, but through it all, Jerry has adapted to significant challenges throughout his journey. The biggest challenge that he encountered was “falling down from your horse,” because “it seems super awkward”– which seems like an understatement. He has since learned from his mistakes, explaining how important it is to “trust your horse, because they will be stronger than you think they are.” 

Jerry Guo trains for his competition Photo courtesy of Jerry Guo (9C)

Jerry is dedicated in pursuing professional horseback riding in the future, saying: “I have enjoyed it up ’til now, so I think I’ll enjoy it in the future. In the future, [I’ll be trying to join] more competitions and get better [scores].”  

Jerry Guo rides his horse skillfully Photo courtesy of Jerry Guo (9C)

Jerry’s story should inspire us to go out of our comfort zones and try something new, and to pursue things that empassion us. The moment in the park when Jerry stepped onto a horse-riding track for the first time, he had no idea that it would later become a large part of his life. Shark Scholar hopes to be hearing a whole lot more from Jerry, including the competitions he’ll be attending in the near future. 

Featured Image — Jerry Guo wins national equestrian competition Courtesy of Jerry Guo (9C)

By Sara Tee