Chancellor Lee Adams prepares for Special Olympics equestrian competition

Chancellor Lee Adams, a man living with cerebral palsy, is gearing up for the Special Olympics equestrian competition alongside a team of 12 athletes from Victory Farm in Gastonia. The group embarked on a journey to the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, North Carolina, to participate in the Southeast Regional Equestrian Tournament.

Living with cerebral palsy, Adams has periodically ridden horses, using it as a form of physical therapy. This training regimen has proven beneficial, enhancing his core and leg strength, which has allowed him to take steps without the aid of a walker.

Dory Pell, the Head Instructor at Victory Farm, stressed that the tournament is not merely an exercise but a rigorous athletic competition. "It is no pony ride! It is a true competition where they have to learn skills and ability. They are going to work through challenges such as making their body do what they didn’t think it was capable of," Pell emphasized.

Adams competes in two divisions: showmanship and working trail. In showmanship, he must guide his horse, Dore-Ry, through a memorized course. The working trail division, on the other hand, involves navigating through the woods, complete with various obstacles and patterns that Adams must execute flawlessly in the correct order.

During training, Adams has been focusing on overcoming obstacles such as stopping on a raised wooden platform and commanding his horse to halt with precise commands like "Whoa! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5." Pell commended Adams' dedication, noting that the young man is so committed to excelling that he often pushes himself to work even beyond scheduled sessions.

Born after a tragic shooting orchestrated by his father, former Carolina Panthers player Rae Carruth, Adams was raised by his grandmother, Saundra Adams. The competition provides Saundra with vital encouragement for her grandson. "The extra ata’ boy, he’s doing good. You know, he needs that encouragement. You know, and I think that’s good for all children, not just children with special needs, all children and adults.

We need to hear that. You know, you really did good. And this is, you know, this is not something that’s just giving him an award. He’s earning it!" Saundra emphasized.

Beyond physical training, Saundra has also been working on preparing Adams emotionally for the competition. "We’ve talked about that at home, and he understands that, you know, not everybody may get first place. Not everybody’s gonna get first place. Not everybody’s gonna get second place. But as long as you do your very best, you are still a winner!" she stated. "But we believe he’s gonna place somewhere in there. We wanna bring some kind of medal home!!"