University of Georgia Athletics
Quick Chat: Courtney Blumer
March 01, 2019 | Equestrian, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Horses are a family affair for Georgia equestrian rider Courtney Blumer. A freshman from Monroe, N.C., Blumer's father's side of the family rode and had horses, so from a very early age she rode, too.
During a recent Quick Chat, Blumer talked about her start in riding, adjusting to college life, her love of Panda Express and much more. Here's some of what she had to say:
Frierson: Are you one of those riders that was practically born on a horse or did you come to the sport much later on?
Blumer: I was one of those that was practically born on a horse. My dad's side of the family has always had horses and so we would go up to my grandpa's and my uncle's and ride all their horses. And when I was in kindergarten I got my first horse, he was a little pony named Sunny. He was a little yellow pony. ...
I think he came with the name, but he wasn't as sunny as his name was.
Frierson: When did you realize that for you and horses and riding, this was beyond a typical childhood hobby and something that you wanted to devote a ton of time and energy to?
Blumer: I think through elementary school it was fun for me and I went to a bunch of 4-H shows, and those are more laid back and you do multiple events. I believe around middle school I started Reining and then I got more competitive in it.
Frierson: Of the horses out at the facility in Bishop, do you have a favorite?
Blumer: My favorite would be Pepe, he's a bay horse and he has an afro and he's just so pleasing to whatever people want him to do. He's really fun.
Frierson: What is it like being a freshman and suddenly you have all of these different horses to get to know?
Blumer: It took some getting used to, but it's definitely fun. It's almost like meeting friends, every horse has a different personality and you have to ask each one differently to get results out of it. It's more of a challenge, so I like it.
Frierson: When you think of your home or hometown, what comes to mind?
Blumer: When I think about home it's Monroe, N.C., so it's a small town where everyone knows everyone. Everyone's mom's mom's mom grew up there, except for us, we just moved there. I was like the only one at my high school without a cousin at the school (laughs).
Frierson: How have you adjusted to college life? Has it been about what you expected?
Blumer: The academics have definitely pushed me harder than I expected, but I've met so many people from all over the world. That's really neat, so it's fun and I like it a lot.
Frierson: If you could go anywhere in the world on somebody else's dime, where would you like to go?
Blumer: I think I would go to Paris, just to explore. I've never been to Europe, so I think it would be fun to go see the different cultures.
Frierson: What's the most interesting place in the U.S. that you've visited?
Blumer: I went to see Niagara Falls and that was really pretty. I was actually at a horse show and so it was just like a quick drive through because it was right there. I'd like to go spend some time there and really explore it.
Frierson: How did you decide which type of riding you wanted to do, be it Western or English and the individual events within them?
Blumer: I started doing all types of Western because that's all my dad knew and he's the one who passed it down to me. My cousin (Jenna Blumer), she's actually the (Western) coach at Oklahoma State, and we got our Reining horses from her family. That was what I started doing and I loved it, and I never really tried anything else.
Frierson: Do you ever just go for a ride, for the fun of going out and riding a horse?
Blumer: Most of the time it's training, but every once in a while it's good to kick back and go riding. Me and my parents, we went to Morrow Mountain (State Park), which is kind of close to where I live, and we just went up the mountain on our horses and that was so pretty. I loved it.
Frierson: What's something you could eat every day and never get tired of it?
Blumer: Panda Express — their SweetFire chicken with fried rice is the best.
Frierson: Is there a Panda Express here in Athens?
Blumer: Yeah, in the Tate Center, I just ate some before I came here (laughs). I go by as often as possible, it's really good.
Frierson: What's something creative that you do or wish you could do?
Blumer: I wish I could paint and just be able to replicate something that I've seen before. I just think painting is really cool, but I can't do it at all. I take pictures instead.
Frierson: Do you take pictures of anything in particular?
Blumer: Just scenery and horses and everything in between.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
