BEGGS, Okla. — Kandra Demery is a woman of many talents.
She works as an equine therapist in the evenings, at a psychiatric hospital during the day and has three degrees from Langston University.
"I’m the first African-American certified equine therapist in the world," Demery said. "I work at a psychiatric hospital, so my day starts at 4:30 in the morning and ends at 5:00 in the afternoon. And then I transition over to horse therapy in the evenings."
Most moms also have the job of raising kids. Demery does that, too, as a single mother to 7-year-old Kendall, who got her passion for horses from her mom.
“I just wanted to follow my mom’s dreams so I just wanted to do it,” said Kendall Demery.
Both Demerys compete in rodeos across the country dozens of times each year. Kandra said it's a passion they pay for mostly on her own dime.
"I’m teaching her to be responsible. I’m teaching her to stand when everything else falls,” Kandra said.
When they're not traveling the country, the duo trains at the Demery Family Rodeo Arena in Beggs, owned by the Demery family.
“That’s her pee-wee championship barrel racing buckle. I had to look because she has many,” Kandra said of Kendall's belt buckle, a common trophy for winning events in rodeo competitions.
Kendall told 2 News her championships won her a little local celebrity with her classmates.
“A lot of kids in my class brag about me. They say, ‘Oh, I saw you!’ And I say, ‘I know,” said Kendall.
On Mother's Day the equestrian champs spent time doing what they do best together: prepping for their next rodeo.
Kandra said working with her daughter is a dream that helps her own career.
“It makes it super fun when I can go in and she goes in and to win," Kandra said. "It’s just the enjoyment of our hard work paying off throughout the week.”
When asked how long she wanted to compete with her mother, Kendall Demery said, "For the rest of my life."
To learn more about the duo, click here.
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