Horse Tales with Cat

Catherine Shearon

An equestrian podcast for amateur riders, about amateur riders and professional riders and everything in between. Catherine Shearon dives into conversations with equestrians from all angles of the horse world, to speak about topics that have never been discussed in equestrian interviews. Hear not just about how riders get started in their career, but about mental health struggles, overcoming confidence issues, the ins and outs of running a business, and more! Come on this ride with us! 

  1. FEB 13

    Episode 37-Cullen Drescher- Performance in Parallel

    Send a text Every amateur rider will relate to Cullen Drescher’s story.  The pursuit of a dream to ride in the bigger classes while trying to fund it with another full time career. Throw a child and partner into the mix and it really gets interesting. Cullen’s secret superpower is her ability to focus in on the task at hand to the exclusion of everything else around her. Her other gift is that she truly loves her horses and people and if you are in her inner circle , you are family . She was raised with a deep respect for hard work  and genuine care for those in her community. I believe those characteristics have contributed to her success in both her law practice and as a competitor in the ring. She is quick to acknowledge that she doesn’t have it all figured out and that there are many days when she is humbled but she is also driven by a belief that she can achieve the goals she has set for herself. She is also the first to admit that she couldn’t do any of this if she she didn’t have a trainer who is as committed to her goals as she is. I hope that you will be as inspired as I was to continue to chase your dreams no matter how old you are. This episode is brought to you by the international law firm of Cooley LLP. Clients partner with Cooley on transformative deals, complex IP and regulatory matters , and high-stakes litigation.  Our connection to the law firm comes through Cooley Partner and jumper rider Cullen Drescher , who competes in the High Amateur and Grand Prix levels in addition to leading Cooley's Business Restructuring practice from the firm's offices in New York City.

    49 min
  2. 11/28/2025

    Episode 35- Pieter deBrabandere - Honest, humble , hungry and hopeful

    Send a text When Pieter deBrabandere moved to the US to ride for Maarten Huygens in July 2024 his goal was simple- back to basics and focus on his riding. He never expected to look back on the year and see all the firsts he accomplished - first time riding for Belgium on a Nations Cup Team, first time winning a $75,000 Grand Prix in Saugerties and finishing in the top 12 at his first 5* Grand Prix. He expresses authentic surprise at his own success. Those in his camp however are not surprised as he has a natural calm and confidence in his ride ( a gift he thought he might have lost over the years) and is exceptionally accurate in his eye. I was struck most by his humility and hesitancy to state his goals (lest they might not be realized) and touched by how he shared his doubts and fears . He ultimately is hopeful he will achieve his dreams but is not married to a timeline. It was refreshing to speak with someone coming up through the ranks who is committed to developing and learning to be the best rider he can to bring out the best in his mounts.  This episode is brought to you by the international law firm of Cooley LLP. Clients partner with Cooley on transformative deals, complex IP and regulatory matters , and high-stakes litigation.  Our connection to the law firm comes through Cooley Partner and jumper rider Cullen Drescher , who competes in the High Amateur and Grand Prix levels in addition to leading Cooley's Business Restructuring practice from the firm's offices in New York City.

    41 min
  3. 11/14/2025

    Episode 34 - McLain Ward - Unapologetically Competitive

    Send a text McLain Ward has had the pressure of trying to be “the best” on his shoulders since he first had success in the equitation ring winning both the USEF and USET Medal Finals at the age of 14 . 36 years and 5 Olympic medals in show jumping later, he is very forthcoming about the pressure he still feels and the anxiety that goes  along with it-especially on those days when he is the anchor rider for the team.  However, he is quick to admit that grit, determination and hard work have always been on his side and ultimately his competitive nature will win over his nerves. He is “in it to win it”. 2 Pan American Individual Gold Medals and 17 World Cup Finals have not lessened his desire to be the best. He is also the first to acknowledge that he wouldn’t have any of his success without the support of his team at the farm (especially Lee and Erica McKeever) and his own family. His daughter Lilly in particular keeps him humble. McLain share his approach to training and where he thinks the sport is heading. He even tells me what he is thinking about when he is on the podium - it’s not what you might think. At the end of the conversation it is very clear that McLain’s success hasn’t happened by chance! Shout out to my listeners in Virginia and Florida-appreciated the fan mail!😊🐎 This episode is brought to you by the international law firm of Cooley LLP. Clients partner with Cooley on transformative deals, complex IP and regulatory matters , and high-stakes litigation.  Our connection to the law firm comes through Cooley Partner and jumper rider Cullen Drescher , who competes in the High Amateur and Grand Prix levels in addition to leading Cooley's Business Restructuring practice from the firm's offices in New York City.

    45 min

About

An equestrian podcast for amateur riders, about amateur riders and professional riders and everything in between. Catherine Shearon dives into conversations with equestrians from all angles of the horse world, to speak about topics that have never been discussed in equestrian interviews. Hear not just about how riders get started in their career, but about mental health struggles, overcoming confidence issues, the ins and outs of running a business, and more! Come on this ride with us! 

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