Deborah McAlexander

EQUESTRIAN

Deborah McAlexander and Cornet Noir

Deborah McAlexander is a blind para-equestrian dressage athlete. Her chosen discipline is dressage. In this high level equestrian sport, the horse makes precise movements in a predetermined pattern responding to its rider’s almost invisible leg and body movements.

Deborah has received confirmed classification for competition from the International Blind Sports Federation. Her goal is to compete in future World Equestrian and Paralympic games. Click Here to read about the Paralympic Games.

“All things are possible when one rides by faith, not by sight.”

Deborah McAlexander is a blind para dressage equestrian who rides by faith, not by sight.

Deborah is pictured riding Cornet Noir, her horse. Click Here to view the lineage of Cornet Noir.

Deborah’s Story

At age 24, Deborah was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa. She is totally blind in her left eye and has a tiny straw of center tunnel vision in her right eye Rather than succumbing to adversity, Deborah redirected her energy by earning a Master of Music degree in piano performance and becoming a professional pianist, a nationally recognized piano teacher, a motivational speaker, and an extremely focused equestrian.

Willie Wesley, Deborah McAlexander, and Kai Handt during a Para Dressage Emerging Athlete Clinic at NTEC

At age 64, Deborah was introduced to the equestrian discipline of dressage. In March 2019, she began training with Kai Handt, owner and high performance trainer at North Texas Equestrian Center (NTEC), a United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Center of Excellence. Kai is the past USEF Paralympic Chef d’Equipe and the only USEF recognized para dressage coach at the Master Level in the United States.

 “I find Debbie one amazing individual! After receiving my B.S degree in Equestrian Science in 1988, I began my professional career as a coach, trainer, and instructor. My main focus has been teaching riders. I met Debbie last year at a horse show in Tulsa Oklahoma. When I saw her riding Noir, I saw a woman with great courage and passion for the equestrian field.

I then began a journey of my own. In my equestrian profession, I had never come across a rider with blindness disability. Not only does Debbie have courage, she has a mount, Cornet Noir, that was selected by Kai Handt. Noir knows to proceed with caution. He has patience, as if he knows how to help Debbie overcome her disability. Debbie and I spend hours on what the horse is communicating to her. This is done by feel not sight.

When I put a blindfold on with a pin hole of sight and rode Noir, I found the challenge much harder than expected. For example: Where is the horse’s head? Is the horse round? A circle is a much bigger challenge than expected! Is my circle is round? And the feeling of wanting to know where you are in the arena. In addition, there are other factors that come into play when riding a performance horse.

Although there are several challenges to overcome, I find Debbie has shown great courage to work through her challenges. I feel honored to be a small part of her journey.”

Nicole Wilkinson, Head Instructor, North Texas Equestrian Center

 

In July 2019, Deborah traveled alone to England to obtain confirmed classification for competitions from the International Blind Sports Federation (ISBA). Deborah is the first United States dressage athlete with visual impairment to have received this classification. Deborah has attended para dressage clinics and won many dressage competitions.

Click HERE to see an illustration of what Deborah can see.

Gloucester, England, July 2, 2019

In October of 2019 Deborah won a Championship Award in the United States Dressage Federation Region 9 Southwest Championships. She qualified and participated in two Open Classes sponsored by the United States Para-Equestrian Association (USPEA) Emerging Athlete’s Program scheduled at the Tyron International Equestrian Center, Mill Spring, NC, October 24-25, 2020. Deborah is committed to the achievement of her goals and continues to train five to six days a week at NTEC.

 

As a recognized blind Para-Equestrian Dressage athlete, Deborah shares her heartfelt message of encouragement with others facing challenges. She designs customized l speaking presentation to educate, inspire, and motivate others, regardless of ability or disability, to develop a vision for what can be possible. In her own words, “Losing eyesight is far less significant than losing Vision Beyond Eyesight.” 

 
 
 
 
 
 

Received qualifying score for the 2020 Para Dressage National Championships!

 

 
 

 

Please get to know Deborah through an in-person interview. A phone conversation can be scheduled by contacting her, via email, at Deborah@visionbeyondeyesight.org.

 

“My passion for horses and training for competition has taught me this lesson: Victory is not measured by the color of the ribbon, the medal, wealth, or the position one reaches in life. Victory is measured by the adversities, obstacles, and failures overcome while trying to achieve victory.”

Deborah McAlexander


 

All Black Image.jpg
Logo 4x3.jpg
All Black Image.jpg

 

PLEASE JOIN MY JOURNEY

TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A VISIBLE DIFFERENCE IN OUR WORLD

-- DEBORAH MCALEXANDER