It is interesting to note that during the early years of Thoroughbred racing, from the first Kentucky Derby in 1875 until 1903, black jockeys and horsemen were very prominent in the sport. In fact, out of the first 28 Derby winners, 15 of them were ridden by black jockeys! The term jockey falls very much in closeness with a more common term which is Equestrian. A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing primarily as a profession while an equestrian is related to horseback riding or horseback riders.
It’s not too often that we come across young black boys desiring to enter the sport of horse riding because they are often pushed to just play football, basketball, or maybe even baseball. We were so excited to be strolling down TikTok and see a video of these two amazing brothers exhibiting such elegant swag during equestrian competitions!
We were amazed by them and wanted to learn more about them. So, we interviewed Julian Harrison (14 years old) and his brother Cameron Harrison (11 years old) to find out more. We didn’t race on a horse, of course, to gather this interview but we knew to move quickly on this historic moment.
You both are doing such a phenomenal thing. You showcase a lot of skill and talent. When did you first discover your passion for horses? Who inspired you to start?
It all started during the COVID-19 pandemic…it was like everything we knew and loved had changed overnight. We went from two outgoing boys in elementary school to suddenly only having each other. My brother and I spent a lot of time at home with our parents and in order to have fun, we had to get creative. One of the games we loved to play over and over again was “horseback riding,” where we would each take turns being the horse and the rider. On other nights, we’d blast Drake until 2 AM. Since my mom was working from home, she was trying to find ways to help us burn off all the energy. Come to find out, English Equestrian was one of the only things that stayed open during the pandemic because it was an individual sport and outside.
I think we both knew the first time we got on a horse that it was going to be something that we were going to love! Since beginning English Equestrian riding three years ago, we’ve traveled for dozens of competitions and won champion and champion reserve. Riding has given us the courage to keep pushing for what we love and believe in. It has become our passion and we love and plan to stick with it in high school and college. Our mom has been behind us 100 percent of the way in supporting our goals.
You display so much grace and confidence while riding. That takes so much work. Do you feel knowing a lot about the horse you are riding helps with training and preparation?
Horses are special because they can pick up on what you’re feeling – if you’re going into the ring stressed out or upset, they’re going to know it right away. It’s really important that you build a relationship with your horse before you start jumping because what you’re doing is dangerous. You have to understand their personality and go to each practice with a positive attitude, ready to learn. For the next few years, that horse might just be your best friend – so you should treat them with respect and love.
What you both are doing is paving a historic way for other black boys to be inspired to become a Equestrian. How does that make you feel knowing that?
We’re so proud that we get to inspire other kids! English Equestrian was definitely an experience that our whole family fell in love with. But when they first started riding, there weren’t many other families at the barn that looked like us. That’s part of the reason why we started the Interscholastic DC Equestrian League (IEL) at our school. It helps bring a riding program to students who otherwise may not have the opportunity to compete.
How do your friends at school feel about the sport?
Riding not only was a way for us to have fun during the pandemic – but it also helped us focus more in school. Our teachers say they’ve seen a difference in our confidence and school work. Our friends also think it’s so cool that we get to ride on these huge animals and are even interested in coming to watch us sometimes!
We’ve made lots of friends in school and at the barn thanks to horseback riding and it feels like we have one big family now.
Outside of horse riding, what does a normal day of the week look like for you both?
We train almost every day of the week, sometimes starting our days at 5 AM to balance our school work with our passion. After school, we usually go to the barn to warm up with our horses and practice jumps. After that, we have to finish our homework and our daily duties. After all our chores are done, we usually reward ourselves with a big Fortnite gaming session!
It’s a lot and sometimes it gets hard, but our horses have made us better students and people. Most of all, it’s helped us feel more confident.
How does it feel to ride alongside your brother?
People ask us all the time if it’s weird competing against each other and the truth is, we love it! Riding together means that we have each other’s backs. If one of us gets a blue ribbon, it feels like the other got it too. It’s all about having someone you can count on and to us, that’s our family. We’re no longer scared to take on new challenges and are constantly experimenting with higher jumps together. It can be really scary at times, but we’ve learned that if we have each other, it really makes all the difference.
Have you ever experienced any unfair treatment from peers in the sport?
We’re blessed to be surrounded by people that love horses just as much as we do! Being at the barn has been a great experience and we’re lucky to have trainers and friends that support us. Of course, that doesn’t mean things don’t get competitive at times — but we’re always respectful and remember to reel it in before things get to be too much.
What’s a dream that you both hope to see happen in this sport for you in the near future?
In the future we hope to see kids of all backgrounds and ages have a chance to compete in English Equestrian riding. There’s something special about a relationship with a horse that we want to share with everyone. It’s like having a best friend that always has your back and keeps you safe. Their always there when you need them the most. We want other kids to see us and think, “Hey I can do that too,” even if it might be scary. It’s true that jumping isn’t easy – but with commitment and discipline your hard work will pay off. We would also like to be the first African-American males to represent the US in the Olympics. Fingers crossed.
Let’s imagine that one day both of your names are headlines all over the world. What do you want people to remember about you the most?
We want people to remember that we never gave up. We took something we loved and believed in and stuck with it, even when it was hard. It doesn’t mean that things were perfect for us from the start. Riding is one of the biggest challenges we’ve ever had! We fell a lot and cried a lot, but in the end, we trusted ourselves and our horses to bring us here.
We hope your hearts were on fire with so much love for these bright and intelligent young boys. You can watch their amazing journey by following them on social media!
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