I was around ten years old when my dad took me on a road trip around the west. This was the first time I’d ever been on a horse and from that day forward, I’ll blame him for wanting to be a cowboy. After that, I started riding working cow horses until that got too expensive and I decided it was much cheaper to throw a rigging bag into the trunk of a car and travel to bull r
idings. I rode bulls for a few years until I broke my back and injured my spinal cord leaving me paralyzed from the waist down in March of 2012. At this point I was very uncertain what to do with my future. Liz Watson, a physical therapist from Magee Rehab, suggested going back to school and I thought to myself, “not a bad idea, but I’ve been out of school for 6 years.” I wasn’t sure if I could do it. So, I enrolled at Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania just to get my feet wet. By the time I was finished my associates, I knew I would be transferring to a four-year school. I was considering Texas A&M and the University of Wyoming. I was fortunate enough to visit both schools with my brothers and sister. After visiting the University of Wyoming the answer was clear, but I still wanted to see what Texas A&M had to offer. Needless to say, here I am. I left Pennsylvania by myself in the summer of 2015 with a trunk full of clothes. When I got here I didn’t know anyone, but It didn’t take long to make friends across Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. Fast-forward to Thanksgiving 2016 and I find myself riding horses with friends and trying to decide whose Thanksgiving dinner to attend. Obstacles can be overcome, and I can’t thank my friends and family enough for the continued support pursuing a career in agriculture. Happy Holidays!
-Rob Ziegler