This is why we ride.....

Team DO3 member, Ashley Richards-Schuetz tells a little about why she rides with Team DO3:

Just wanted to share who I ride for and why i am passionate about raising money for the American Cancer Society... July 2011 my daddy was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer, he had less than 6 months to live and my wedding was in 2 months. We all knew what was coming,
but I never let it my dad know how scared I was. I would go to the restroom in the hospital, cry my eyes out, wash my face, compos...

e myself and force a smile as I walked back into his room. I sat thru two 8 hour brain surgeries for him, went to every appointment and meeting...I never left his side. He always supported me, I wasn't going to let him go at this alone. Even on his worst days he came to my barrel races. He sat in a pop-up chair with a blanket and mustered smiles and jokes with all my lesson kids. My daddy saved his strength to walk me down the aisle and to dance with me at my wedding. Unfortunatly, the very next day after my wedding he started his down-hill decline. He suffered multiple seizure that left him without the use of his left side. I couldn't take it, as a daddy's girl, my life was ending as I watched his fade. Soon he was bed-ridden and could barely swallow or speak. He tumor had come back with a vengence. We found ourselves in the hospital again for another surgery...a surgery my daddy never fully woke up from. My dad was in the neuro ICU for 20 days. FOr 20 days I held his hand, wishing he would wake up and smile at me. For 20 days I watched his monitors until I was just about to go insane. He finally woke up enough ope his eyes, nod his head and to mutter "Bubba" which was his nickname for me. We knew....we knew these were the last days. On that day, the day we knew he wouldn't make it thru the night, we all took our turns with him. Telling him what we wanted him to know, that we loved, that we would take care of mom. He never cried. I asked if he was scared. He shook his head no. I promised to be just as brave as I held his hand one last time......time passed and the depression set in. The loss of my dad was more than I could bare. In the midst of it all, I had lost my passion. My horse sat in my barn. My best friend, my team mate....I had no desire to saddle up....until....that dream. That dream I had were daddy said he was happy were he was at and he showed me his nice new house and the new deck he was building. He told me to ride...ride for him...NEVER GIVE UP your dream. The next morning I pulled the blanket off my horse. He looked aweful....4 months of exercise got him back into shape and ready to run rodeos. We were at the pay window...holy hell we are at the pay window waiting for our check at a Pro rodeo. It was daddy...he rides with us =)