story by Lindsay Humphrey
Both riding Radar Cats Merada – “Radar” – sisters Terryn Harvey and Carly Grady punched their tickets for the 2022 Junior World Finals. Terryn and Carly are the definition of best friends and sharing a horse on the road to Vegas is just another way of illustrating that bond. “My horse got hurt in 21 and he’s just been kind of off ever since then. We were headed to the qualifier in Texarkana, Texas, and my sister told me to ride Radar and kick butt on him,” said Terryn who’s 15. “I did alright for running a 7-year-old stud horse who hasn’t been going very long.” If alright is winning the event with a 14.435 then Terryn is spot on.
Terryn
“This will be my fifth year going to Vegas. The only year I missed was 2020. Every year I’ve had high expectations for myself and this time I just want to go have fun, trust my horse and make some clean runs while I’m there.” Terryn isn’t sure who she’ll be running out in Vegas, but that’s not new for her. Last year it was only her second time riding Radar, but she took him through all three rounds of the Junior World Finals. “We have 13 head in the barn that I can pick from, but we’ll be bringing 6 out to Vegas to run at a bunch of other things. I’ll just pick when I get there like I did last year.”
The last four times Terryn’s ran in Vegas, she’s won the second round. It’s quite a feat to repeat so many times. Where she places won’t be her focus at all this time. Her little sister will take up a majority of her attention. “My little sister has been working really hard to get to go and something has always come up that kept her from running there. I’m her biggest fan and I always will be.” Even though the sisters have gone to a lot of events together, this will easily be the biggest one to date. “My sister has always been my biggest fan and now I get to do that for her. Getting to be there for her in this moment after she’s worked so hard to earn it makes me want to cry because I’m so excited for her.”
Carly
It was at the All In Barrel Race in Vegas last year that 12-year-old Carly piloted Radar to a qualification at this year’s Junior World Finals. For the past four years, Carly’s been attempting to qualify for the Junior World Finals in the junior barrels and it’s never quite come together for her. While she’s happily cheered her sister on from the sidelines, she’s beyond excited for her turn on the big stage. Prior to riding Radar in Vegas, Carly had only been officially teamed up with the young stallion for about three months. “We really hadn’t gone anywhere big with as much noise as there was in Vegas. He was super calm for me.” Carly ran Radar for about a week straight during their time in Vegas before everything clicked. Radar was essentially Carly’s step-up horse as she had gotten more competitive with each race she entered. It’s obvious that the two are a force to be reckoned with already.
“When we get to Vegas, I know that I just need to be patient with Radar because he hasn’t been in an arena on the top floor like that hardly at all. It’s a really cool experience for me and my horse and it can help us get ready for other things in life.” Since Carly’s been attempting to compete in Vegas for so long, she wasn’t at all intimated when it was her time to qualify last December.
All this great horsepower comes from Terryn and Carly’s loving parents, Colby and Kelly Grady. Even though Colby’s a major branch of the support system that keeps good horses in the barn, it’s mainly Kelly in the driver’s seat. “We give our mom all the credit in the world for putting us on good horses that could carry us to where we are today. She’s the reason we’re where we are now. My sister and I could not do it without her. She’s been the best role model,” Terryn added.
