75-Year-Old Rider Qualifies for The Run For A Million—Inspiring Women Everywhere to Keep Riding Toward Their Dreams
Teresa Goforth and Little Lenas Solano – all images courtesy of Tusk PR + Marketing.
LAS VEGAS, NV — At 75 years old, Teresa Goforth is rewriting the story of equine competition and inspiring a generation while doing it. This summer, she and her 20-year-old American Quarter Horse partner, Little Lenas Solano, affectionately known as Maverick, have qualified to compete at both The Run For A Million Non Pro Challenge and AQHA Select World Show —two of the most elite reining competitions in the world.
Together, they represent 95 years of grit, wisdom, and unwavering dedication to the ride.
Teresa’s presence in the arena is more than symbolic—it’s extraordinary. In a sport often dominated by younger riders and even younger horses, she and Maverick are turning heads with their technical precision and fierce commitment. Their qualification isn’t just a personal triumph; it’s a signal to every older woman, retired athlete, or lifelong dreamer that greatness is always within reach.
“This isn’t a comeback,” Teresa says. “Competing in The Run For A Million’s 2025 Non Pro Challenge is just one chapter in a journey that’s far from over. After Vegas, Maverick and I will head to the Select World Show to keep doing what we love, together. It’s about showing up fully—no matter your age—and continuing to chase the things that light your soul on fire.”
A lifelong horsewoman and fierce advocate for women in Western sports, Teresa is passionate about elevating the sport of reining and challenging stereotypes around age and ability. With many peers moving toward less intense disciplines like ranch riding, Teresa is staying in the arena—literally and figuratively—demonstrating that reining isn’t just a young rider’s sport. It’s a craft that only deepens with time.
Teresa’s journey in the saddle began in 1955, when she first climbed onto a horse as a young girl with big dreams and a fearless spirit. By 1963 at the age of 13, she placed third in Reining at the State Fair of Texas, hosted by the Texas Junior Quarter Horse Association. Over the decades, Teresa has competed at the highest levels of non-pro, amateur and select competition, including standout performances at the Florida Reining Classic, National Reining Breeders Classic and the AQHA Adequan Select World Show in both 2013 and 2014. Her history isn’t defined by a single season. It’s the accumulation of decades spent learning, refining, rising, and always riding forward.
Beyond the arena, Teresa has devoted her life to service and leadership. After 9/11, she flew 46 missions for the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, transporting troops to war zones, and later founded a nonprofit to support wounded soldiers en route to Landstuhl Hospital. She went on to co-found the Phoenix Project, a crisis-response program that served over 500 combat veterans and their spouses before PTSD was widely acknowledged. A certified Divemaster and CPR instructor, Teresa brings the same courage and commitment to every chapter of her life.
She hopes that by competing in Las Vegas and Oklahoma City, she can continue to inspire women and aspiring riders across the world to find an equine partner you trust, and saddle up, no matter your age.
Teresa and “Maverick.”
About The Run For A Million
The Run For A Million is the richest and most prestigious reining event in the world, hosted annually in August, in Las Vegas. Featuring the top horses and riders in the Reining, Cow Horse and Cutting, for youth, non-pros and professionals, it is known as the ultimate proving ground in the Western performance horse world.
Teresa is available for interviews, features, and speaking engagements to share her journey, her philosophy, and her vision for empowering women in sport and beyond.
For media inquiries, interviews, or campaign partnerships, contact: Natasha Stewart at 480.296.9530.
