Erika Metro
Height: 5’11
Hometown: Beaver County, Alberta
Languages: English
Occupation: Equestrian Canada Coach
Erika was born, raised and still resides in rural Alberta. She has always loved the outdoors and became interested in horses at the age of five when she started taking lessons. From there, it has developed into a lifelong passion, one that she loves to share with others, especially youngsters and diverse needs students. Erika gained experience working with diverse needs students as an Educational Assistant at a high school. When an opportunity arose for her to live her lifelong dream of being an integral team member at an equine facility, she jumped at the opportunity! Erika is a registered Equestrian Canada coach and now runs the lesson program, plans, organizes and executes Summer Camps and takes her clients and their horses to compete in horse shows. She also shares her love and knowledge of her favourite breeds through fundraisers and other activities.
When Erika is not at the barn, you can find her frolicking through fields, meditating under a tree or creating social media content to put a smile on people’s face. She also enjoys spending her time bouldering, gardening and playing with her two dogs.
What are your interests and what do you enjoy doing the most?
Horseback riding is the most important part of my life. I do also enjoy Botany, Hiking, archery, and listening to music.
List any special training you have had (music, art, drama, dance, etc.)
I have no formal training in fine arts other than musicals in high school and playing the saxophone.
In what sports, if any, have you participated?
Horseback riding of course! Mainly in jumping, dressage, and most recently, saddleseat.
Name one person, other than your parents, who has had the most influence on your life. Why?
Leanne Tomanek has influenced me greatly in the past five years as a friend and as a mentor. She is the most supportive of this pageant journey and we have grown our equestrian business together as well as our relationship.
What is your proudest personal accomplishment (other than participating in this pageant)?
Competing and winning at Arabian Canadian Nationals multiple different years with my own horse, and now watching students that I have taught and trained also competing and excelling at the same horse shows I have. #fullcircle
What is the most interesting or unique thing that has ever happened to you and/or what is the most interesting thing about you?
Getting accepted into this pageant is completely out of the norm for me as I spend my days in a horse barn. Although I have never done a pageant, I love being on stage and performing in front of an audience. The most interesting thing about me is my ability to get my hands dirty, then turn around, put some heels and a dress on and look like a completely different person.
What is your career ambition and what are you doing or plan to do to accomplish that goal?
I would like to continue to build my lesson program and eventually become a competition coach specialist, and also help other riding instructors acquire their certification to maintain integrity of our sport.
What would be your “dream job” in life?
I would like to be a horseback riding instructor. Seeing as I’ve already accomplished that, Eventually I would like to own an equestrian facility.
Describe where you were raised and what your childhood was like.
I grew up with my parents and my older sister on our acreage 20 minutes from Tofield. In the summers we spent lots of time outside gardening with my Mom and Dad, looking for frogs with my sister, and playing with the dogs. I also remember going camping all the way up to the Yukon, Northwest Territories, northern BC and even Alaska. Our winters were spent tobogganing in the backyard and warming up inside by the fireplace in the home our Dad designed. By the age of 12 I was old enough to have a horse of my own, so a lot of my time was spent riding my horse and going on adventures with her and my few friends.
List any interesting or unusual jobs you may have had.
Although I’ve always been invested with horses and animals, I did take a year to work as an Educational assistant in a high school, working with students with diverse needs. I really enjoyed my time working with kids and they always manage to put a smile on my face. It wasn’t exactly unusual, but very interesting!
List any volunteering you have done.
As a youth my spare time was spent rehabilitating horses in the Rescue 100 foundation.
What is your most unusual talent?
My ability to create different characters and personas was an awesome and creative way to get through the past few years and make lots of people laugh!
Where is the most interesting place you have been to?
As a child I’ve visited some remote places in western and northern Canada, but one of my favorites was Liard Hot Springs. It’s a natural hot spring in northern BC. It’s about a 10-minute boardwalk from the campground, and the hot pools range in temperature. you can swim to the cooler water and see where the fresh water comes in, then move to the hot water for a relaxing soak and it’s all in the middle of a forest.
What do you hope to be doing in ten years?
I would like to still be riding horses and mentoring young instructors like me to keep the equestrian business alive.
Is there anything you would like to add that we haven’t asked?
I’m looking forward to this new experience and I would like to use this platform and publicity to assist, advocate and bring awareness for people experiencing houselessness and addiction.