Breaking Barriers: Fallon Taylor's Fearless Ride to Success
In the Western lifestyle world, Fallon Taylor stands out. She stands out because she is not afraid to take a risk. She wore tie-dye; she wore a helmet, and she wore bright colors with fringe flying in the wind. She waves at the camera; she is a social media guru and a marketing genius, and she did all of it first.
Her late mom used to tell her, "You know Fallon, you are special, you are different, and you are unique. Just like everyone else." Fallon believes in that saying.
"I love that because it's true. Every single one of us has something that is special and unique about us," Fallon stated.
It is easy to look at someone like Fallon and be critical, and quite honestly, many people are. She knows it, and anyone close to her, or even watching at a distance, knows it. People tend to believe that because she has the courage to be different, she is somehow immune to the criticism offered so freely.
"It wasn't until I suffered some tragedy in my life that I started to get a little bit thicker skin. I knew I had overcome something big, and that really built self-confidence and a lot of self-respect," Fallon recalled.
Boaz Dov Elkes, courtesy of Fallon Taylor
Taylor used the tragedies in her life, divorce, breaking her neck, and losing her mom, to shape her into the person she is proud of today.
Facing the truth of going through a divorce was not something Taylor wanted to do. At the time, she felt like a failure. She recalls the time and knows that she didn't have the courage to be disliked.
"That was something I just didn't want to face head-on. I didn't want people to think I was less of a Christian than I said I was. I didn't want to be a disappointment or a failure. I didn't want people saying that I had publicly faked how happy I was or wasn't at the time," she said honestly.
Over time, Taylor learned that being vulnerable not only helps lift the veil on social media but also lets people truly be a part of your journey.
"Instead of always painting a beautiful picture, it's honest, it's life. Now, I don't mind sharing and being open about things. I'll share that I had a great hair day on a Wednesday, and maybe on Friday, I'm crying. That's how real people live, and I don't want to be fake."
At this point in her life, Taylor knows the impact she has, and she genuinely tries to impact people's lives by being supportive. Sometimes, that support comes in just allowing people to see the real-life she lives, with the highs and lows and all the in-between.
Rodeo Cowgirl
At just eight years old, she joined the Women's Professional Rodeo Association. She qualified for her first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo at 13 years old in 1995. She qualified again in 1996, 1997 and 1998.
She continued riding barrel horses, selling horses, and being a part of the Western world. She was one of the first pioneers of selling horses online.
In 2009, the world stopped spinning for Fallon, or at least that's how it felt. The truth was that the world continued on while Fallon was learning to recover from a C-2 vertebrae fracture.
For three days, she laid in a hospital bed, completely paralyzed. The rodeo star had to learn how to walk, talk, and ride all over again. She set goals and pushed herself. She also vowed to be an advocate.
So, if you have ever wondered about the helmets, does she wear them to get attention? Yes, she does. She wants to advocate to the world the value of simply wearing a helmet.
After having to relearn every skill necessary to be a cowgirl, Taylor went on to qualify for the WNFR in 2013, 2014 and 2015. The horse she made it on might be as famous as Fallon herself. Flos Heiress, who is better known to the world as "Babyflo," was the 2013 WPRA/AQHA Barrel Racing Horse of the Year.
Babyflo and Taylor wowed the fans by winning the World Championship in 2014.
Boaz Dov Elkes, courtesy of Fallon Taylor
Life Today
Taylor continues to be just as influential today, even though she left the spotlight of the rodeo arena for a few years. That was simply just one part of her life, and she has learned to be multi-talented
Babyflo continues her legacy as well. With Taylor's knowledge and Babyflo's DNA, they have created three stallions who will carry on the legacy of genetics.
Feel the Flo is by Feel the Sting and out of Flos Heiress. Heir to the Flo is by the great Epic Leader and out of Flos Heiress. Add to these two another stallion Fallon believes in, Turnpiker's Wagon, and you have a full lineup of impeccably bred studs.
Taylor plans to stand the two Babyflo-bred stallions to the public in 2025 but won't stop there. They are currently learning how to be barrel horses, and she hopes to campaign them in the futurity world in 2025.
Taylor is looking at the here and now and purchased a new horse to rodeo on this year. After having an honest conversation with a friend, Taylor realized that the only way she was going to enjoy the rodeo road was to purchase a horse.
"Sissy Winn and I were having a conversation one day, and she said, 'I don't know how you have time to make another rodeo horse.' I admitted that I didn't have time, and that's why I was still sitting at home. I was just too busy with life to train and season a horse. These horses need two or three years of exposure on the rodeo trail to be ready."
Admitting that and listening to the advice Sissy offered, Taylor made the decision to sell a few horses and go find something that she knew she could breed later and ride now.
She found that horse with a friend, Tricia Aldridge.
"I had seen every video of this horse since she was three. Tricia and I are good friends, and we text or talk every day. I actually texted her on Christmas Day and asked if she would sell the mare," Taylor said.
Fury Time, also known as Puma, is now owned by Taylor, and she has big goals set for the 5-year-old mare.
Taylor knows the road won't be easy and already admits that she is having to work on skills in order to ride the mare. Taylor is used to riding "little red rockets," not big, strong, powerful mares.
"I have to set this horse up well for the barrel, and I am having to adjust to riding a bigger horse with a different style than the little horses," Fallon said.
One of the biggest changes in Taylor's life occurred nearly two years ago. On February 22, 2022, Taylor and her husband, Alex McCray, welcomed a beautiful baby boy, Brand Alexander McCray.
Taylor continues to be successful in many different avenues of life. She owns Dynasty Equine, Ranch Dress'n and Tacktical. She continues to inspire thousands with her social media presence. She influences the Western fashion industry with her trend-setting patterns and styles. She raises horses, trains horses, and rodeos. She is a mom, a daughter, a wife, and a friend.
This is life — Fallon style. Like it or leave it, the world needs more of it.
