Salem Statesman Journal
Bill Poehler

TURNER – Garrett Kincaid doesn’t ride horses, but in his free time he cleans their stalls.

It’s a back-breaking, sometimes smelly job most people abhor and avoid.

Kincaid spends one day a week volunteering at Horses for Hope. Most of his time at the property in Turner, he spends helping people with disabilities get on and ride therapy horses.

When the work is slow and there are no other tasks for him to do, Kincaid grabs a shovel and does the dirty work.

And he enjoys it.

“He’s always thinking about other people and everything he can do for them,” said Brittany Barner, stable manager for Horses of Hope.

HORSES OF HOPE: Virtual classroom students take field trip to care for horses

“He’s very driven. He has so much motivation.”

Kincaid’s desire to help others has moved him to join the military.

About the time the Lyons teenager started high school, he started thinking about following a long line of relatives who have served – or currently serve – in one of the branches of the armed forces.

His military career is receiving a step forward.

“I’m really excited about it because that will give me the look inside the Naval Academy that I want to see if that’s really where I want to go.”

Kincaid, a junior at Oregon Connections Academy, has been selected to participate in the June 2 through 7 United States Naval Academy Summer Seminar in Annapolis, Maryland.

“I’m really excited about it because that will give me the look inside the Naval Academy that I want to see if that’s really where I want to go,” said Kincaid, whose cousin Marissa Stinson currently attends the Naval Academy.

“I have a whole bunch of other options, should it not work out as well as I thought it would. But that is my primary choice.”

Kincaid was informed by the admissions office at the Naval Academy that he has been accepted as a candidate for the college’s 2023 class and is starting the application process.

He is currently interested in studying nuclear engineering or cyber security at the Naval Academy.

Kincaid was named the ORCA Student of the Year by the North Santiam Chamber of Commerce in April.

MORE: ORCA students outing to Horses of Hope

“Watching Garrett grow academically and socially these past several years has been so rewarding,” said ORCA Outreach Manager Laura Dillon.

“Garrett has become a true leader for his peers through student government and other programs."

Kincaid also has been invited to compete in the June 18 to 20 Oregon 4-H Shooting Sports State Contest in Albany. He will compete in the Senior Compound Bow division.

He first tried archery on a field trip with ORCA ago and now practices or competes once a week at The Archery Hut in Lebanon.

This will be the first time he has been at the state competition.

“I’ve been doing it for five years and I’m working with a really nice compound bow,” Kincaid said.

When he’s not doing that, he volunteers by helping seniors and low-income families and working with horses.

Kincaid is happy to do the dirty work.

“If there’s no other tasks, we just pick a horse, go into their stalls and hang out with them until our next client work,” Kincaid said.

bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com or Twitter.com/bpoehler