Tender Belly Athlete Interview: Erin Troyk

Here at Tender Belly we are thrilled to know and be able to work with Erin Troyk and The Desert Warriors of the Southwest. Erin is a highly skilled mounted archer and we are so proud to have her as one of our Tender Belly sponsored athletes.

Erin joined The Desert Warriors of the Southwest team in 2017 following in the footsteps of her mother. She has been riding horses since the age of four, and didn’t pick up her first bow and arrow until 2017.

When she is not training, she is a custom tailor — designing suits and shirts for men.

We recently caught up with Erin and asked a few questions about her journey so you could get to know her better, and here is what she had to say:

Name:Erin Troyk
Sport:Horseback Mounted Archery
Title:Student level 4 and custom tailor 

When did you first get involved in your sport?

2017

How did you find this sport, and realize you excel in it?

My mother watched Lord of the Rings and became obsessed with Legolas. After that she practiced and soon became the president of MA3 (mounted archery of the Americas), she formed our team, The Desert Warriors of the Southwest.

What has been the most rewarding experience in your career? 

Being able to play a sport, side by side, with my mom and having her as my teacher. Plus, getting to be around a supportive team and beautiful horses is a bonus! My favorite childhood TV show was Xena, so being able to dress like a warrior and play the part in real life has been awesome.

What has been your biggest accomplishment as an athlete?

In Aug. 2018, while competing in Utah, I won 1st in my division and got 4th overall. There were 27 competitors. The Desert Warriors cleaned up! Riding a horse with no reins has taught me good balance as well.

Nowhere awesome yet, I’ve only been to two competitions so far in the US.  I would say getting to experience my mom’s track and being in one of the best in the world right here in Scottsdale, Arizona.