Walter Horton Has Competed in Figure Skating for Eighteen Years in a Row:
Walter Horton holds a record. He has competed year after year in adult figure skating competitions and has not missed competing at the U.S. Figure Skating Adult Nationals for over eleven years. He is an inspiration to every adult skater that participates in the event. He is currently working towards competing at the Adult National Figure Skating Championships for the twelvth straight year.
Born:
Nov. 30, 1956 in Morgantown, West Virginia
Skating Experience as a Child:
Walter had no formal training at skating as a child, but he did go skating on the park pond every winter and loved the feeling. Walter writes, "I think this must have planted some subconscious memory that triggered my adult skating career."
Hometown and Family:
Walter grew up in New Philadelphia, Ohio and currently lives in Stow, Ohio.
Walter's wife, Sara, is a U.S. Figure Skating judge and an adjunct professor at a local college where she teaches anatomy and physiology. His son, Dan, is a senior at Kent State University majoring in integrated language arts.
Favorite Skaters:
Walter's favorite skaters are Brian Boitano and John Curry. His favorite ice dancers are Judy Blumberg and Michael Siebert and Ben Agosto and Tanith Belbin.
How Walter Began Skating:
In 1988 he was working in Indianapolis right across the street from the World Skating Academy. He started carrying his lunch over to the rink so he could watch the skaters train. On a whim, he signed up for a set of basic lessons and his first instructor was Sandy Lamb. She got him through the Basic 1-6 and Freestlye 1 U.S. Figure Skating Basic Skills tests in about three months. He later moved to Baltimore and continued skating, but he didn't like ice dancing.
How Walter Began Ice Dancing:
One day he saw former World competitor Sally Urban skate at a dance weekend in Baltimore. He did a Dutch Waltz with her and writes that he was hooked. He then began working on ice dance tests and was lucky enough to get a partner and coach and he has continued ice dancing ever since then.
Education, Career, and Hobbies:
Walter hold a degree in Zoology from Kent State and a Ph.D. in Anatomy and Cell Biology from University of Cincinnati.
He is a professor at a medical school and carries out research on arthritis.
Walter loves to announce and handle the music for skating competitions and he does music editing for skaters and coaches. Walter comments, "I know, I have to get a life away from the rink!"
Favorite Places to Skate and Favorite Ice Dance Weekends :
Walter loves to skate in Sun Valley, Idaho. He writes, "That is where I am writing this from and I don't want to leave!"
He recommends attending the Motown Tango Ice Dance Weekend in Detroit.
More About Walter Horton:
Skating Partners:
Walter skated pairs for five years with his wife, Sara. His first dance partner was Lynda Bender from Baltimore. Then he skated with Victoria Stanbridge. They skated together for seven years. Currently his partner is June Smith.Skating Accomplishments:
He has trained and competed for eighteen straight years including all eleven adult nationals. He has won two national gold medals.Coaching and Training:
Walter has had serveral coaches, but mentions three in particular: Jeff Nolt, David Young, and Alyssa (Hicks) Blackwell. Walter skates three times a week with his partner and has lessons on two of those sessions.Favorite Ice Dances:
The Argentine Tango to skate and the Ravensberger Waltz to watch.Why Walter Enjoys Ice Dancing:
Walter enjoys the "couples" events very much. He explains that ice dancing and pairs have the special dimension of two people working as one and that ice dance has the added importance of the music and expressing the look and feel of whatever style of dance is being skated.Here's a Statement From Walter:
"I would really encourage all adults and young skaters to give ice dance a try. Even if you have to skate mostly by yourself you will develop such an understanding of how to control your movement and really skate in harmony with the music. It is a wonderful feeling by itself and it will always make you a better skater for your moves and freestyle. My wife is a judge and thirty seconds into the first move at any level she can tell the difference between a skater who dances and someone who doesn't."
I want to thank all the coaches, judges, and officials who are supportive of the adult skaters. No one should ever underestimate the love and passion that the adults bring to the ice at all levels. And...they have a fair amount of disposable income to pay for lessons!
