Parker Steck is equally qualified to care for horses and humans
by Chris Lomon
When it comes to Parker Steck’s school of thought on a full-time career, there is more than one rewarding path for her to follow.
For the past four years, Steck has played an integral role as a little-bit-of-everything contributor to the successful Ohio-based stable run by her parents, Ron and Kila.
The decision to take on the full-time gig was by no means an easy one, considering the 26-year-old holds a degree in nursing from Ashland University.
“The biggest challenge I had, which was about four years ago, is that I have my degree, so that was the toughest part about being in the barn,” Parker said. “I would wonder, ‘Should I do this [nursing] full-time as I planned?’ People would ask me that a lot, whether I would leave racing and go full-time in nursing. I struggled with not using a degree for a long time.”
And then, after much deliberation, she found her answer.
“Not everyone gets to do something they love, so I am grateful for what I have,” she said. “I work very closely with my dad and my mom. As the years have gone on, I have picked up some more responsibilities around the barn. My dad enters the horses to race, and I will look up the entries, see who got in where and plan out our paddock and shipping schedules. My mom does a lot of the ordering, like feed and equipment, so I complement that with what I do, all with ensuring the horses have what they need. So, I do a lot of things, including being a groom for my parents’ horses.”
With nearly 1,460 career training wins and 1,558 driving victories to his name, Ron, along with support from his family, has crafted an operation built on old-fashioned work ethic, consistency, and the unyielding pursuit of excellence.
Those values were passed along to Parker and her brother, Ranger, a star-on-the-rise driver, at an early age.
“The best thing that came out of working in the barn was work ethic,” Parker said. “My parents taught me from a very young age that you have to show up and put in the work when you make a commitment. Even if you don’t make a commitment, you have to be passionate about something. This is that for me.”
Parker’s first vivid recollection of her parents’ passion for all things standardbred came during her middle school years.
Years later, she can still remember the sights, sounds, and even the smells associated with the sport.
“I remember my dad would come to my school sporting events and he would smell like he had been around the horses,” Parker said with a laugh. “It’s so off-the-wall, but I equate that smell with my dad. That is the time when I started to recognize the horses and be around them.”
Noble Trick, a son of Nobleland Sam, who would win 18 races from 106 starts, most with Ron as trainer, was the first horse Parker remembered watching race.
But there is another Steck-related horse who has made the most indelible mark.
“The first one I actually took a real liking to and created a bond with was my horse now, McWiz; I didn’t own him at the time,” Parker said. “I don’t know why he caught my eye – he just did. He is very friendly, good with kids, and he kind of helped raise me. It feels like we grew up together in the business.”
A business that Parker has a profound love and respect for – something that has not gone unnoticed.
Along with Katie Hershberger, Parker was named the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association’s (OHHA) 2025 Outstanding Groom.
Deeply appreciative of the recognition, the horsewoman credited the horses in the family barn for the honor.
“A lot of horses come and go, but we have been fortunate to see a lot of them grow up and do well,” Parker said. “Seeing them come in, learning about them and finding out how they can excel – every horse is different, but it’s great to see when they figure it out, put it all together and build confidence.
“And I enjoy talking to the horses. Some people ask me who I am talking to. I share my thoughts with them – it’s actually a lot of fun.”
Trips to the winner’s circle spark some of her most cherished conversations, albeit of the one-sided variety.
“I think when they win, they know it,” she said. “They are like us. When we do something well, we gain confidence and are proud of what we did. I want to show them that I am proud of them, so they can feel the same about themselves. Seeing them understand that and then show it on the track is the coolest part.”
She also finds common ground between her equine work and her nursing education.
“We had a couple of horses who just had surgery,” Parker said. “A lot of the things the vets do — to a degree — you can equate it with some of the procedures we do on humans. That’s kind of cool. A lot of the stuff you learn in nursing school — wound care, etc. — you can apply to this world.”
A world that Parker has no intention of leaving anytime soon.
“I love working with my dad and mom,” Parker said. “I am very close to both. I’m not sure if my dad stopped training if I would work for anyone else. I definitely think he has given me the skills and knowledge that if I wanted to be a trainer, I would feel confident pursuing that.
“It’s good that I have my nursing degree because if I wanted to do that down the road, I could jump into that and be okay.”
Outside of the hectic pace of barn life, Parker appreciates a simpler, more relaxed approach.
Even so, horses still play a central role in her favorite hobby.
“I am a big crafter – I like to scrapbook, read books and do that kind of stuff,” she said. “I like things that are at a slower pace. A lot of my scrapbooking pages are about horses. It’s hard to keep all those win photos, but I enjoy looking at them because they hold a lot of great memories.”
The hope is that there are many more to come.
As for what lies down the road career-wise for Parker, that path remains to be determined.
There is no hurry to consider that journey – not when there is contentment in where she finds herself every morning.
In this instance, the family that races together stays together.
“That is something we always enjoy saying,” Parker said.
