Just days before the crash Veronica had spoken of her chance to prove herself on the world stage, and her love of barrel racing.
"It's a feeling that's hard to describe," she said.
"It's like [barrel racing] takes me to another place, where I'm in my own little world - a world of just me, the horse and crazy speed."
Her partner Glen Smith, who had qualified for the world championships in a different division, was equally excited by the prospect of seeing his love and riding coach show the US competition her skills.
"Veronica's been riding since she was able to walk," he said, "but she doesn't like to tell people about how she was rookie champ in New Zealand. This year she's done really well; she knows her stuff."
She now faces a long road to recovery, but her friends and family agreed last week that only an insurmountable barrier would keep her off her horse.
"Barrel racing is her life [and] she'll never give up," Glen said, vowing to do everything possible to ensure her dream came true.
Close friend Sarah Whybrow said the National Barrel Horse Association community would support the couple, while another friend has set up a fundraising page (www.gofundme.com/the-toughest-cowgirl-we-know), which as of last week had raised $4810.