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Letter to the editor

At 64, she's a finalist in model search

An East Lake woman entered an AARP contest for models over 50. And if she doesn't win, at least she has her horse.

By THERESA BLACKWELL, Times Staff Writer
Published November 11, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Courtesy of Deborah Eschenroeder] Lore Pearson of East Lake, 64, poses for a photo with her bay-colored paint Masquaw. Lore submitted this photo to an AARP 50-plus model search contest and is one of 16 finalists.

EAST LAKE - Listen to Lore Pearson, and you will learn it's never too late to follow your dreams.

As a youngster, she had wanted two things: a glamorous career, and her own horse.

As a teen in Los Angeles, her Swedish good looks attracted a talent scout, and she tested for the screen, even worked a little. But after an early marriage and two children in quick succession, she gave up on the glamor to care for her kids. When the marriage ended, her career choices were geared toward supporting a family.

Then a few years ago, her daughter, Deborah Eschenroeder, bought a ranchette in East Lake. And Pearson, 64, bought Masquaw, a bay-colored paint with white markings and a sable-black mane. She rides Masquaw in the Brooker Creek Preserve twice a week.

One dream down.

"Boomers have lots of dreams and we're living longer," Pearson said. "Some of us made choices that didn't let us follow our dreams. And now, I want to be Ralph Lauren's older model."

One dream to go.

AARP was looking for models over 50 and invited anyone over 50 to apply. It's the third year of the Faces of 50+ Real People Model Search, and the models will be featured in the magazine AARP next year.

In August, Pearson submitted a photo of herself in a denim jacket with her horse, just after a ride.

So Ralph Lauren.

"I was at the horse ranch and my daughter got this really pretty picture of me," she said. "And I thought, 'I'm doing this.' "

She and about 14,000 others.

Then early one morning last week, her computer had an e-mail message with the subject heading 'You can now vote for 50+ model finalists."

Pearson opened it, and her own face smiled back at her.

"With 15 other awesome individuals," she said. "Age didn't get in the way of their beauty."

If you're a baby boomer, too, pursuing a life dream at last, Pearson would like to hear from you at lorepearson@yahoo.com She's writing a book.

It's something to do between horseback riding and modeling sessions.

Theresa Blackwell can be reached at tblackwell@sptimes.com or 727 445-4170.

Fast Facts:

TO VOTE

You can vote for the model of your choice once each day at www.aarpmagazine.org/modelsearch through Nov. 16. AARP has already selected nine models and the public will vote on the 10th model. The models will appear in the March and April 2008 issue of AARP The Magazine. The winner will be announced at the Web site on Nov. 21.

[Last modified November 10, 2007, 20:38:31]