March 1973
Eric Miller, the founder of PURA, is born on March 25 in the Erie section of North Philadelphia. He starts riding horses in 1985 at the 9th & Tioga Street Stables under the guidance of Butch Lewis, one of Philly’s most well-known urban black cowboys. Shortly thereafter in 1989, Eric is incarcerated at age 16.
When he leaves prison in 2001, he starts keeping his own horses at Fletcher Street Stables, eventually going on to own nearly 20 horses that he uses for bush racing and teaching children in the community to ride (including his own kids, who were born in 2002).
Unfortunately, Eric’s freedom is cut short once again when he is sent back to prison in 2007, where he stays for the next 10 years.
