Tuesday, Mar 10, 2015
Club sport allows students members to compete in about 10 shows per year
by Christopher Brooks
Following a semester packed with lessons and shows, the Rider University equestrian team will prepare for Regionals on March 14 at Bethel Farm and Stables in Spring City, Pa.
The team, which is qualified as a club sport, is open to all full-time undergraduate riders of any skill level. The Rider Equestrian team is a member of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association and attends around 10 shows every year in the region.
Even though there are no horses on campus, each team member can take lessons at their own leisure at Buckingham Valley Farm in Buckingham, Pa.
Team captain Nina Farrell likes to poke fun at students who don’t know much about the equestrian team. “The question is always ‘Where are the horses?’” Farrell says. “We like to joke, ‘Oh they are just on the back of campus.’”
While many riders prefer to stick to one horse that they know well in competitions, the Rider equestrian team does not have that advantage. At each show the team attends, different horses are brought and the competitors never know which one they will be riding. Farrell believes this can either help or hinder the experience, depending on the attitude of the horse.
“It all depends on which horses are brought to the show,” she says. “ Sometimes, it works out in your favor, but sometimes you get a difficult horse.”
Each show, team members compete in either a flat class or a jumping class. Both classes have different skill level divisions for riders of all experiences. In a flat class, riders must guide their horse through a walk, trot and canter and are scored on how they handle the horse and how he or she and the horse look. A jumping class requires riders to jump fences of various heights and is also judged on the appearance.
After riding for 11 years, Farrell most looks forward to the feeling of jumping on horseback. “You can’t anticipate the jump too much, because you will throw yourself and your horse off balance. It’s one of those things you need to be able to feel and wait out. When it goes well, it feels like you are flying.”
Every show up until this point has had impact on whether a rider will be able to compete at Regionals. To qualify for Regionals, competitors must accrue enough points in the year’s shows to move up in skill level from their current division. This year, the Rider team will have two riders at Regionals, Farrell and senior Jake Tuff. Even though only two out of around 20 members are competing, other riders of the team will be there to cheer them on, one of which is junior Laura Zaiss who has been impressed with the growth of the club sport since last year.
“The involvement that we have gotten this year has been great,” Zaiss said. “The team atmosphere is really nice and when we are together we have a strong bond."
If Farrell or Tuff scores in the top two of their particular class in the Regionals, they will qualify for Zones which could later lead to Nationals. At this point, Farrell is just focused on enjoying the ride. “It’s a release from the world,” she says. “It’s my one time where I can relax and not think of anything else. I can just ride and have fun.”