DO I DARE? The weather’s getting warmer and spring is almost here, so do I dare keep the hose I use to put water in my horse’s stock tank permanently hooked up? Or should I continue to unhook and completely drain the water out of the hose each time after watering, in case we have more freezing temperatures?
While I mull that over, I’ll get right to the news and results of our high school equestrian teams’ second Washington State High School Equestrian Team’s District 4 competition, held at Grays Harbor Fairgrounds in Elma on Feb. 24-27.
Sequim’s team consists of Libby Swanberg, Joanna Seelye, Mia Kirner and coaches Bettina Hoesel, Katie Salmon-Newton and Amy Tucker-Matney.
Port Angeles’ team, in a co-op with Chimacum High School, has Haley Bishop, Sydney Hutton, Maggie Anderson and non-competing member Ava Hairell, with coach Shannon Bishop.
Preparing for the Drill Team competition at the WAHSET district four second meet are, from left, Libby Swanberg , Sydney Hutton, Joanna Seelye and Maggie Anderson. (Photo by Keri Tucker)
Meet 2 Results
Barrels: Haley Bishop (PA), fourth; Maggie Anderson (PA), 10th; Joanna Seelye (Sequim), 12th; Mia Kirner (Sequim), 30th.
Breakaway Roping: Libby Swanberg (Sequim), second.
Steer Daubing: Swanberg, sixth.
Dressage: Sydney Hutton (PA), seventh.
Dressage: Kirner, 10th.
Figure 8: Swanberg, fifth; Bishop, eighth; Anderson, ninth; Hutton, 14th ; Seelye, 16th.
Freestyle 4’s Drill: Swanberg, Seelye, Anderson Hutton, second.
Huntseat Equitation: Hutton, second.
IHOR team: Seelye, Swanberg, Hutton, Anderson, sixth.
In Hand Trail: Kirner, eighth.
Individual Flags: Seelye, first; Swanberg, second; Hutton, ninth.
Jumping: Hutton, first; Swanberg, second.
Keyhole: Seelye, sixth; Bishop, ninth.
Pole Bending: Swanberg, third; Seelye, 12th; Anderson, 19th.
Reining: Swanberg, second; Bishop, seventh.
Showmanship: Kirner, 18th.
Team Canadian Flags: Swanberg, Bishop, Anderson, first.
Team Sorting: Anderson and Swanberg, sixth.
Team Versatility: Swanberg, Bishop, Hutton and Anderson, fourth.
Two-Man Birangle: Bishop and Anderson, second; Swanberg and Seelye, third; Hutton and Kirner, 21st.
Working Pairs: Swanberg and Hutton, second; Kirner and Seelye, third.
Working Rancher: Swanberg, second; Anderson, sixth.
Live stream
Can’t make it to a meet? WAHSET has updated its website, www.wahset.info, and I’m very excited to announce it now offers links to view the live show — and your favorite athletes competing — on its links page, www.wahset.info/stream-links. Our local teams are in District 4. Be sure to watch their next and final meet April 7-10, when it’s live streamed at https://vimeo.com/event/1651605. And again during the state finals May 19-22 in Moses Lake.
Don’t know what IHOR, or other events are? Now there are links available to view samples of what events entail on YouTube. For instance, IHOR, which stands for In Hand Obstacle Relay, can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkHJ6QV58yM.
Descriptions of events can also be found in the rulebook link. For instance, on page 71 of the rulebook, it explains Team Versatility as a relatively new event to WAHSET that began with the 2019 season. It’s a four-person team timed event that has one athlete representing one out of four disciplines, in this order: In hand trail, trail/rancher, equitation and a timed event.
With in hand trail, the athlete may be attired either English or Western, and the athlete will always work with their horse from the ground in a pre-determined pattern. Elements of this part of the event will include, but not limited to, walk/trot over poles set on the ground, haunch and forehand turns, leading, backing, sidepassing and more.
In trail/working rancher, the event might include any element you would find in a trail or working rancher event. Including, but not limited to, roping a dummy, walk, jog, lope overs, picking up objects and more.
Equitation may be ridden either Western or hunt seat equitation, or, if an element is appropriate, could also be ridden saddle seat equitation. Elements might include any part of a typical Western or English equitation pattern, including, but not limited to, lead changes, haunch and forehand turns, upward and downward transitions and more.
The timed event will be independently timed. That means every athlete should have an official time from the break of the start line to the break of the finish lane. Elements of the event will include the type of obstacles used in the timed, non-cattle events. For example, items might include turning barrel, picking up a flag and weaving through a couple of poles.
Rescue
Center Valley Animal Rescue has an important fundraising event coming up. You may recall I wrote about this very active rescue organization of animals wild and domestic in my Feb. 27 column, “Animal rescue center: Home between homes.”
Its annual gala/silent auction is coming up April 2 at the Northwest Maritime Center. To get a ticket or donate, go to https://one.bidpal.net/loveofanimals. For more information about Center Valley Animal Rescue, view its website, www. centervalleyanimal rescue.org or phone 360-765-0598.
________
Karen Griffiths’ column, Peninsula Horseplay, appears the second and fourth Sunday of each month.
If you have a horse event, clinic or seminar you would like listed, please email Griffiths at kbg@olympus.net at least two weeks in advance. You can also call her at 360-460-6299.
