SEQUIM’S EQUESTRIAN TEAM is back home after completing a successful second Washington High School Equestrian Team District 4 meet.
“For being a small team, our Sequim, and PA girls can hold their own,” coach Misty Gilbertson said with pride. “It’s so fun seeing them learn and grow as young horse women. We have a great group of kind, hardworking gals.”
She said five members are seniors who, sadly for the team, graduated this year so they won’t be returning next year, “Hopefully we can recruit some new members to join the team next year!”
Congratulations to Katelynn Middleton-Sharpe for placing first in Dressage. Riding in an English saddle, judges look for correct leads, balanced gates and elegant, smooth transitions. Flowing circles, resistance-free bending with flexion, while creating a rhythm in the pattern will score higher.
Taylor Lewis placed first in reining. Considered the “dressage of western riding,” body language and communication with the horse during each maneuver makes up a large part of the scoring system, along with smooth transitions from fast to slow, flying lead changes and 360 turns. Most folks are familiar with the horse running down the middle of the arena and then performing a smooth, long, sliding stop.
Asha Swanberg placed first in Steer Daubing and Working Rancher. In Working Rancher, obstacles are set up similar to ones an everyday working ranch horse might encounter. Riders are expected to guide their horse through each task smoothly and without hesitation or refusal. Patterns are designed to show the rider’s expertise in proper use of ropes and completing each job calmly, with the least amount of energy with no pulling or jerking on the bit and reins.
Kaija Johnson placed first in individual flags. In flags, the start/finish line is laid. The first of two small barrels is set 20 feet before the first barrel. The second barrel is placed 100 feet away. A flag is placed in each container. It’s a race of time and skill for the rider. From the start line, they keep their horse running in a straight line, lean over to pick the flag up from barrel No. 1, continue running to barrel No. 2, drop the flag in, turn around the outside of the barrel, pick up the other flag, race back to barrel No. 1, drop the flag in and race across the finish line. All the while hoping the flag stays in the correct barrel until the finish line is crossed.
Kennady Gilbertson placed first in keyhole, a timed event. In keyhole, a 20-foot circle with a 10-foot-long keyhole opening, 5 feet wide, is marked with white chalk and placed 100 feet from the start/finish line. At the start signal, the rider races into the circle, makes a 180-degree rollback and races back to the finish line. All four feet must go into the circle. A “no time” is given if the horse steps on or outside any lines.
Additional competitors were Joanna Seelye, Celbie Karjalainen, Lily Meyer, Savannah Boulton, Paisley Morris and Kenzi Winters, along with Zakara Braun and Olivia West from Port Angeles High School.
Results
IHOR — Asha Swanberg, Taylor Lewis, Paisley Morris, Kenzi Winters, fourth.
Huntseat — Katelynn Middleton-Sharpe, eighth.
Saddle Seat — Middleton-Sharpe, second; Winters, third.
Showmanship — Morris, seventh.
Stockseat — Lewis, third; Morris, ninth.
Reining — Lewis, first; Winters, 12th, Joanna Seelye, 17th, Morris, 18th.
In-hand Trail — Lewis, ninth; Morris, 10th; Winters, 12th.
Trail — Lewis, third; Swanberg, sixth.
Working Rancher — Swanberg, first; Lewis, fifth; Winters, 12th.
Versatility — Morris, Lewis, Middleton-Sharpe, Swanberg, Seelye, second.
Dressage — Middleton-Sharpe, first; Morris, seventh.
Working Pairs — Swanberg and Seelye, second; Winters and Morris, sixth.
Drill Freestyle Fours — Winters, Middleton-Sharpe, Seelye, Savannah Boulton, Kaija Johnson, third.
Pole Bending — Kennady Gilbertson, second; Celbie Karjalainen, sixth, Zakara Braun (PA), 11th; Seelye, 12th; Lily Meyer, 14th; Swanberg, 19th.
Figure 8 — Meyer, second; Gilbertson, third; Swanberg, 11th; Karjalainen, 12th; Seelye, 14th; Braun, 17th; Johnson, 19th.
Individual Flags — Johnson, first; Swanberg, second; Olivia West (PA), third; Boulton, seventh; Karjalainen, 10th; Meyer, 13th; Middleton-Sharpe, 14th; Gilbertson, 18th.
Keyhole — Gilbertson, first: Middleton-Sharpe, fourth; Johnson, sixth; West, seventh; Seelye, 13th; Braun 17th.
Two-man Birangle — Meyer and Boulton, fourth; Karjalainen and Gilbertson, fifth; Middleton-Sharpe and Johnson, 13th.
Barrels — Seelye, seventh; Karjalainen, eigth; West, ninth; Gilbertson, 10th.
Steer Daubing — Swanberg, first.
Cattle Sorting — Gilbertson and Seelye, 11th; Middleton-Sharpe and Morris, 17th; Swanberg and Lewis, 18th.
Their next competition is April 3-6 at the Grays Harbor Fairgrounds in Elma. The state championship is May 15-18 at Grant County Fairgrounds in Moses Lake.
Get more news and see photos taken by Sierrabreeze Photography on the Facebook page Wahset District 4. For more information on the Sequim Team, phone Misty at 360-460-5311 or Ady Crosby at 360-477-6012. For events and rules, visit wahset.info.
March 26-30, the Martin Black Horsemanship and Stockmanship clinic will be held at Freedom Farm, 493 Spring Road, Agnew. For information or to register, contact Mary Gallagher at freedomf@olypen.com or 360-460-6410. For more information, visit Freedom-farm.net
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Karen Griffiths’ column, Peninsula Horseplay, appears the second and fourth Saturday of each month.
If you have a horse event, clinic or seminar you would like listed, email Griffiths at kbg@olympus.net at least two weeks in advance. You can also call her at 360-460-6299.
Katie Newton-Salmon Sequim’s four-person Versatility Team placed second overall at meet 2. From left, Paisley Morris, Asha Swanberg, Katelynn Middleton-Sharpe and Taylor Lewis. Versatility involves In Hand Showmanship (leading the horse), Trail/Working Rancher, Performance riding and timed events.
Katie Newton-Salmon For many years, Freedom Farm owner Mary Gallagher has offered use of her indoor arena, with its mud-free ground, for Sequim and Port Angeles’ equestrian team practices — which is helpful during the cold, dark winter evenings. From left are Kiaja Johnson, Katelynn Middleton-Sharpe, Joanna Seelye, Kenzi, Winters and Savannah Boulton.
