In many ways, the Equestrian Team stands apart from all other club sports. Few allow their members to compete as individuals at an intercollegiate meet, square off against a host of riders from different divisions or are expected to host an all-day meet. The Equestrian Team, however, has the chance to do all three.

The club, which competes against other equestrian teams from the Boston area as part of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association meets twice a week at August Farm in Holliston, Mass. to build skills and prepare for the year's seven shows.

Club president Maddy Brown '14 explained the reasoning behind the trip.

"Each member is required to take one lesson a week ... and we try to group [lessons] based on riding experience," she said. "Our coach, Katie [Bobola], teaches all the lessons and it's great to have such a knowledgeable person help us."

The Equestrian Team took part in five shows last semester and four during the spring semester, all of which led toward a spot in last weekend's Regional Championships.

Seven members of the team attended the competition and Hannah Wulkan '16 walked away with a top-two finish in the Walk-Trot-Canter division. With her finish, she secured a spot in next weekend's Zone Championships, a hopeful stepping stone to the national competition.

In an equestrian show, riders compete at five levels: Walk-Trot, Walk-Trot-Canter, Novice, Intermediate or Open. Each successive level increases in difficulty.

Walk-Trot requires a rider to only ride a walking or trotting horse while Open is divided between flat class, similar to Walk-Trot, and jumping class, which challenges a rider to traverse a predetermined course involving anywhere from six to 10 jumps.

"Based off how much experience [a rider] has coming into college, they get placed into one [level,]" said Brown. "[Riders] accumulate points at each horse show and once they get 36 points [total across all events] they get to move up to the next division."

As part of the IHSA, the club is expected to host a yearly meet-the Brandeis Horse Show-which took place last October at the August Farm.

Brown took fourth in the flat class of the open division, riding in a course against the top level of riders defined by its lack of jumping requirement.

"Most of the day for us is just keeping the horses ready and making sure [the horses] are in the right classes" said Brown. "We have to both run the show and get on and ride."

"It's super fun, but it's a really long day because warm ups start at 7:30 in the morning and we get to the barn at 6 a.m. and we're there until 4 p.m."

Although the majority of the team has completed their events for the year, Brown has gained much more from the Equestrian Team than just a chance to compete.

"Our relationship with other teams in the region is really cool ... I've become really good friends with people on the other teams," she said.

"That sense of camaraderie not only between the team but between everyone competing is something I'd like to see continue."

Even as her time with the club comes to an end, Brown has confidence in the clubs ability to grow.

"It's not so much that we have people in a higher division, it's that the people we have are more dedicated," she said.


-Editor's Note: Hannah Wulkan '16 is an editorial assistant for the News section of the Justice.
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