AH, I REMEMBER it well — trying to keep warm when my niece was on Sequim’s team and competing in Washington State High School Equestrian Team events.
The three qualifying meets are held during the coldest months of the year, January through March, when keeping dry and warm is usually a chore.
Keeping in mind that most of our local horses do not live in a box stall 24/7 and that they compete in outdoor, not fully enclosed arenas, sometimes competing horses will throw a bit of a temper tantrum at meets.
Port Angeles
Port Angeles team parent LaDona Wilson relates one of the funniest moments of this season.
The three-day meet in February was when Suzanne Heistand and Lauren Gallacci went to compete in Birangle.
It seems both their horses did not want to go in the arena, so Suzanne smacked Lauren’s horse on the butt with her crop, motivating Lauren’s horse to go in but Suzanne’s to go in bucking — moving her in front of the saddle and sitting on his neck.
Apparently, the two ran most of the race that way.
I’m told it was an entertaining ride to watch, and at the end, Suzanne was laughing so hard that when she dismounted, she fell on her butt.
Sadly, the team was disqualified — not because of Suzanne’s wild ride, but because the judges said Lauren’s chin strap was not tight enough. Go figure.
Overall, though, Suzanne did great and placed first in reining. That’s huge.
Other PA team results include:
Team sorting: Kynzie Hendricks and Suzanne, fifth; Marissa Wilson and Nathan Gentry, 15th.
Dressage: Keely Gustin, seventh.
Poles: Kynzie, 16th; Marissa, 22nd.
Figure 8: Kynzie, fourth; Nathan, 19th,; Marissa, 27th.
Barrels: Kynzie, eighth; Nathan, 26th; Marissa 27th.
Birangle: Marissa and Suzanne, 15th; Nathan and Kynzie, 27th.
Steer daubing: Nathan, 10th; Kynzie, 11th.
Also competing for Port Angeles were Allison and Rachel Breitbach, Paige Swordmaker, Lydia Cornelson and Ashley Farmer.
Sequim
Sequim High School equestrian coach Terri Winters said her team continued its winning streak at the second meet.
Congratulations to senior Clara Duncan and her horse, Spatz, on breaking the district record in pole bending with a time of 21.866 and placing first at both District 4 meets this year.
Nice job, Clara!
Clara is also the 2010 WAHSET state champion in pole bending.
The following five riders placed in the top 10 in overall individual events out of more than 90 riders at the meet: Clara, Shannon Robbins, Sasha O’Meara, Eilena Sharpe and Anne Meek.
Also taking first place was the In Hand Obstacle Relay team with senior team captain Shannon, Sasha, Eilena, Anne and Carley Lundgren qualifying for state.
All the riders on the Sequim team have qualified for the state meet in at least one event.
The following are individual top-ten placing:
Eilena: First in hunt seat over fences, first in in-hand trail, fourth in dressage, ninth in hunt seat.
Sasha: First in trail, second in stock seat, fifth in showmanship, sixth in hunt seat.
Kyla Gabriel: Second in hunt seat over fences, sixth in saddle seat, ninth in dressage, 10th in hunt seat.
Angie Pace: Ninth in showmanship, 10th in poles.
Carley: Eighth in poles, l0th in keyhole.
Anne: First in barrels, first in figure 8, third in break-away roping, sixth in steer daubing.
Clara: First in pole bending, second in keyhole and individual flags, third in figure 8, sixth in barrels.
Shannon: Third in working rancher, fourth in pole bending, fifth in trail, sixth in figure 8, eighth in steer daubing.
Justine Roads: Seventh in trail, eighth in stock seat.
Matisen Anders: Fourth in in-hand trail, sixth in working rancher.
Sequim team results:
Two-man birangle: Fifth, Carley and Anne.
Working pairs: Sixth, Carley and Anne; eighth, Sasha and Shannon.
Canadian flags: Third, Clara, Shannon, Carley, Anne and Angie.
Drill team: Third, Shannon, Carley, Eilena, Kyla, Anne, Angie, Matisen and Justine.
Cow sorting: Third, Clara and Shannon; 10th, Sasha and Justine; 14th, Matisen and Angie.
In-hand obstacle relay: 10th, Angie, Kyla, Justine and Matisen.
Events
■ 7 p.m. Saturday, PSHA Olympic Peninsula Region spring meeting at Waynora’s Hair Care, 683-B Carlsborg Road, Carlsborg. Phone 360-683-3902.
■ 9 a.m. Sunday, Baker Stables Schooling Show, 164 Four Winds Road, Port Angeles. Phone 360-457-6039.
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Karen Griffiths’ column, Peninsula Horseplay, appears every other Wednesday.
If you have a horse event, clinic or seminar you would like listed, please e-mail Griffiths at kbg@olympus.net at least two weeks in advance. You can also write Griffiths at PDN, P.O. Box 1330, Port Angeles, WA 98362.
