BY RACHEL GALATIS
After two years of not being able to compete, the equestrian team placed second in their first meet hosted by Boston University at Holly Hill Farm in Hanover, Mass.
The “Boston University Show'' was open to team affiliates only, as spectators are not allowed at events due to Covid-19 regulations. The next show was hosted by Stonehill at Morr Linn Farm in Walpole, Mass., where the team placed fourth.
In their most recent show hosted by Bentley University, the team travelled to Century Mills Stables in Bolton, Mass., on Halloween, where the team placed fourth yet again.
In preparation for shows, the team participates in numerous team bonding activities, such as team dinners, scavenger hunts, and their annual “ribbon making” tradition.
“At our first team dinner of the semester, which was a couple of weeks ago, we ordered pizza, cleaned our boots, and made the purple, black, and white ribbons you might see on our backpacks around campus,” Hannah Lennon, one of the three team captains said.
Lennon said that part of their bonding also comes from workouts, which consist of two varsity lifts per week, as well as one captain’s practice. She credits the “hard work we do as a team” during each session, which are usually an hour long each time.
All 14 members of the team cannot practice riding at once, since there are only five horses leased out for the team to use, so the team practices in small groups. There is one lesson each day Monday through Friday, so every team member practices twice.
Practices are held at Morr Linn Farm early in the morning, and shows are held on the weekends. Because shows are usually a distance away, the team must be at the Sally Blair Ames Sports Complex by 6 a.m. on show days and do not return until later in the afternoon, according to Lennon.
“Spending so much time together, supporting each other as we ride, and falling asleep on each other in the athletic vans as we drive back to campus brings us together really quickly,” Lennon said. “We are each other's support systems at shows and that carries over into regular life on campus.”
The shows are set up based on a points system. Each ride earns a certain number of points based on a judge’s score, which contributes to the team’s score overall.
Lennon works alongside fellow seniors Catherine Souza and Kiley SubKlew to lead the team as captains.
Kaylee McHale, a junior, said that she tried out for the team this year because she did not think she would be able to travel home and ride as often as she would like.
“I knew that if I joined the team, I would be able to still do something I love while being at school,” McHale said.
Tryouts are held at the beginning of the semester and are open to anyone, regardless of experience.
McHale said that her favorite part of the show is the anticipation that comes before each ride.
“The anticipation is so fun, and you are just so excited to get in there and do what you love,” McHale said.
Anticipation also comes from finding out which horse team members are going to ride in the show, as they are selected and assigned randomly based on a pick out of a hat, which Lennon said, “tests our ability and adaptability as a rider.”
Many students are fascinated by the idea behind the equestrian program, since it is the only sport that involves animals.
Julianna Rizza, a junior, said that she thinks that riding horses is unique and something the team should be proud of.
“Horses are very elegant and majestic creatures and a team that appreciates it as a sport is quite fascinating,” Rizza said.
The team’s final show will be hosted by Boston College on Sunday, November 7 at Hillside Meadows Equestrian Center in Grafton, Mass.
Commentaires