Earlham College | News from Public Affairs

The Earlham Equestrian Team (with coach Joan Clark) rose to new heights during this successful season. Earlham's student-run barn is unique among intercollegiate competitors.

RICHMOND, Ind. — The Earlham College Equestrian Team distinguished itself during the 2007–08 Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) season. Eight of Earlham's 14 riders have qualified for the IHSA Regionals on April 5 at Purdue University. Winning the Reserve High Point Team five times and the High Point Rider once has helped make this one of the most successful seasons in the College's history.

"We have a pretty strong team this year," says Lindsey Brizendine, team captain. "I think we are ranked third in the region, but we won't know that officially until after the regionals."

"We have become well-established," says Anina Estrem, a second-year student from Newberg, Ore. "Throughout the year, we regularly came in second place, and we were really close to first most times."

Estrem says skill and experience as well as a strong team spirit contribute to the team's success.

"We are a small team, and if we aren't cheering for each other then no one else will," says Brizendine, a senior from Shaker Heights, Ohio.

Despite early morning departures — sometimes as early as 4 a.m. — Earlham's team rules do not permit members to do homework or sleep during the shows.

"At Earlham, it's definitely a team thing," Estrem says. "Our rules require everyone to help and cheer their teammates at the shows. Other teams may be in the lounge sleeping or working on their laptops when they are not showing, but we have our entire team rooting for one another."

Equestrian Team Captain Lindsey Brizendine and Nippers clear a jump in an Open Fences division during a Fall 2007 show.

"Our team has become the wild child of the IHSA shows," adds first-year Meaghan Randall of Plympton, Mass. "We're the ones dancing in the aisles when someone does well."

Brizendine agrees and says Earlham is definitely the loudest team in the region.

"We get a lot of looks during the shows," she says. "We're much more relaxed, and we're having a lot of fun."

Some of the larger schools that Earlham competes against have team try-outs and members pay up to $400 in dues once they are selected for the team.

At Earlham, anyone who is a member of the Equestrian Co-op, which requires four hours of barn work per week per member, is eligible to be on the team, and dues are only $25. The Equestrian Team is a club sport and receives funding from the Student Organizations Council to pay for gas. Dining Services also donates meals for the team's trips. Richmond resident and experienced horsewoman Joan Clark donates her time to coach the team and travels to all of the shows with the team.

"Usually horse shows are an enormous financial investment, but here at Earlham it is more affordable," Estrem says. "You pay your dues and you can compete in 10 horse shows.

"Our strategy takes a lot of the tension out of showing. We haven't invested a lot of money, and we have the support of our team."

Earlham belongs to IHSA Region 1 Zone 9, which includes 13 schools in Indiana and Illinois. During IHSA shows, host schools supply the show horses, and riders are judged on posture and how they communicate with their horses.

"Showing on a horse that you've never ridden before really tests your skills," Estrem says.

Throughout the season, riders in the different levels earn points. To qualify for regionals, riders need to accumulate 32 points, which also advances them to the next level, so beginners through advanced can qualify. The top riders at the regionals qualify for the IHSA Zone Show, and the top riders there qualify for the National IHSA show on May 8-11 in Burbank, California.

Team points also accumulate during the IHSA regular season shows. The captain from each team picks a point rider for each class, and the selected riders' points count toward the team total.

"We have good riders at all levels from our beginners in Walk/Trot to Novice Jumps and Flat," Estrem says.

Estrem says Earlham's first-year students are especially strong riders this season and that most were influenced to attend Earlham because of its barn program and facilities.

"I looked into other schools, but the barns weren't as nice, and I couldn't be as involved as I am here," Randall says. "Earlham is the only student-run barn program in the country, so that makes us really unique."

Earlham's Suzanne Hoerner Jackson Equestrian Facility is located on Earlham's back campus and features 16 acres, which are divided into four pastures, holding pen, outdoor riding ring, indoor riding arena and a barn with box stalls for 25 horses. Behind the pastures are miles of trails. Services offered by the Equestrian Co-op include riding lessons for all levels and co-op style boarding.

Contact:
Mark Blackmon, director of media relations
765/983-1256 — E-Mail Mark