I recently competed in a high school equestrian competition. A bunch of different high schools compete against each other in all different types of events. There is 3 meets and a state meet. I competed in showmanship, trail, english and western equitation, bi-rangle, drill team, team penning and individual flags. Each meet goes from Friday-Saturday. They are a lot of fun! Now onto the fun stuff!
Showmanship
Showmanship is where you show off your horse. You want your horse to be spotless and very clean. You are showing the judge how good your horse is and how good of a handler you are. Normally before you enter your class, there will be a pattern. You have to memorize that pattern. When you get inside of your class, you preform that pattern to the best of your ability.
Trail
Trail is basically an obstacle course you do while riding your horse. Traditionally you do trail western, although doing trail english is becoming more popular. Different obstacles in a trail class include opening and closing a gate, walking over a bride, side passing poles or cones and backing poles or barrels. Trail is a great class for calm horses. You get marked down if you tick a pole, so its a great class for some older horses.
English Equitation
English equitation is a class that is based on the rider. Its based on how you look, your posture and how you ride your horse. In our meets, we have to memorize a pattern. You go in one by one and preform your pattern. You want your pattern to be flowing. Don't rush through it, but don't go in slow motion either.
Western Equitation
Western equitation is a lot like english equitation. Its Its based on how you look, your posture and how you ride your horse. Its the same thing as english, except you are in western attire and using a western saddle.
Bi-Rangle
Bi-rangle is a timed event. You also have a partner in this event. You have two poles at the end of the arena. You run down and turn around one, keep going straight and then turn around the other pole. Then you run home. Then once you cross the finish line, your partner runs down and runs the same pattern. Whoever has the fastest time wins!
Drill Team
Drill team is a team event and a pattern event. There is required moves that you have to preform. The rest is up to you. You also pick a song that goes along with your drill team pattern. Most team have flags that they hold too. You get scored on how well you preform each maneuver. Drill team is a great event for the high schools that have a lot of people. Its really cool to watch a drill team preform!
Team Penning
This is a three person event. It is also timed. There is a herd of cows at one side of the arena and a pen at the other. The cows have numbers taped to their backs. When you enter the arena, the announcer will call out a number. You and your partners then have to cut those three cows out of the head with that number the announcer has called. The team who gets all three cows in the least amount of time wins!
Individual Flags
This is a timed event. You have two barrels in the arena with buckets on them. Inside of the bucket is a flag. One of the barrels is close to you and the other is on the far side of the arena. You run down and pick up the first flag. Then you run down to the second barrel drop your first flag in the bucket and grab the second flag. You run back to the first barrel you started on and return the flag. Its really hard to get the flags in the buckets when you horse is running! The person with the fastest time wins.
There is many other events at high school equestrian meets including reining, jumping, dressage, in-hand trail, Canadian flags, key hole, poles and barrel racing. There is also an in-hand obstacle relay (IHOR) that you and 3 other team mates compete in. If you have not competed in a high school equestrian meet, i recommend that you do. There is something for everyone!
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I was just at a show on Saturday and Showmanship is judged on the handler. Plain ole halter is on the horse.
Wish my high school had this. But even though over half the School owns horses we dont have one because of the money it would cost. But it looks amazing
Yep. I have a show coming up on the 22nd. My mom and trainer are forcing me to show in Showmanship(you get judged), Halter(your horse gets judged), and Horsemanship(you get judged). I'm chosing to do Barrels, Poles, Western pleasure, and Flags (There are three barrels, you run at the first one, grab the flag, then run to the 2nd one and turn around it so you are facing the 3rd barrel, then go there and put it in the bucket and cross the finish line). I have to do all of this on a crazy, senile, old gelding that tries to run me over when I'm leading him, and tries to roll on me when I'm riding. But when I tryto prove he's a total jerk and I need a new horse, he's a perfect angel....lol
Phantom: Our high school equestrain is not funded by the school like football or softball is. There is a fee to join. Thats how we are able to have an equestrain team.
i wish my school had an equestrian team, i had heard of them before and they sound pretty awesome!! most people at my school probably don't even know the basics of horse care, but oh well, its even a sport school and its pretty stupid that they don't have an equesrian team. there is like one other person i know who owns a horse there..... your hell lucky to have a high school equestrian team!!! :)
I am from Australia. My highschool has an equestrian team. Even some primary schools have equestrian teams. I dont know if there are any western events but there are lots of english ones I know of. We call the competitions interschools.
Thanks Dreamer :) Mystic: Our high school equestrain team has bassically every single equestrain event there is except cross country. We have a lot of events!
You're really lucky, as far as I know my school doesn't have an equestrian team... Does your school actually keep the horses? Like, a boarding school or something? I might have to suggest this as a new 'sport' for my school. I'd join. :D
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