The University of Kentucky team poses after a show earlier this season (photo courtesy Louise Bowden/University of Kentucky Equestrian Team).

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY CLIMBS INTO FIRST PLACE

(University of Kentucky sophomore, Co-Captain and novice flat Regional Qualifier Louise Bowden submitted a story to Campus Equestrian covering the February 17th/18th Midway College Hunter Seat Shows. Bowdens' story was originally composed for a Journalism class at the University of Kentucky. Though some of the information may seem obvious to many IHSA competitors, the story provides insight into how Region 2 funds their shows and also what a show 'feels' like. Not mentioned in the story is that at one time the University of Kentucky trailed Miami of Ohio by 26 points before making up a large chunk of the deficit on February 17th, when the Wildcats won with 38 points and developed the momentum which would give them the lead a day later. - Editor)

Midway, KY - the weather forecast predicts flurries all day with a high temperature of a biting 26 degrees. Members of the eight hunter seat equestrian teams in Region 2 of Zone 6 file into the Midway College riding arena. It’s the second half of the year-long season, and the University of Kentucky is trailing Miami of Ohio by two points — enough to keep UK from sending a team to Nationals.

Crowding around a gigantic outdoor space heater, riders in the first jumping class draw bingo balls out of a bingo cage to determine the horse they will be riding. All of the riders make their jobs look easy; however there is one big twist. None of them are able to ride the horses between the time they mount and enter the ring to be judged.

“Over fences classes are definitely the most challenging,” said Callie Schott, a junior riding for her third year on the team. “You have no idea what your horse might be like, and you must successfully complete a course of at least eight jumps while making it look 'put together' and maintaining perfect position. It really tests the ability of the rider.”

The Hunter Seat or English style riding horse show consists of two different types of classes - over fences and on the flat. There are six different divisions ranging from Open - the most difficult - to the beginner division of Walk-Trot. In addition to riding for the team, riders also accumulate individual points. These points determine if the rider will be able to compete in the post-season as an individual.

Braving the snowy weather and the frigid cold temperatures inside and outside the arena, UK has a very successful first day of the two-day long show. Saturday the UK team wins high-point rider as well as reserve high-point rider (the two individuals with the most points), and sweep the day by winning high-point team (the team with the most points). After enduring an even colder eight hour-long show on Sunday, UKET manages to win high-point team again, pulling ahead of its' biggest competition — Miami of Ohio.

With a couple more victories under its belt, the University of Kentucky hunter seat team hopes to be just as successful in their next show, one they will be co-hosting at Lakeside Arena in Woodford County with Xavier of Ohio on March 3rd and 4th. This Intercollegiate Horse Show Association show is the first show UK will have hosted since 1982. Other schools in the region include University of Louisville, Moorhead State University, Wilmington College, Xavier, Midway College, and Miami University of Ohio.

Unlike most teams in its' region, UK is not funded by the school because it is a club sport. Larissa Kern, a senior and head of the Public Relations Committee, said that most of the cost of the show will be covered by entry fees which for most teams are paid for by the school and not by each rider. Additional money raised will go toward helping sending a team to compete at IHSA Nationals, which will be held at the Eastern States Exposition in Springfield, Massachusetts in early May.

With Kentucky’s horse industry continuing to promote itself through new scholarships funded by programs such as Kentucky Equine Education Project, Kentucky Horse Council and Race for Education, as well as the College of Agriculture’s new Equine Initiative program, the entire UK Equestrian team is hoping for recognition and support from surrounding businesses in the industry.

Team members have sent letters to local businesses in the horse industry asking for help. Kern said the team has already received donations from Kentucky Equine Education Project, Kentucky Hunter Jumper Association, Kentucky Equine Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation Center, and also from local farms, tack shops and parents to help sponsor classes and raise additional funds.

This year the hunt seat team is very close to sending a team to Nationals. After the weekend-long horse show at Midway College, UK is ahead of Miami of Ohio by only four points. The team is hoping that the “home-court” advantage of hosting its own show will secure their place as first in their region.

--Louise Bowden

Team Totals for February 18th: University of Kentucky (High Point Team) 36; Miami University of Ohio (Reserve) 29; Midway College 24; Morehead State University 15; Xavier University (OH) 15; Wilmington College 11 and University of Louisville 4.