Equestrian teams from eight high schools compete in Clark County
By Erik Robinson
Published: February 28, 2010, 12:00am
Share:
2 Photos
Courtney Miskell, left, and Megan Abelyn, seniors at La Center High School, wait to compete in the working pairs event Saturday at the Washington High School Equestrian Teams competition at the Clark County Event Center at the Fairgrounds.Photo Gallery
A large group of high school athletes gathered this weekend, but this group needed no pep band or cheerleaders waving pom-poms.
Equestrian competitors from eight high schools across Western Washington gathered on horseback for the first of three district meets leading up to the state championship in Wenatchee on May 13-16. Competitors and their families crowded the horse stable and arena Saturday at the Clark County Event Center at the Fairgrounds.
La Center High School seniors Megan Abelyn and Courtney Miskell initiated the equestrian team for La Center even before they entered high school.
As eighth-graders, the two friends decided they wanted to fuse the individual experience of learning horsemanship through 4-H to the team-oriented competition of high school. Working with parents and other supporters, they persuaded the school board to allow an equestrian team as a school-sanctioned activity more or less akin to basketball or football.
Tip: you can interact with this map using your
fingerscursor (or two fingers on touch screens)cursor.
Map
“You want to be involved with your high school,” Miskell explained. “This is our sport.”
Clark County is considered a major hub for horses, and several area high schools sponsor Washington High School Equestrian Teams. On Saturday, only La Center represented Clark County among the eight schools competing in the event at the fairgrounds.
Abelyn and Miskell both rode Appaloosas.
While waiting to compete together in working pairs — “basically like synchronized swimming, but with horses,” Miskell said — the two friends said they had been steeped in 4-H since the third grade. They’ve ridden horses all their lives, practically.
“It’s a great family thing,” La Center adviser Barb Fox-Kilgore said. “For my family, our whole life revolves around horses.”
Statewide, the organization boasts 560 competitors spread among four districts. Next year, organizers expect they’ll have to break up the existing four districts into another one or two to keep competition manageable.
Over the past three years, the Clark County meet has grown from 90 to 117 to 143 participants. With so many competitors, the Dr. Jack Giesy Equestrian Arena was buzzing with activity until midnight.
“This is about the last year we could go with this many kids,” organizer Lynn Turnbull said.
