When listing the sports offered at Wesleyan, equestrianism is probably not the first one that comes to mind. But the little-known and little-funded Wesleyan Equestrian Team, WET for short, has a lot to brag about, especially after sweeping the top two spots at the regional finals of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) held at the University of Connecticut this season. Team captain Liz Perry ’06 and Amanda Bon-Keen ’07 took the championship and reserve title, respectively, and finished the season ranked number three and number seven in all of southern New England. Kelly Bowman ’07 and Emily Pisetsky ’07 also qualified for regionals this season.
“I love riding horses and have been doing it my whole life,” Perry said. “I started in kindergarten when my best friend had a pony. But horse-riding can be a very solitary sport. That’s why I love the group aspect of the Equestrian Team. It’s really fun and a great way to spend time outside.”
The team consists of about 30 riders and is completely student-run. Although it is not a Wesleyan varsity sport, this season marked the WET’s seventeenth year in existence. The team provides lessons to students who have no experience in equestrianism and does not hold try outs.
“Because we hold no try outs, the team provides a novel and rewarding experience for Wesleyan students new to the sport, and gives students already devoted to the sport a reasonable way to continue their interest in college,” Perry said.
The team practices every Friday afternoon at Windcrest Farm in Hebron, CT. For competitions, however, members do not use their own horses or equipment. Contestants must compete on randomly assigned horses at the host schools’ facility in order to test the true horsemanship of the riders and to allow more students to access equestrianism by eliminating the expenses of owning horses.
During competitions, riders must smoothly navigate a course with hurdles and jumps designed by a panel of judges. Judges evaluate riders based on correct form and ease of maneuvering the obstacles. Riders must estimate the number of strides between each jump to ensure a smoother ride. All this, of course, requires immense skill.
“Many of our members have never ridden before, but learn enough through our program to compete in intercollegiate horse shows,” Perry said. “Any college student should be able to participate in horse shows, regardless of their financial status or riding level. Wesleyan’s equestrian team is known throughout the region as being an especially welcoming and diverse team.”
Because most of the schools they compete against have varsity status or fully funded, full-time, professional coaches, the less-experienced riders of WET take pride in frequently outperforming them. Last season, Perry was crowned national champion at the IHSA National Finals in Tennessee.
While an equestrian program may not always be at her disposal, Perry said, “I think horse riding will always be a part of my life.”
To join the Wesleyan Equestrian Team, contact Liz Perry at ep****@******an.edu.
Leave a Reply