Last year, Memorial High School’s Equestrian Team, took first place in its division, earning a trip to state. The current team has members from North High School, Fall Creek, and other communities.

Horses have not figured into the lives of many Americans for a very long time. Thanks for nothing, cars. At this point, horses mainly serve two purposes for most city-dwellers. First, they act as farmland decoration for those driving down the highway. Second, they give little girls their equivalent of the boys’ dinosaurs, or a semi-mythical creature to read about and collect figurines of before they grow out of it.

But just because most city-slickers cannot tell the difference between a Hanoverian Horse and donkey does not mean horses have fallen out of favor with everyone. One of Memorial High School’s newest extra-curricular activities, their Equestrian Team, finished their inaugural season last school year with some astounding success. After receiving approval and finding a faculty advisor, the team of seven girls was able to take first place in their division, earning a trip to state. And according to coach Liz Switzer, practices have already begun for their second season, with even loftier goals for both participation and competition.

When the average person with no equine background hears “equestrian competition,” chances are they picture rodeos or polo matches. As Switzer explains, while the actual competition events may be a little lower key than those sports, the competition day is filled with just as much excitement. 

Students compete in various types of events, including everything from showing and leading the horse (Showmanship, Horsemanship, etc.), through events focused on riding and jumping (Reining, Equitation Over Fences, etc.), to games, like flag races and relays. Unlike the stereotype, though, these competitions are not about who paid the most for his or her horse and outfit. Instead, judges are focused on the students, their riding posture, their showmanship, and other skills that can be developed absent of the huge price tags that often accompany animal show competitions. 

 

Memorial High School equestrian action.

“If you don’t have a horse, that’s OK,” says Switzer, adding that the team will endeavor to find one to borrow, opening this activity to anyone who is interested in participating.

Currently, the Memorial High School Equestrian Team is a cooperative, county-wide team, including members from North, Fall Creek, and other surrounding communities. The Wisconsin Interscholastic Horsemanship Association governs the sport, and it has divided the state into 18 districts, grouping Eau Claire County with Pepin, St. Croix, and Pierce counties. Among the challenges the team faces in the upcoming year is losing its cooperative status, forcing non-Memorial team members to start their own teams. Also, the current school funding issues across the state have made schools leery of adding new activities. While the Memorial team is entirely self-funded and receives no district dollars, the climate of continual reduction at our schools has placed a big question mark on the future of all extra-curriculars, especially the non-traditional ones.

Despite those issues, the outlook from the saddle for Memorial’s team is great. They have a dedicated coach in Switzer, who also coaches UWEC’s equestrian team, and who worked with horses in London for 23 years, earning her numerous certifications to teach aspiring equiphiles. Their activity is built on inclusivity, and they are excited to add new members regardless of how much experience they have with horses. And they are building off early success. 

Even if the rest of us are not inspired to put on some chaps and polish our bits, it is refreshing to know that the animals that dot the countryside are good for more than inspiration for kids toys and animated television programs, and that our students now have another team that brings together kids of diverse talents and interests, even if there are no rodeo clowns.

For more info on the team, contact Liz at equestrianteam@elizabethswitzer.com.