CHS Equestrian team rides into another season

The Cascade High School Equestrian Team is gearing up for the 2019 season.

The club is coming off the heels of an impressive 2018 season where they won the Washington State High School Equestrian Team (WAHSET) District One "High Point Title" for the fourth-consecutive year.

The CHS team, comprised of six riders, five from Cascade and one from Cashmere, practices at the Appleatchee Arena in Wenatchee at least once a week. This year's club has several new faces, one being new CHS adviser Mickey Lane. Besides Lane, there are several coaches who help competitors practice for specific events.

Returning to this year's team are second-year riders Team President Ava Holmes, Vice President Hailey Bermingham and Secretary/Teasurer Sasha Morgan. Cindy Fowler, the performance and drill coach, owns many of the horses the team uses for practice and competition. Fowler is also the Club President of the Tillicum Riders Drill Team, out of Cashmere and one of the team's many supporters.

Lane said the season is going well so far for the club. She noted the first-year riders have not only learned about the different events they will compete in during the season, but have also gained some insight at the cost and commitment it takes to be a part of an equestrian team. While riders have become familiar with riding and showmanship, they also know how to properly saddle their horse in the western style, and the logistics of transporting it to and from the arena.

"Kids have to have time management skills for this," Lane said. "They're not just practicing for events, they are making time for feeding, cleaning and everything else that comes with owning a horse."

Lane commended the dedication, thirst for knowledge, work ethic and mental toughness the first-year club members have shown in and out of the arena.

First-year riders have also learned the importance of giving back through their teammates. In addition to preparing for their own events, Holmes, Bermingham and Morgan will provide guidance to first-year riders. CHS equestrian club alumni have also stopped by practice to help the team.

One of the new riders is Cashmere High School freshman Ty Harris, who was introduced to the team and Fowler by his stepmother, another member of the Tillicum Riders Drill Team. Harris, who has loved horses since childhood, enjoys being on the team because it allows him the opportunity to work with equines every day, and there is "always something to work on." 

He has also worked with Fowler on her ranch and at practice, and credits the coach for being "a big help" to him during the season. 

One of the horses Harris works with is Chief, who belongs to Fowler. After a rocky first day of practice, where Harris tripped over a beam while leading Chief on a trot, the two have developed a mutual respect for one another. 

Harris will compete in breakaway roping, cow sorting and other events. 

Cascade High School junior Gloria Campbell also joined the CHS Equestrian Team this year. Campbell said she has adjusted to the equestrian lifestyle and appreciates how welcoming her teammates and coaches have been to her this season. In addition to getting to know the other club members, Campbell has learned how to work with horses, one being Poko, who belongs to Gaming Coach Jeremy Price. 

"It's about knowing where you stand with your horses and learning together," Campbell said of her partnership with Poko. "We're trying to get better together."

Campbell plans to compete in the gaming, showmanship, rail and working rancher events.

Rounding out the first-year riders is Cascade senior Heidi Dougherty. Like Campbell, Dougherty acknowledged that her teammates and coaches have taken her and the other new riders under their wing. She has also had the opportunity to work with and learn from riders on Wenatchee's equestrian team, who also practice at the Appleatchee facility. Dougherty has also enjoyed bonding with her horse Dakota. She will compete in barrels, keyhole, trail, figure eight, drill and other team events. 

The CHS team is also active outside of the arena. Like any school club, the team holds business meetings, fundraisers and secures local sponsors. They also volunteer at events, including Cashmere's Apple Days where they give free horseback rides and raise money though donations. The club also actively recruits new members.

The CHS Equestrian Team will begin its season with two district competitions at the Appleatchee Riders facility, the first one scheduled from March 14-17 and the second from March 28-31. Riders will compete in a third district meet, from April 25-28 at the Grant County Fairgrounds in Moses Lake.

Lane said riders can compete in five individual events and an unlimited number of team contests.

For more information about the CHS Equestrian Team, contact Assistant Adviser at Cascade High School at (509) 548-5277.