UMass Western Equestrian Team Feature

     University of Massachusetts junior Neha Deshpande, a member of the Western Equestrian Team, circled the indoor arena at the Hadley Farm Equine Center on a recent afternoon atop a gleaming chestnut-colored horse named Chico. 

     

     Underneath her black cowboy hat, her expression was serious: if she placed first or second in her advanced-level class at the regional qualifying show, she would move on to the semi-finals.

     

     She directed her mount around the outside of the ring in both directions and at three different speeds, cued by the announcer, whose instructions bellowed out over the loudspeaker.

     

     Thus far, the regional qualifying show, held on March 15, had been no different than the several other shows Deshpande had competed in throughout the semester across Massachusetts and Connecticut.  Members of the Western Equestrian Team compete in only one class per show where they are judged on their form and their ability to control their horses.  They always wear the same entirely black outfits, with the exception of burgundy silk scarves around their necks, with the goal of looking uniform.

     

     But the regional qualifying show would offer a rather unfamiliar challenge to the competitors.  After having circled the arena, the riders lined up at the end, near the crowd of spectators – friends, family members, teammates and coaches – that stood on the sidelines, and one by one, rode through a pattern.

     

     Consisting of a series of circles, figure eights and sudden turns, the patterns are made clear to the competitors at the start of the show.  Each rider receives a paper with the pattern on it, although the difficulty of the pattern depends on the level the rider is competing at.  Large orange cones mark transition points, where the riders must cue their horses to change speed or direction.

     

     Every competitor is expected to memorize their pattern.  Some of the riders are so serious, that they can be seen before the start of their class practicing the pattern on foot in the parking lot, using cones that are just a few inches tall.

     

     Deshpande had done just that, minus the cones, and she skillfully directed Chico through the series of twists and turns.  Then she waited anxiously to hear the judge’s decision.

     

     Finally, the anticipation broke and the final placing was announced.  Cheers from Deshpande’s coach and teammates echoed around the arena when they heard that she had placed second and would move on to the semi-finals on March 28-30 at the University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio.

    

     Deshpande was one of three UMass riders who qualified for the semi-finals, along with open-level rider Emily Messing and novice-level rider Alissa Baldarelli.

     

     This semester, the team’s roster includes 17 people: two men and 15 women.  The majority of the group participated in local shows, and whether first or last place, whether at a home show or regionals, the UMass Western Equestrian Team supports all of its members.  It provides them with an environment conducive to improving their riding ability where they not only have the opportunity to ride many different horses on a regular basis, but can find encouragement and helpful advice from their teammates and coach.

     

     Deshpande, who started riding when she was eight-years-old and has been a UMWET member since her freshman year, appreciates the opportunities being on the team has given her.  In particular, she likes being able “to ride a variety of different horses, which really helps your overall horsemanship.”

     

     The horse that a given rider will use each practice is a mystery to them.  Coach Michele Carver, a slim 37-year-old woman who rarely stands still and typically sports a baseball cap, selects mounts for each person based on the rider’s experience and whether or not they have ridden the given horse before.  Because mounts are picked randomly at the shows, the riders must be prepared to handle any kind of horse, whether energetic or lazy, and cannot grow accustomed to regularly riding the same horses.

     

     Sophomore Katie Flanagan, an animal science major from Wellfleet, Mass. agrees with Deshpande.

    

     “I like riding a variety of different horses because it helps you improve as a rider,” Flanagan said.   “Also, showing on a horse you have never ridden is a great way to test your ability.”

    

     Flanagan said she learned about the team when considering which college to attend.  While on a tour for animal science at UMass, a now former member told her about the Western Equestrian Team.  UMass was the only university of the ones she was considering attending that had such a team.

    

     Like Deshpande, Flanagan is a longtime horse enthusiast.  Because her mother had always had horses, Flanagan started riding when she was three-years-old.  She now has a golden brown mare named Daisy, which she keeps at home in Wellfleet.

     

     Junior Maylin Crouss, a hospitality and tourism management major from Pelham, Mass., said she wanted to join the team because she was a member of 4H when she was younger and used to love competing with the 4H team in horse shows.

    

     “I also am always looking for new techniques to use with my own horses,” Crouss added.

    

     Senior Caroline Eng, an animal science major from Westhampton, N.Y., said she only heard about the team last year from a friend who was a member.  She was interested in joining because she was familiar with riding but missed having the opportunity to ride during the school year.  She explained that riding is one of the ways she’s able to stay active.

    

     Eng also commented on the team’s spirit, adding that she loves “how nice and easy going everybody is and how everyone helps each other out.”  This helpfulness can take many forms, whether it be giving each other pointers on how to handle a horse or doing each other’s hair in preparation for a show.

     

      The shows, at all levels, are organized through the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association.  According to the IHSA website, www.ihsainc.com, almost 400 colleges throughout the United States and Canada are IHSA members, sending more than 9,000 riders to competitions.

     

     The UMass Western Equestrian Team regularly competes against Mount Holyoke College out of South Hadley, Mass., Sacred Heart University out of Fairfield, Conn. and the University of Connecticut out of Mansfield, Conn.  The schools are qualified under IHSA as competing in Region 1.5, Zone 3, according to UMWET President Emily Messing.

     

     There are six divisions at which riders can compete, ranging in difficulty: beginner, intermediate, novice, advanced, open and open reining.

     

     To prepare for shows, UMWET practices once a week in groups of five or six under Coach Carver.  Two groups ride Tuesday evening and a third group rides Friday afternoons.

     

     Practice is held at the Hadley Farm in two hour intervals.  However because the riders must groom and tack up their horses before practice, they only spend about an hour to an hour and a half of that time riding.

     

     Members of UMWET are also required to travel to Carver’s personal stable in Broad Brook, Conn. once a month for a private lesson.

     

     The Hadley Farm also is the home of two other riding teams: the UMass Equestrian Team and the UMass Dressage Team.  They ride and show separately from the UMWET because they specialize in different disciplines.

     

     Whereas UMWET uses Western equipment, like what is used on the horses in old Western films featuring cowboys like John Wayne, the other two teams use English equipment which is usually lighter and less bulky.

     

     When the Equestrian Team shows, they participate in classes similar to that of the Western Equestrian Team, where they are judged on their form and their ability to handle the horses.  However, the style of their disciple calls for them to encourage their horses to go slightly faster at each gait and they must position themselves differently in the saddle.  The riders on the Equestrian Team also guide their horses over jumps.

     

     The Dressage Team guides their mounts through intricate patterns, which they must have memorized, using large black letters located on the sides of the arena to pinpoint exactly where in the arena they should be.  Each member on the team rides separately in front of the judge, saluting him or her before and after their ride, which lasts about three to four minutes.

     

     Although the three teams practice different riding styles, they frequently help each other out.  When one team hosts a home show at the Hadley Farm, members of the other two teams will volunteer to help clean the barn or hold horses at ringside throughout the day.

    

     Because the upkeep of horses is costly, Hadley Farm requires that each member of UMWET pay $200 at the start of each semester to help fund the facility. 

    

     In addition, Carver receives $25 per lesson from each member in exchange for her instruction.  This $25 fee carries over to horse shows as well, where Carver advises her students from the sidelines.  A $36 entrance fee is required from each competitor in order for them to participate in a show.

     

     On an organizational level, UMWET functions similarly to many other campus teams and clubs with a president/captain, a vice-president/co-captain, a treasurer and a secretary.  This year, Deshpande holds the position of secretary and Messing, a senior, is president.  Senior Katie Rinaldi is vice-president and senior Alex Raftopoulos is treasurer.

    

     According to the team officers, there is a possibility that the team will relocate from the Hadley Farm in the upcoming semester. 

     

     Such a change wouldn’t be new to UMWET.  Founded in 2008, UMWET originally practiced at the Crimson Acres Equestrian Center in Orange, Mass.  In 2011, they made the transition to the Hadley Farm, according to Messing.

     

     The team will most likely begin holding all of their practice sessions at Carver’s facility.  Though it is a lengthy drive from campus, it would save the team money compared to practicing at the Hadley Farm.

     

     After this semester, five senior team members will graduate, leaving several open positions.  According to Deshpande, who has already been voted in as next year’s president, anyone who is interested in trying out for the team should like the UMass Western Equestrian Team page on Facebook.  Deshpande says information about tryouts will be posted on the page early next semester.

By Shelby Ashline