Gustavus’ semi-infant Equestrian team begins their campaign with new talent

Miles and miles of Southern Minnesota’s beautiful farmland surrounds the rolling hills of St. Peter. Years ago this area was home to early settlers and, with those early settlers, horses. Yet until last year, it seemed as though the horses had disappeared from the area, leaving residents wondering one thing: where have all the cowboys gone?

Well, a few students have brought the horses back to the area while mixing the classy Gustavus style in with the old cowboy tradition. The product? Gustavus’ very own Equestrian Team. This club sport’s season beings in September and runs through April.

“During the course of the year, we have five shows at which our members try to earn enough points to qualify for regional, zone and national competition,” said Sophomore Team President Alexandra Grandelis.

Junior Abby Travis got the team going last year. “When I applied to Gustavus, there was an active Equestrian Team. When I got to Gustavus, I quickly found out that those who had been on the team had graduated, so I decided to try to get it going again,” said Travis.

“The Equestrian Team is an excellent example [of how] students can make anything happen with hard work and dedication. The team is completely student-led and -run,” said Sophomore Emma Strand.

Due to the special needs of the Equestrian Team, members have had to jump over a lot of obstacles in order to make their team function. They practice about once per week at Pegasus Circle Farm in Mankato, where they work with instructor Katie Harrington, who teaches lessons in jumping and on the flat.

Sophomore Leah Goss stressed the vital role that the Equestrian Team fills for its members. “Some riders come to college thinking they are never going to be able to show and compete again, and this [team] gives riders a great chance to remain competitive and have a lot of fun,” said Goss.

Grandelis said that the team is a “great way to introduce new members to equestrian sports. There are competitive and non-competitive members on the team. Plus, the shows offer classes for riders that are absolute beginners. It is something that the competitive circuit outside of college usually does not do.”
First-year Anja Swenson recognized that the establishment of the team does not mean that the struggle is over. “The biggest challenge our team faces is to keep it going. We don’t have that many members, and we have to have a certain amount of members to keep our ‘team’ status,” said Swenson.

Gustavus requires that all recognized student organizations have at least 10 active members. Gustavus’ Equestrian Team has 11. Part of the problem is that the sport itself incurs a lot of expenses. Since the Equestrian Team only has the status of a club sport, the majority of those expenses fall upon the shoulders of its members.

“Unlike some of the schools we compete against, our horses aren’t part of our education or part of a recognized college sport. Because of this, we spend a lot of extra time with instruction and competition,” said Grandelis.

Travis explained that “there are currently 290 intercollegiate teams across the country and 14 teams in our region.” The shows that the Equestrian Team participates in this year take place at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, South Dakota State University, University of Minnesota-Crookston and University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

After the first show of the year in Madison, the women have gained some insight regarding their upcoming season. “Many of us are used to always riding the same horse and having the opportunity to practice with our horse before entering the show ring. In collegiate competition you draw a random horse, get on and are judged right away. It’s difficult to have a great ride when you don’t know the horse’s style and quirks,” said Strand.

Travis explained a bit more of what is involved in the competition. At most, a rider will compete for 10 minutes at a time. Unlike non-collegiate competitions, which are judged on both horse and rider, the intercollegiate competitions judge only the rider’s ability. This is because the riders compete on unfamiliar horses.

This highly intense and competitive atmosphere requires a special kind of athlete. “We have to practice extremely diligently so that we will be able to ride our very best form the moment our seat hits the saddle. No warm-ups, no mistakes,” said Travis.
Regardless of the personal expenses incurred, the long trips and the limited accommodations, the members of the Gustavus Equestrian Team are dedicated and driven. “For horseback riders, riding is a sport, a hobby and a passion. It is an opportunity for education as well as for winding down and relaxing. Nothing can compare to the bond between a rider and her horse,” said Travis.