Megan Zerrer
Sports Editor
The Wooster Equestrian Club participated in a two-day clinic beginning on Saturday Oct. 8, held by Mr. Waylon Roberts — a well-known and accomplished Canadian rider who specializes in eventing. The clinic was hosted at Kildare Riding Academy and Stables in Wooster. Three members of the Equestrian Club — Madelaine Braver ’18, Stephanie Noeller ’18 and Danielle Slichenmyer ’17 — participated in the clinic, which drew in riders from all over Ohio, along with their coach Brigid Cain and Wooster alumni Sarah Ragosta.
In the equestrian world, clinic refers to an event where a professional rider comes in and gives lessons. These lessons can either be private (one person riding) or semi-private (two people riding) and are organized by the rider’s eventing level. There are six total eventing levels and the number of points a rider has earned in competition determines their level. Riders were also able to audit the lessons offered by Roberts, which is what Elizabeth Kantra ’17 did. Slichenmyer and Braver rode together in a semi-private lesson and Ragosta rode with Noeller.
The lessons offered by Roberts focused specifically on show jumping, one third of the eventing triathlon. “It’s important to note that we are considered a hunt seat team,” Braver said. A hunt seat team focuses on work on the flat and over jumps, instead of cross country or dressage, as eventing does. Eventing incorporates three phases into one competition: dressage, show jumping — where the rider is given a course of jumps — and a time in which to complete them and cross country, a course involving natural and man-made obstacles laid out in a path through fields, woods and water.
“Even though we are a hunt seat team, it was good for us to be able to ride in an eventing style clinic. As a goal, we are all trying to be well-rounded riders. There is something to be learned from every professional,” said Braver.
Roberts’ lessons started on the flat — no jumps for the horse and rider team — and then progressed into small cavaletti (small jumps for the team to clear). From there the lessons moved into jump sequences which were set higher as the pair successfully navigated the jumps.
Roberts has been representing Canada in international competitions since the age of 14, earning a well-respected reputation for himself in the equestrian world and making him especially capable of instructing riders in this clinic. “It was neat that Waylon is only 25 so he was much more relatable with us and less intimidating than an older rider would have been, even though he’s still an expert,” Noeller said.
The clinic provided the Equestrian Club riders with versatility and skills that will be applicable during their show season, in addition to just being a fun new experience for the riders. “We focused on maintaining a forward, even canter rhythm to fences and throughout a course,” said Slichenmyer. “It was fun doing things we don’t normally practice, but it was challenging since he had different ways for us to move our horses through the courses. My favorite part was definitely the cool jumps that used barrels, flowers and vines to give the clinic a fall vibe,” said Noeller.
The Equestrian Club’s next event is a two-day long Intercollegiate Horse Show Association show at Lake Erie College beginning on Oct. 30.