CC equestrian team finishes 3rd in region

Although it is a non-Varsity team that most students have not heard of, the Colorado College equestrian team has found success competing in the International Horse Show Association (IHSA) since forming seven years ago. The team completed its most recent season, sending two riders to regional qualifier tournament in Amarillo, Texas. CC entered the last competition of the year tied with CU-Boulder for first in the region but ultimately finished third. They finished second in the region in the previous three seasons.

The team is made up of 20 riders, almost all of whom were riding years before they entered CC. “I became involved with the team because I have been horseback riding since I was a child and it is something that is very important to me,” said junior Christie Kinsella. “I knew I wanted to continue riding and competing in college, so I made sure that all the schools I applied to had competitive equestrian teams.” Kinsella said the team has grown since her freshman year.

While the team has quickly established itself as a successful program, it has also maintained a relaxed atmosphere that has helped to attract new members. 

“A lot of horse show circuits are very intense and put a lot of pressure on the riders, but our team is laid back and not intimidating for those who are new to riding or competing in horse shows,” said Kinsella. “For those who are more experienced riders and veterans of the horse show circuit, it’s a nice change in atmosphere to not feel pressure and to be able to just have fun. I think this attitude not only makes it more enjoyable for us as a team, but also has helped contribute to our success over the years.”

This season the team competed at competitions hosted by CU-Boulder and the University of Nebraska. Despite often competing against much larger schools, CC has established itself as one of the top teams within the region. With consistent results and growing numbers, the CC equestrian team will hope to build on its past successes by winning a regional championship next season.