By Laurel Messenger
The lottery comes first, then the show begins.
This is how the riders get assigned their horse for competition. For the Western Equestrian Club, being able to adapt to different horses is part of what being a rider is all about. From horses that are small and rowdy to tall and stoic and everything in between, it’s impossible to know what card (or in this case, horse) you will be dealt.
“When we go into a show we don’t know what horse we are going to get. We get pulled a random horse a few minutes before we start,” said Courtney Karmil, a junior who has been riding for two years. “It’s stressful but it’s also really fun, because you get to meet a ton of different horses. It makes you a very versatile rider being on this type of team.”
Riders can end up in some strange situations because of the lottery system. Holly Jones, a junior who has been riding for 10 years, shared a story from her last competition.
“My last show I drew this really crazy little horse. And I am tall, so I looked funny on this tiny little pony who is fast and scary,” Jones said. “It was still fun and I didn’t end up placing, but it is more about the experience and being there, and trying to ride these crazy horses.”
A horse isn’t essential for those looking to join the club. The club has several facilities that lend the riders horses. Lang’s Horse and Pony Farm in Mount Vernon lends the club eight horses. The club also contracts with a facility in Everson and Lynden and are able to use their horses and clients’ horses, said club president Johanna Duell.
