For many GW student organizations, meetings require just a few chairs and a table. But for one, it necessitates a barn, 40 acres, a 40-minute car ride—and horses.
Tulip Pond Farm in Poolesville, Md., serves as the meeting place for the 17 members of GW’s equestrian team. The students practice once a week on the farm, owned by their coach and trainer Daphne Boogaard, and compete up to six times each semester against schools in the region, including the College of William and Mary and the University of Richmond, that are members of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).
“The sport requires a lot of endurance and time,” says team captain and GW junior Valeria Cogliani. “The more you ride the more you ‘feel’; there are only so many technical pointers that your coach can give you, so the rest is really up to experience.”
Each team member practices or takes lessons once a week, and many ride on the weekends to stay in shape. Only five members are selected to compete at each IHSA show, which requires riders to compete on other team’s horses. Ms. Cogliani says this helps to “level the playing field.”
Ms. Boogaard, who coaches along with Shannon Thomas, a former rider for the University of Mary Washington, says each member competes at a different level, which they qualify for through either the United States Equestrian Federation or the United States Eventing Association. Team members also compete in different disciplines, which include everything from walk, trot and cantor at both beginner and advanced levels to fence jumping.
“[At practice], we start out on one horse, and we swap around to make sure that everyone gets a chance on a different horse,” says Ms. Boogaard, who describes GW’s riders as “greatly dedicated” to the sport and their teammates.
“It’s very important to understand the horse you are riding, and to recognize that you cannot ride every horse the same way,” says Ms. Cogliani, who boards her own horse at Tulip Pond.
This season, GW’s equestrian team placed as high as second at two of its shows and placed fourth overall out of the 16 schools in its region. Three of the riders qualified for IHSA regionals. Ms. Cogliani, who competes in fence jumping, and teammate Meryl Winslow both placed at an advanced competition, or “zones” at Virginia Tech April 11.
“We have become much closer as teammates and friends this season, and we are looking forward to competing next year,” she says.
Like many of her teammates, horseback riding has been a part of Ms. Cogliani’s life for a long time, so joining GW’s team was an easy decision. “I didn’t want to give it up,” she says. “I also wanted to make friends with people who shared my interests and be part of a team.”
As interest in the team has grown since its inception in 2002, its members have become more competitive. Ms. Cogliani says the team holds tryouts every semester and caps team participation at 20 riders. “There are all different levels of riders on the team, from true beginners who only walk and trot to the highest level, ‘open riders,’ who compete outside of college competitions,” she says.
Riders are scored on their “equitation” which Ms. Cogliani explains is how “good the rider looks on a horse” and how well they can control their horse. First place receives seven points, second receives five points and so on. For each level the team chooses a ‘point rider’ whose points go towards the team’s score and the team with the highest score at the end wins the competition. “Although only one person’s points count for the team, everyone’s points count for themselves as an individual,” says Ms. Cogliani. “The first place team in the region goes to zones, but if you accumulate enough points, you may go to regionals as an individual rider.”
Ms. Cogliani says patience and “a deep love for horses” are two qualities that mark a successful equestrian. But to the GW equestrian team, being a good teammate is just as important as skills. “To be a successful team member, it is imperative to realize that everyone is significant,” she says. “Being supportive, friendly and caring and able to learn from your mistakes are qualities we look for in team members. We are very serious, but are also able to be silly and have a good time.”
Both coaches say they are proud of the team and its members. “We have really enjoyed watching these students grow, not only in their skills for riding but also as people,” says Ms. Boogaard. “We look forward to watching the team grow and seeing them become independent and responsible adults.”