The Wenatchee High School Equestrian team placed second out of nine teams at its latest meet at Appleatchee on the weekend of April 25.

The team, as of right now, is only a club. There are three meets a year, one in late March, the next in early April, another in late April, and then State in early May. The competition is broken down into three different categories; gaming, cattle, and performance.

Senior Jenna Gould competes in the performance and gaming events, and qualified for State in both her events, but cannot go due to prior engagements.

“It’s overlooked as a sport, although it is considered a club,” Gould said. “We practice three days a week for three hours, and individually each rider rides at least two hours a day, six days a week.”

Sophomore Isa Bekker, who, like Gould, cannot go to State, although she qualified in the events steer daubing, in the category of cattle and drill team, and in the category of performance.

“There’s no other sport that has a bond like a rider and their horse have,” Bekker said.

Sophomore Bailey Gettman placed in the top three of the most events of anyone on the WHS team in all three categories.

“After a win like that I feel accomplished for both the team and myself, and above anyone, my horse,” Gettman said. “It’s the type of sport that has to be practiced every day to create a bond between you and your horse. I myself have to practice more than most because I ride five different horses.”

All 11 girls on the team qualified for State in some event, either as a participant or an alternate. Many of them placed in the top three in at least one of their events.

The State competition is on May 8-11 in Lynden, Washington.