Connecticut College Equestrian Team (CCET) does not receive nearly enough credit on campus for their competitiveness, despite the recognition they’ve gained for their talent at recent Intercollegiate Horse Shows.
Conn’s team is a member of Zone 2, Region 5 of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). The other eight teams that comprise this division are UConn, Sacred Heart, Yale, Central Connecticut State, Post, Trinity, Wesleyan and Fairfield. CCET competes at six shows in the fall and four in the spring.
Different from other equestrian shows, the school hosting the meet provides the horses for all competitors. Riders randomly pick a “mount” (the horse that they will be competing on), and once on their horses, they are immediately judged. There is no time to warm up and familiarize oneself with the unknown horse!
“This really evens the playing field, since how well you do depends purely on your ability as a rider and not on how nice of a horse you can afford,” says CCET President Nicole Adduci ’11.
This year, CCET’s competing team, made up of seventeen riders, has gone to three shows, competing in five different divisions: Open Flat/Over Fences, Intermediate Flat/Over Fences, Novice Flat/Over Fences, Walk-Trot-Canter and Walk-Trot. The divisions are based off of the level you are competing at. The divisions with the word “Fences” in their title include jumps, whereas the divisions without them are completely flat and riders are judged on their walking, trotting, or cantering. The Open level is the most advanced. The season opener over Fall Break was at Post University. Conn placed fourth overall. Luciana Rivera ’13 won her individual class in the Walk-Trot division and Kate Boudreau ’14 won Walk-Trot-Canter.
The team’s second show was on October 17, hosted by Yale and Sacred Heart. CCET tied for first place with UConn for High Point Team. Standout freshman Kai Bresciani ’14 qualified for a ride-off, a tie-breaker for High Point Rider (a sort of MVP for the day). Although she did not win, she did place first in the Novice Flat and second in the Novice Over Fences events. Overall, it was an extremely successful collegiate debut. Other key contributors included Captain and Secretary Katie McCarthy ’11, Luciana Rivera ’13 and Captain and Treasurer Katie Lynch ’13. Adduci called the show “a great success.”
Because of the cool weather and some bad luck drawing mounts, Conn did not place as high at the Trinity Show on October 24, finishing fifth at the end of the day.
There are thirteen other members of the CCET that do not ride competitively. All together, there are thirty riders representing Conn this year – this season, in fact, brought sixteen new members out for the squad. The girls practice at the nearby Mystic Valley Hunt Club with their coach, Richard Luckhardt. He is also the IHSA Regional President.
“One of the main goals I have for the team this year is to increase knowledge of our activities on the College campus and in the community,” said Adduci.
CCET’s home show is on November 6 at the Mystic Valley Hunt Club in Gales Ferry.
