Juniors/Young Riders

By Elizabeth Cummins and Kelley Varisco [ngg_images source="galleries" container_ids="21" display_type="photocrati-nextgen_basic_thumbnails" override_thumbnail_settings="0" thumbnail_width="120" thumbnail_height="90" thumbnail_crop="1" images_per_page="20" number_of_columns="0" ajax_pagination="1" show_all_in_lightbox="0" use_imagebrowser_effect="1" show_slideshow_link="0" slideshow_link_text="[Show as slideshow]" order_by="sortorder" order_direction="DESC" returns="included" maximum_entity_count="500"] It has been five years since Covington High School officially began to recognize equestrians as high school athletes by offering an athletic letter in equestrian sports. Covington’s team was founded in 2010 and based its criteria upon the guidelines established by (USEF) United States Equestrian Federation’s High School athlete program. Once word got out about Covington High’s equestrian team, enthusiasm for the program abounded on the Northshore. Other schools followed suit to start their own programs, using Covington’s criteria to develop their own lettering expectations.

By Kelley Varisco SEDA Jr riders were busy competing at 4-H horse shows this summer. The show season started with Southeast District horse show, held in June at the Florida Parish’s arena in Amite. The district show is a qualifier for the state show, which was held in July at the Burton Complex in Lake Charles. At the state level, riders qualify to go on to Southern Regional Horse Championships and compete against riders from thirteen states.

By Simone Page I used the SEDA Scholarship to participate in a clinic with Linda Strine last winter, and since then I have ridden with her much more while she stayed in Covington for the winter. I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to spend time training with her. When I first rode with Mrs. Linda, I had just gotten my new horse, Koda, from Florida. We were told he had some dressage training for the first six years of his life and then he spent the next few as a jumper only, so we were not quite sure what we had to work with and what dressage he already knew.  I had also been out of competition for a year due to my previous horse’s injury, so it felt like I was starting all over again. My main goals were to regain my confidence as a rider, bond with Koda, and strengthen our connection as a team.