Nov. 9, 2016
CWU Equestrian Club horse show planned for November 12-13 at Orrion Farms
The Central Washington University Equestrian Club will host its annual Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) horse show on November 12-13. The events will take place at CWU’s home facility located at Orrion Farms in Ellensburg. The show will start at 9:00 a.m., on Saturday and at 8:00 a.m., on Sunday. Viewing of the show is free and open to the public.
CWU competes against seven other teams across the Pacific Northwest including the University of Washington, University of Oregon, Oregon State University, University of British Columbia, and others, in the 2016 IHSA show season. It began in September and will continue through March.
The annual CWU competition will feature competitors from all eight teams, who will be judged on different levels of western riding and their technical ability to ride and handle a horse, a skill officially referred to as “equitation.”
“Unlike other horse show formats, where riders show their own horses, IHSA riders are assigned an unfamiliar horse based on their skill level, and then judged on their ability to handle the horse through a series of different speed changes and patterns,” explained Ann Anderson, the CWU Equestrian Club advisor.
All horses used for ride nights are personally owned by members, so none are “university owned.”
“In preparation for those competitions, team members convene twice weekly for ride nights at Orrion Farms in order to practice their riding skills,” said Anderson. “We are so fortunate to have use of the amazing indoor facility there for team members to ride, train, and board their horses all year long.”
IHSA provides collegiate riders of all skill levels the opportunity to compete individually and as teams in equestrian competition. It was founded on the principle that any college student should be able to participate in horse shows regardless of his or her riding ability or financial status.
Media contact: Robert Lowery, director of radio services and integrated communications, 509-963-1487, Robert.Lowery@cwu.edu
November 9, 2016