Members of the Archer equestrian team saddled up for their first show of the season in the Interscholastic Equestrian League at Hansen Dam Equestrian Center on Oct. 29, 2018.

Members of the Archer team garnered wins that day, including sophomore Emma London, who won her flat class, and sophomore Isa Ionazzi, who received fifth place in the Novice Overall Championship category and placed second in the Novice Hunter Class 112. 

“Since that was the first show of the season, I… got to experience what was going to happen for the rest of the year,” Ionazzi said. “Now I know what to expect and what to work on.”

This was Ionazzi’s first time riding over fences at a show, as she previously competed in dressage. Ionazzi also felt that the show was an opportunity to bond with her teammates.

“We got to talk about everything that was going on,” Ionazzi said. “Everyone is… experiencing the same things.”

Ionazzi explained that the competitors had a shared experience in that, many of them ‘took photos,’ and Ionazzi had the chance to ‘meet up’ with and talk to her fellow horseback riders.

Another winner was sophomore Amber Calvert-Jones, who received both the junior varsity handy hunter and the junior varsity medals. During the show, Calvert-Jones had goal-setting in mind. She believes that the team is coming together to accomplish the same goal, and putting in the best effort they can. Calvert-Jones said she has personal goals as well.

“Goals that I had…were just to be consistent and do well,” Calvert-Jones said.

The equestrian team’s next show will be held at Hansen Dam Equestrian Center through the Interscholastic Equestrian League on Sunday, Jan. 13, 2019.