16 Years of School Spirit with the ISHS by Katherine O. Rizzo with photos by Linda Davis
Riding For Your School For 16 years, the Interschool Horse Show
series has off ered middle and high school rid- ers an opportunity to ride in team equitation competitions representing their schools. T e idea for the series started when founder Dev e reaux Raskauskas’ daughter Jenn wanted to use rid- ing as a way to fulfi ll her high school physical edu- cation credits at Connolly School of the Holy Child. T e school agreed to accept eques- trian as a sport and soon a club with 25 mem- bers was formed. “T e athletic director asked what was next and I said ‘I guess a show,’” ex- plained Devereaux. T e fi rst show was held in May 1995 at the
Potomac Horse Center with the help of Re- nee Gingras, now Renee Terselic. About 25 riders representing three schools came out for that fi rst com- petition. T e fol- lowing year,
the
league expanded to host two shows, one in the fall and one in the spring. Now, the league off ers two diff er- ent series (varsity and junior varsity) with one show a month from September through April. T is year, about 100 riders representing 26 schools competed in the varsity shows while around 55 riders from 16 schools competed in the junior varsity competitions. Shows were held at Oatland Stables in Laytonsville, Full Moon Farm in Finksburg and NFF Stables in Poolesville. With classes ranging from walk/trot through
Advanced Medal, there is something for all skill levels. And best of all, these young rid- ers get a chance to compete for their school. “I think the participants in our series get a huge dose of sportsmanship, discipline, responsibil- ity and of course fun, all in one activity,” De- vereaux stated.
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Junior Varsity Reserve Champion School: St. An- drew’s Episcopal School assistant coach Kristina Kough, Emma Davey, Clair Todd, Lindy Hill and coach Marianne Wyble
T e Equiery got involved with the series this
year, off ering year-end awards and ribbons to the top eight schools in each series.
Ins & Outs of Showing in the ISHS
Varsity Champion School: T.S. Wootton (from left) Erin Masterman, Selin Demir, captain Aleks Timrots, captain Marina Riese and Emma Vogel (not pictured: Erica Edney, Jessica Benjamin, Lainey Bartos and Meredith Wharton)
Here’s how the shows work. Riders from each team are divided into divi- sions based on skill level and academic year. For varsity, you have Advanced and Interme- diate split with the juniors and seniors competing against each other and the fresh- men, sophomores and middle schoolers all in the same class- es. For junior varsity, there is Future Intermediate, Novice and Maiden, with some divi- sion splits being added based on academic year. T ese riders can bring their own personal horses or horses
from the barns where they ride, or rent a horse from the host barn for the day. Placings are given through sixth in two hack classes with anyone who placed being invited back for a
Andrews. T ird place went to Urbana, fourth to the Academy of the Holy Cross, fi fth to Win- ston Churchill, sixth to T.S. Wootton, seventh to Barrie School and eighth to Connelly School of the Holy Child. At the varsity level, T.S. Wootton won the se-
ries. T e reserve championship went to Barrie School. Once again, the top eight schools were recognized for their achievements. In third place was Archbishop Spalding, fourth Linganore/ Oakdale, fi fth Dulaney, sixth Poolesville, seventh Winston Churchill and eighth Indian Creek.
Champion Riders As well as team awards and standings, the
top riders in each division were brought back at the Invitational to ride for individual champi- on and reserve champion honors. Team awards were also presented at these shows. T e Junior Varsity Invitational was held at Full Moon Farm on April 3. Erica Harman of
Junior Varsity Champion School: The Key School (back row from left) ISHS founder Devereaux Raskauskas, Jackson Gamble, Sabrina Valente, co-captain Alex Peterson, Paige Cassat, Erin Wright and coach Valerie Vizcarrondo (front row from left) Nik- ki Valente, Sophia Loughlin and Stella Hudson (not pictured: Ali King, Lauren Lane and co-captain Skye Speciale)
jump round. T e Surrey sponsors a medal class for the most advanced lev- el riders in varsity and junior varsity
as well. T is class is primarily a jump class with some fl at work questions added. At each show, champion and re-
serve champion riders are named per division and the top three riders for each team are tallied for the team standings. T e Equiery got involved with the series this year, off ering year-end awards and ribbons to the top eight schools at each level.
Champion Teams At the junior varsity level, T e Key
School came out on top as the cham- pion school. Finishing the season as the reserve champion school was St.
Varsity Reserve Champion School: Barrie School (from left) coach Paige Dunn, Sarah Harbinson, Jamal Brown, captain Grace Bigham and Kara Weinstein
JUNE 2011 | THE EQUIERY | 27
the Academy of the Holy Cross was crowned the High School Future Intermediate cham- pion. Danielle Jacobson of Walt Whitman was the reserve champion. Alex Peterson of T e Key School topped the Middle School Future Intermediate division with
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