By ELIZABETH POCZOBUT
IHSA Media Intern
The Berry College Equestrian team is back in full swing after a very busy summer for many members of the team. The first few months have been focused on getting the horses and ourselves back in shape from summer break.
As many of The Collective Equestrian readers are aware, Berry College is home to the defending IHSA (Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association) National Championship Western team. Team members held their championship banquet the first weekend in October, and the entire equestrian team, friends, family and special guests accompanied the Nationals team and their coaches to celebrate, not only the national championship, but an amazing 2014-2015 season.
Notable guests included IHSA founder and executive director Bob Cacchione, Berry College President Dr. Steve Briggs and Berry College Dean of Students Debbie Heida. President Briggs opened the celebration with kind words and support for the equestrian team and their accomplishments.
Mr. Cacchione shared the story of the IHSA’s founding and how the organization grew from a small club to a national association for equestrians of all levels of experience. Many in attendance had not heard the story before and the IHSA and Mr. Cacchione definitely gained more fans after his talk. The love and support that Mr. Cacchione has for the IHSA and all its exhibitors is paralleled by none.
The banquet also included words from Assistant Coach Debra Wright and Western Team Captain and Nationals Team Rider Elizabeth Poczobut. Coach Knight and Director of Athletics Todd Brooks then awarded the Nationals team with National Championship vests and rings.
The Berry College Equestrian team has been hard at work already this semester to have a year as outstanding as the last. Last season culminated with the Berry Western team’s second national title in five years. This year the team has goals of sending both the hunt seat and western teams to the national finals in May. While only two of the Western Nationals team members are returning, the Vikings have already shown promise in achieving this goal. The Western team won a double header hosted by the University of North Georgia in September, and the hunt seat team followed up with a mirror weekend at a show hosted by Alabama in October.
November has been extremely busy already with Berry hosting shows Nov. 7, 8 and one still to come Nov. 21. Western Team Captain Elizabeth Poczobut represented the team at the AQHA Collegiate Challenge in Oklahoma Nov 15.
** See Berry’s season results here **
Another important component that can’t be overlooked in preparing for the season ahead is the horsepower. Berry Equestrian has the wonderful opportunity to have its barn and riding facility on campus with approximately 50 horses for the team’s use. Riders have been working diligently to get their equine charges show ring ready after the long break. All of the horses were either born at Berry or were donated to the program, and we are extremely thankful for the opportunity to ride each and every one of them, no matter their personal quirks.
BCET welcomed six new recruits to the team this year, and then held tryouts during the first week of school and added six walk-on riders to the team, raising the number of new team members to 12. These new riders have been great additions to the team and show a lot of promise for the season.
Elizabeth Poczobut is a junior political science major at Berry College in Rome, Ga., and captain of the school’s Western IHSA equestrian team. She competes in open horsemanship and reining. She contributes to The Collective Equestrian as an IHSA media intern.
