“You have a whole group of members behind your back, cheering you on,” said Stoop, who, in her regional competition, competed in English riding as a Hunt Seat rider and placed second in the Individual Novice Equitation on the Flat class. “They’re helping you get ready, get on the horse and make sure your helmet is on.”

Paige Pierson, who majors in pre-veterinary medicine with a minor in equine science, grew up horseback riding on her family’s farm, but UD Club Equestrian was also one of her first experiences competing with a team. Both Stoop and Pierson received encouragement and support from the many teammates cheering them on from the sidelines.

“The team really supported me, and I wouldn’t have been able to get the chance to go to nationals had I not competed with them,” said Pierson, who, in her regional competition, placed third in the very competitive Individual Level II Horsemanship class. “Even being at nationals by myself, I still had a couple members of the team actually come in-person, and there were a bunch of members that Zoomed in to watch my class.”

At all IHSA competitions, riders are randomly assigned a horse, so their skill sets are fairly evaluated, focusing on the ability of the equestrian, rather than the horse. This system is also executed during team practices, encouraging riders to refine their skills and pinpoint potential weaknesses prior to the competition. UD’s teams train at two main facilities; the English team rides at C-Line Stables in Townsend, Delaware, and the Western team rides at Stepping Stone Farm in Westampton, New Jersey, with Coach Amy Freeman-Suess.

“They come weekly for lessons,” Freeman-Suess said. “All of them come with a willing attitude and are always looking to improve and learn all they can.”