Teen jumps into equestrian success

Two years ago, Sisters teen Jennifer Friend was ready to throw in the towel (or the saddle pad) on her equestrian career. A particularly frustrating Deschutes County 4-H fair and a horse that just wouldn’t cooperate made the effort more trouble than fun.

Trying to get Jennifer out of her funk, her mother Karen Friend took her to a lesson with Karen O’Neal, then at Catalyst Farms. O’Neal specializes in jumping and dressage and Jennifer was daunted by the prospect of the jumps. A quiet, experienced school horse soon put those fears to rest — and then along came Travis.

A 16-hand quarter horse gelding, Travis had the experience and willingness to bring Friend along to competitive levels in both jumping and dressage and to compete in the myriad events that make up 4-H and high school equestrian teams.

Eventually, the pair began eventing, a competition that involves dressage, cross-country jumping and stadium jumping. At 19 years old, Travis is slowing down a bit now on the eventing course, but Friend’s confidence has been built back up and she took on a new horse last year, a five-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare named Tempi.

Both horses have been willing partners for Friend this year and she enjoyed a successful 4-H season with Travis and an equally successful eventing season with Tempi.

Along with several other accomplished riders, Friend represented Deschutes County at the State 4-H fair at the end of August. She and Travis competed in English equitation, trail, jumping and dressage, bringing home a medallion in jumping.

Medallions are awarded at state fair level to the top five percent of riders in the classes. In Friend’s case, there were three medallions awarded in the jumping class and she was the only Deschutes County rider to be awarded one in any class.

State fair takes place over five days, making it one of the longer shows of the season. Parental help is strictly forbidden at 4-H, which causes the young people to work together and allows the parents, who are still there in the background providing food and encouragement, a rare chance to shun barn chores and socialize with one another.

Candi Bothum, Deschutes County 4-H program coordinator, said of Friend, “She works very hard to achieve her success and her hard work clearly pays off. More important than her medallions and ribbons are her sportsmanship, kindness and helpfulness she shares with others.”

A week after state fair, Friend was competing on Tempi at the Area 7 eventing championships. Area 7 takes in the Pacific Northwest, some of Canada and some of Northern California, according to Friend.

Being Tempi’s first year of eventing competition, Friend competed most of the season at beginner-novice level, in which the jumps are 2-feet-7-inches maximum. Later in the season they moved up to novice, with jumps 2-feet-11-inches maximum.

The Area 7 championships were held at Caber Farms Equestrian Center in Onalaska, Washington.

Friend’s goal was to win.

She met that goal, feeling confident after garnering a good dressage score.

Tempi went clean on both jumping phases and Friend’s goal for the coming year will be to move up another level.

Long term, her dreams are loftier. As a junior in high school, she has two more years of 4-H competition left and Tempi is still a young horse.

Friend aspires to Olympic-caliber eventing on Tempi, hoping later to train as a veterinarian

And then there are all those other after-school sports…soccer in the fall, basketball in winter and golf through the spring. These days, Friend is at soccer practice until 5:30 p.m. and then goes to O’Neal’s training barn, now conveniently located in Sisters, for a 6 p.m. lesson.

“My mom meets me at the barn with Tempi. I couldn’t do it without help from her,” said Friend.

“I’m so glad I didn’t give up before. It makes me grateful for opportunities and a horse that gives me confidence and a mom who gives me support.”