Sisters riders in first meet of season

The Sisters High School equestrian team trotted into third place among large teams at the first Oregon High School Equestrian Teams (OHSET) meet of the season. Held February 10-12 at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center, the meet provided a good opportunity for the team to assess strengths and weaknesses.

"Horses and athletes react differently to competition as opposed to practice," said head coach and team adviser, Beth Jacobsen. "It gives us a place to work from."

With the season running until early May, they'll have plenty of time to hone skills.

English riding events are the strongest suit, with Sisters riders capturing first place in each class. But, Jacobsen noted several strong finishes in the gaming and team events also. "I expect our gamers to get stronger through the season," she said.

Sisters squeaks into the large team designation with 11 athletes, the minimum number for the division. The other large teams are Redmond, Mt. Vies and Bend. Sisters has nine returning riders, lending depth to the team this year.

OHSET meets offer a dizzying array of events for athletes to compete in, ranging from the discipline of a dressage test to the fast and furious action of steer daubing, the precise teamwork of a drill team and the unpredictable that happens in the cattle events such as team penning. One of the great appeals of the competition is the opportunity to compete in events outside an athlete's normal range of expertise.

The next meet is scheduled for March 23-25 at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center.