SEQUIM HIGH SCHOOL’S equestrian team had a “great first meet,” said coach Misty Gilbertson of the first Washington High School Equestrian Team meet of the year, Jan. 23-26 in Elma.
“We had some freezing temps and frozen water pipes, but it was dry and sunny,” Gilbertson said.
Freezing temps — burr! I recall purchasing my Mr. Buddy propane heater and a padded seat to help keep frozen fingers and bum to a minimum as I sat on those freezing bleacher seats to watch my niece compete. Incidentally, one of her teammates is now Sequim’s head coach, Ady Crosby.
Sequim’s rooster includes new members Savannah Boulton, Paisley Morris, Kenzi Winters and Kaija Johnson. Returning this year are Taylor Lewis, Joanna Seelye, Asha Swanberg, Celbie Karjalainen, Katelynn Middleton-Sharpe, Lily Meyer, Kennady Gilbertson and Paige Reed.
“We have two girls from Port Angeles High School, Zakara Braun and Olivia West, that practice with us, and are our honorary Sequim Equestrian Team members,” Gilbertson said. That’s because the rest of their teammates, and coach, reside in Kitsap County. Their high school doesn’t have a coach this year.
Shout out to these first-place winners: Taylor Lewis in Reining and Working Rancher; Katelynn Sharpe in Saddle Seat and Dressage; Kennady Gilbertson in Figure 8; Olivia West (PA) in Flags; Asha Swanberg/ Joanna Seelye in Working Pairs; Asha in Steer Daubing; Asha/Taylor/Paisley Morris/Kenzi Winters in IHOR.
Their next competition is Feb. 20-23.
Results
IHOR — Asha, Taylor, Paisley, Kenzi, first.
Saddle Seat — Katelynn, first.
Hunt seat — Katelynn, fourth.
Reining — Taylor first, Joanna 13th.
Trail — Asha sixth, Taylor eighth.
In hand trail — Taylor fifth, Paisley sixth, Kenzi seventh.
Stock Seat — Taylor second, Kenzi sixth, Paisley 10th.
Versatility 4-man — Asha, Taylor, Paisley, Katelynn, Joanna third.
Showmanship — Paisley eighth, Kenzi 12th.
Working Rancher — Taylor first, Asha second.
Working Pairs — Asha, Joanna first, Paisley, Kenzi third.
Dressage — Katelynn first, Paisley 10th.
Pole Bending — Lily fifth, Zakara sixth (PA), Celbie seventh, Asha ninth, Joanna 13th, Olivia 15th (PA), Kaija 17th, Savannah 19th.
Figure 8 — Kennady first, Lily third, Joanna fifth, Celbie seventh, Asha eighth, Zakara 17th, Kaija 19th.
Flags — Olivia first, Asha third, Katelynn fifth, Kennady seventh, Lily 13th, Kaija 15th, Celbie 16th.
Key hole — Katelynn fourth, Olivia fifth, Zakara 14th, Savannah 18th .
Barrels — Celbie fourth, Lily sixth, Olivia ninth, Zakara 10th, Joanna 16th, Kaija 20th.
Steer Daubing — Asha first.
Cattle Sorting — Joanna and Kennady second, Katelynn and Paisley fifth, Kaija and Kenzi sixth, Olivia and Zakara 16th.
Follow-up
Clallam County Emergence Management Animal Disaster Planning meeting Jan. 24 truly was a huge success, and the room was packed full of eager participants, along with several virtual partakers. More importantly, several there had personal knowledge, training and/or experience with evacuating their homes and animals due to a wildfire.
Program Coordinator Justine Chorley’s slideshow presentation outlined what we, the group of volunteers, need to do to help create an emergency disaster response plan for domestic large and small animals.
The list was long but broken down into subgroups handling specific areas, doable. The goal is to have a completed plan ready to present to county officials by September. I know we can do it!
Chorley emphasized the more urgent need we have now is to educate individual animal owners on creating their individual emergency plans, because, after a disaster, it could take a very long time for help to arrive. As she said, “We are our animals’ steward. It’s our responsibility to prepare ahead of time to be able to care for our needs, along with our animals.” And, at the county, state and national level, first responders’ first obligation is to help humans first.
Knowing a major disaster — earthquake, wildfire, etc. — could occur at any moment, and we only have one road available to get on and off the Peninsula, we, as individuals, need to create two plans now:
1. Shelter in place by having at least a 30-day supply of food and water for each human and animal in your household.
2. Have a set emergency evacuation plan in place, including a pre-packed to-go bag that includes a three-day supply of food, water and clothing for each member of your family, including each animal, along with medications, copies of important documents (could be paper or thumb drive) and some cash.
I can’t emphasize enough the wealth of knowledge we can obtain through looking at CCEM’s website, https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/226/Emergency-Management. There you’ll find links to help guide you into preparing your own emergency disaster plan, including a two-week ready plan.
Correction: In a previous column, I mistakenly wrote Judy Sarles is the Back Country Horsemen Peninsula chapter president. Theresa Percy is that chapter’s president. Sarles is the Buckhorn Range chapter president.
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Karen Griffiths’ column, Peninsula Horseplay, appears the second and fourth Saturday of each month.
If you have a horse event, clinic or seminar you would like listed, email Griffiths at kbg@olympus.net at least two weeks in advance. You can also call her at 360-460-6299.
Waiting for the next event to start.
Working pairs 1st place winners Asha Swanberg, left, and Joanna Seeyle.
Getting ready to compete in Dressage are Paisley Morris, left, Katelynn Sharpe.
