The equestrian team triumphed at the University of Scranton’s horse show last Sunday, outperforming runner-up Lehigh and 10 other teams to take the top spot.
All riders had remarkably consistent performances, scoring in each of the eight divisions except open flat.
These performances saw the team score 30 points while Lehigh tallied 26. However, the Mountain Hawks had more individual victories.
Lafayette had nine podium finishes on the day, including one victory, which senior Grace McEneaney earned in open fences.
While this was the team’s only first place of the day, junior Connor Port placed second in limit fences and freshman Ava Gustafson took home second place in limit flat.
Senior club president Anna Paulsen said that “consistency was key” on Sunday.
“I think everybody came together and supported each other, and were just really present at the show,” Paulsen said. “Present meaning they’re supporting on the sidelines, helping people get on, bringing the equipment there and back.”
This show was the first time Port jumped in the limit division, so placing second in the event was “exciting.”
While Paulsen mentioned that Gunner, the horse Port rode, “wasn’t an easy draw,” Port said he thought Gunner suited his strengths.
“Keep in mind, I was only riding him for that two minutes,” Port said. “I’ve been practicing on all sorts of different horses at Top Notch [Equestrian Centre], so being able to ride any horse is a very important skill. I’m still working on it. Of course, I’m not perfect at every horse, but I feel like Gunner was a very good fit for me.”
Port noted that members of the team are very supportive, but that the camaraderie extends across programs.
“The sportsmanship is really amazing,” Port said. “The previous show I didn’t jump in, but I rode in the flat. It was freezing and we had nowhere to go, but the Rutgers team let us use their van to stay warm. Overall it’s a really friendly competition.”
Looking forward to the rest of the season, Paulsen wants to see the seniors qualify for regionals, which will take place on March 30.
“I think that team spirit is what we want to carry through for the rest of the season, and definitely the idea that not one person makes or breaks a team,” Paulsen said. “We win as a team and we also lose as a team. It very much is a team effort and team morale plays a very big role in how well we perform.”
Photo editor Emma Sylvester ’25 is a member of the equestrian team. She did not contribute writing or reporting.
