Equestrian team shares superstitions and pre-show rituals
By Alexandra Doucet
Photos by Giana Terranova Photography
The equestrian world is rich with traditions and superstitions. Many riders have charms they believe bring them luck at horse shows. As the SCAD Equestrian team continues to prepare for IHSA Nationals, District asked what kind of pre-show rituals they indulge before entering the ring.
1.Wear Their Luck
A common theme on the SCAD Equestrian team is wearing a lucky article of clothing or piece of jewelry. Senior Jackie Gentile has a lucky red Nike sports bra, while Sophomore Tess Mroczka has a necklace her dad gave her that she wears at every horse show. Senior Kelly DiFiglia wears the same belt, socks, and jewelry every time she shows.
2. Satisfy Superstitions
No matter how specific or bizarre, each rider seems to have their superstitions; team captain Devon Walther agrees, he said, “I used to be very superstitious, I could never show in anything new, like a new jacket or pants.”
Senior Kelsey Fey says, “After winning my first blue ribbon ever, I noticed I had left money in my jacket pocket from the day before. Ever since then I’ve made sure I keep change in my pocket! I’m pretty sure there’s a quarter that just permanently resides in my jacket now.”
Junior Quinn Lowsky claims to not go to the bathroom before going into the ring, as it makes him ride with a stronger sense of urgency.
3.Eradicate Jitters
Both Jackie and Tess shared that they do some light workouts, like lunges or a quick jog, before mounting up at horse shows. Many of SCAD’sriders stretch and a few said they also listened to music on their iPods while thinking of their ride.
Despite practical differences in their rituals, every rider on the team has one strategy in common: visualization.
Senior captain Ryan Genn says, “I just walk the course in the exact path I want to take on my horse so I can visualize my track. Usually if I’m on the correct path I don’t even need to see distances. And then after I walk, I ride every stride of the course in my head over and over and rehearse different situations so that in the ring I’ve already gone over it, and I don’t need to think I can just react.”
SCAD headed to Lexington, Kentucky to try to defend their championship title at IHSA Nationals. The competition begins May 5 and runs through May 8. Standings will be posted on the SCAD Athletics site.
