(Photo courtesy Amanda Pollack)The Arizona State English Equestrian Team, which has been a presence on campus since 2008, is growing more competitively and looking to continue its success this year.
This team is bringing together people who share a love for horses and actively competing in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association. This team competes within the region, which consists of teams from Southern California and even a team from UA.
Communication senior and team captain Ashlee Bolwar said the team had a lot of success competitively last year and hopes that will continue.
“I want to qualify as a team this year and make it to Zone finals, as well as take first in our region,” she said.
She herself has a goal of qualifying for nationals individually, too.
Bolwar said the club loves getting new members, especially freshman, because they usually stay on the team throughout college. She was the co-captain last year but has been the captain of this year's team since June.
Bolwar said she wants to set new personal records for herself, but she also wants the team to progress as a whole and have success together.
Supply chain management sophomore Amanda Pollack is the team's secretary, and she is in charge of all major work, such as health insurance and traveling arrangements for competitions.
Pollack also competes and was very successful last year in competitions.
“I also compete at intermediate flat for Team USA, and I automatically qualified for the North Junior Young Riders,” she said.
(Photo courtesy Amanda Pollack)Last season, the ASU English Equestrian Team won the title of Reserve Champion Team in its region. Also, three of the individual riders qualified and attended the final regional competition. Only two, Bolwar and co-captain Dani Ross, continued to the Zone finals competition.
Exploratory social and behavioral science junior Dani Ross is goal-orientated heading into this season as well. She said she wants her team to move up from Division II and compete at the Division I level.
Ross said she wants the team to accomplish things in the community, too. She hopes to spread the name of the ASU English Equestrian team and encourages girls to come out and join the team.
“I want our team to get involved with the community and reach out to those who would like to join,” she said. “It’s a great life experience. You can really focus on yourself, and it’s just one of those experiences that just changes you.”
Reach the reporter at William.a.parker@asu.edu
