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Dalhousie AC equestrian team looking for fifth title this season

Winning has become somewhat of a tradition for the Dalhousie AC equestrian team.

And it’s one they don’t want to alter anytime soon.

After four consecutive Atlantic Intercollegiate Equestrian League titles, Dalhousie AC will be looking to take the first step toward a fifth when it opens a new season Oct. 16 at MacMillan Show Centre. Action gets underway at 8 a.m.

“My aim is for the riders to ride their best and hopefully come out with an overall win,” coach Jessica Wells said.

That could be more difficult than ever this year. Wells, who doubles as president of the league, has been working for several seasons in helping it expand to the current state of five teams. Those include entries from Dalhousie’s University in Halifax, Acadia, St. Mary’s and St. Francis Xavier.

“The competition is getting tougher and tougher,” Wells, who is entering her fifth season as coach, said. “They are all very talented.”

The league’s five other competition dates continue throughout the winter wrapping up Mar. 4 at Owls Ridge Farm in Grand Desert, NS. That event is one of a pair hosted by Dalhousie University.

Horses are donated by the host stable with riders competing on horses they may never have ridden before. Each rider accumulates points for their team based on their performance.

Dalhousie AC’s unit is made up of 11 riders of varying skill level from walking trot to jumping fences in the open class. Part of the school’s run of success comes from the fact it gets contributions from every member of the team and Wells said that will be important, once again, this year.

“I find myself placing an expectation on every rider,” she said. “We have some excellent returning riders that I expect to have another successful year and set a positive example for the new riders.”

Wells is looking forward to the first competition to fully assess the new riders who have joined the squad this fall and added if her team falls short of an overall victory, it won’t be the end of the world.

“If we don’t win it will show us where our weaknesses are and what we need to do to overcome them,” she said.

Although Wells has enjoyed all the success of the program under her tutelage and hopes for much more, she said the first priority is forming quality people and fostering an atmosphere of sportsmanship and co-operation.

“I like the members of the team to support one another as well as the other teams and to have a group of respectful, professional athletes.”