Equestrian sports: Sequim, PA athletes team up at first district meet

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Rivals in some sports, the relatively small Sequim and Port Angeles equestrian teams are banding together for team events at district meets this season.

The schools teamed up for five top-10 finishes at the first district meet of the season, held at Grays Harbor Fairgrounds in Elma Jan. 21-23.

“We had a lot of fun and the girls did great!” Sequim coach Katie Salmon-Newton said.

Sequim’s Libby Swanberg picked up a first place in breakaway roping — one of seven top-five finishes at the meet for the sophomore — and teamed with Port Angeles’ Sydney Hutton to take first in working pairs.

Swanberg placed second in jumping and working rancher, third in daubing, figure eight and reigning, and fourth in individual flags.

Swanberg also teamed with Port Angeles’ Maggie Anderson to place third in team sorting, and placed fifth on Canadian Flags with Anderson, Hutton and Haley Bishop of Port Angeles.

Sequim teammate Joanna Seelye, a freshman, was 16th in showmanship and 17th in pole bending.

Seelye and Swanberg teamed up to place fifth in two-man birangle.

Seelye added a sixth place finish in in-hand obstacle relay with Anderson, Bishop and Hutton.

Other Sequim teammates include freshman Mia Kirner, and coaches Bettina Hoesel, Amy Tucker-Matney and Salmon-Newton.

The next District 4 meet is set for Feb. 25-27, with the third meet scheduled for April 8-10 — both in Elma.

The state equestrian meet is slated for May 19-22 in Moses Lake.