Equestrian sports: Sequim riders earn third consecutive district title

By Michael Dashiell • April 24, 2024 1:30 am
Photo courtesy of Sequim Equestrian Team / Sequim Equestrian Team members enjoy their final district meet of the season in mid-April. Pictured, from left, are Kennady Gilbertson, Paige Reed, Celbie Karjalainen, Taylor Lewis, Libby Swanberg, Katelynn Middleton-Sharpe, Asha Swanberg, Lily Meyer, Sydney Hutton and Joanna Seeyle.
Photo courtesy of Sequim Equestrian Team / Sequim Equestrian Team members enjoy their final district meet of the season in mid-April. Pictured, from left, are Kennady Gilbertson, Paige Reed, Celbie Karjalainen, Taylor Lewis, Libby Swanberg, Katelynn Middleton-Sharpe, Asha Swanberg, Lily Meyer, Sydney Hutton and Joanna Seeyle.

The Sequim Equestrian Team is headed to the state meet in mid-May, but not before taking home the District 4 Small Teams title for the third consecutive season.

Sequim riders racked up 11 gold medals, 15 silver and bronzes, and several other individual honors at the third and final district meet of the season, held at Grays Harbor Fairgrounds in Elma April 11-14.

Katelynn Middleton-Sharpe was named Versatility Champion, Asha Swanberg was named Timed Events Champion and Libby Swanberg earned Timed Events Versatility Champion, with each earning buckles for their efforts.

Also earning a buckle is Joanna Seelye, who won the Exceptional Athlete award.

Photo by Misty Gilbertson / Sequim Equestrian Team coach Natalie Blankenship helps team members Katelynn Middleton-Sharpe, Celbie Karjalainen, Sydney Hutton and Taylor Lewis get ready for their showmanship event at the team’s third district meet in Elma in mid-April.

Photo by Misty Gilbertson / Sequim Equestrian Team coach Natalie Blankenship helps team members Katelynn Middleton-Sharpe, Celbie Karjalainen, Sydney Hutton and Taylor Lewis get ready for their showmanship event at the team’s third district meet in Elma in mid-April.

Libby Swanberg earned a team-high five medals from the district meets, getting a gold in breakaway roping and silvers in working rancher, figure eight, reining and individual flags.

Asha Swanberg earned four medals: golds in daubing and pole bending, and bronzes in figure eight and individual flags.

Sydney Hutton earned three individual medals: a gold in jumping, silver in saddle seat and bronze in dressage.

Middleton-Sharpe, Taylor Lewis and Paige Reed each earned two medals: Middleton-Sharpe, a gold in saddle seat and silver in keyhole; Lewis, a gold in reigning and silver in stock seat, and Reed a silver in barrels and bronze in pole bending.

Kennady Gilbertson earned a gold medal in keyhole while Seelye earned a gold in individual flags.

Photo courtesy of Sequim Equestrian Team / Sequim Equestrian Team members enjoy their final district meet of the season in mid-April. Pictured, from left, are Kennady Gilbertson, Paige Reed, Celbie Karjalainen, Taylor Lewis, Libby Swanberg, Katelynn Middleton-Sharpe, Asha Swanberg, Lily Meyer, Sydney Hutton and Joanna Seeyle.

Photo courtesy of Sequim Equestrian Team / Sequim Equestrian Team members enjoy their final district meet of the season in mid-April. Pictured, from left, are Kennady Gilbertson, Paige Reed, Celbie Karjalainen, Taylor Lewis, Libby Swanberg, Katelynn Middleton-Sharpe, Asha Swanberg, Lily Meyer, Sydney Hutton and Joanna Seeyle.

Two Sequim team sorting squads earned medals: Asha and Libby Swanberg took home gold while Gilbertson and Reed earned a silver. Those duos also took home gold and silver in two-man birangle.

In team events, Sequim’s versatility team (Asha and Libby Swanberg, Gilbertson, Reed and Celbie Karjalainen) earned a gold, while their Canadian flags team (Asha and Libby Swanberg, Gilbertson and Reed) earned a bronze.

“Overall a great season and we are so proud of each and every one of our athletes,” coaches said.

The state meet is set for May 16-19 at the Grant County Fairgrounds in Moses Lake.

Sequim’s District 4 third meet results:

• Performance events

Dressage — 2. Sydney Hutton, 7. Katelynn Middleton-Sharpe

Hunt Seat — 4. Hutton

In-Hand Obstacle Relay — 5. Middleton-Sharpe-Celbie Karjalainen-Taylor Lewis-Lily Meyer

In-hand Trail — 5. Lewis

Jumping — 1. Hutton

Reining — 1. Lewis, 2. Libby Swanberg

Saddle seat — 1. Hutton, 2. Middleton-Sharpe

Showmanship — 7. Karjalainen, 12. Lewis, 14. Middleton-Sharpe

Stock seat — 3. Lewis, 7. Karjalainen

Trail equitation — 5. Karjalainen

Working rancher — 3. L. Swanberg

Working pairs — 1. Asha Swanberg-L. Swanberg, 4. Meyer-Joanna Seelye

• Drill teams

Drill Freestyle Fours — 1. Lewis-Meyer-Middleton-Sharpe-Seelye

• Timed events

Bi-wrangle — 1. A. Swanberg-L. Swanberg, 4. Middleton-Sharpe-Seelye, 8. Kennady Gilbertson-Paige Reed, 12. Lewis-Meyer, 16. Hutton-Karjalainen

Pole bending — 1. A. Swanberg, 2. Reed, 14. Seelye, 19. Gilbertson, 20. Meyer

Figure eight — 1. Gilbertson, 3. L. Swanberg, 4. Reed, 9. Middleton-Sharpe, 13. Seelye, 19. A. Swanberg, 20. Karjalainen

Individual flags — 1. Reed, 2. Gilbertson, 3. A. Swanberg, 4. Seelye, 12. L. Swanberg, 14. Meyer,

Keyhole — 1. Gilbertson, 2. Katelynn, 4. A. Swanberg, 17. Meyer

Barrels — 3. Gilbertson, 4. A. Swanberg, 5. Reed, 20. Lewis, 22. Meyer, 23. Seelye,

• Cattle events

Breakaway roping — 1. L. Swanberg

Daubing — 2. A. Swanberg, 3. L. Swanberg, 4. Reed, 7. Seelye, 8. Gilbertson

Team sorting — 1. Gilbertson-Reed, 2. A. Swanberg-L. Swanberg, 7. Hutton-Karjalainen, 10. Middleton-Sharpe-Seelye, 11. Lewis-Meyer.

Photo courtesy of Sequim Equestrian Team / Joanna Seeyle, right, celebrates her District 4 Exceptional Athlete Award with mom Candy Seelye.

Photo courtesy of Sequim Equestrian Team / Joanna Seeyle, right, celebrates her District 4 Exceptional Athlete Award with mom Candy Seelye.