Equestrian sports: Sequim riders place well at second district meet

By Michael Dashiell • March 6, 2024 1:30 am
Photo by Katie Salmon-Newton / Sequim Equestrian Team members prep to compete in the District 4 meet’s steer daubing event. Pictured, from left, are Libby Swanberg, Kennady Gilbertson, Joanna Seelye, Paige Reed, Katelynn Middleton-Sharpe and Asha Swanberg. Gilbertson broke the District 4 record and tied a state mark with a 0.96-second effort.
Photo by Katie Salmon-Newton / Sequim Equestrian Team members prep to compete in the District 4 meet’s steer daubing event. Pictured, from left, are Libby Swanberg, Kennady Gilbertson, Joanna Seelye, Paige Reed, Katelynn Middleton-Sharpe and Asha Swanberg. Gilbertson broke the District 4 record and tied a state mark with a 0.96-second effort.

In just their second district meet of the season, Sequim Equestrian Team members are in postseason form, earning 13 first place finishes at the Grays Harbor County Fairgrounds in Elma, Feb. 22-25.

The squad was led by Kennady Gilbertson, who broke the District 4 standard — and tied the state mark — with a 0.96 second mark in steer daubing; the previous district best was 1.25 seconds.

Sydney Hutton and Libby Swanberg participated in the “Senior Salute” at the meet.

In addition to Gilberston’s record-breaking effort in steer daubing, she took top honors in keyhole while Swanberg earned individual wins in breakaway roping and individual flags. Paige Reed picked up wins in barrels and pole bending.

Asha Swanberg earned top honors in figure eight and teamed with Libby Swanberg to earn wins in team sorting and working pairs.

Photo by Katie Salmon-Newton / Sequim’s drill team includes, from left, Lily Meyers, Joanna Seelye, Sydney Hutton, Katelynn Middleton-Sharpe and Taylor Lewis.

Photo by Katie Salmon-Newton / Sequim’s drill team includes, from left, Lily Meyers, Joanna Seelye, Sydney Hutton, Katelynn Middleton-Sharpe and Taylor Lewis.

Also earning firsts were Katelynn Middleton-Sharpe in saddle seat, Taylor Lewis in stock seat, Gilbertson and Reed in bi-wrangle, and Sequim’s freestyle fours (Hutton, Lewis, Middleton-Sharpe and Lily Meyer).

In all, Sequim earned 32 top-five placings, sweeping the top three spots in three events.

The third and final district meet of the season is set for April 11-14, also in Elma.

Meet 2 results

• Performance events

Dressage — 3. Sydney Hutton, 4. Katelynn Middleton-Sharpe

Hunt Seat — 6. Hutton

In-Hand Trail — 6. Celbie Karjalainen-Taylor Lewis-Lily Meyer-Middleton-Sharpe

Jumping — 2. Hutton

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

Showmanship — 5. Lewis, 8. Karjalainen, 8. Middleton-Sharpe

Stock Seat — 1. Lewis, 4. Karjalainen

Trail Equitation — 5. Karjalainen

Working Pairs — 1. Asha Swanberg-Libby Swanberg

Working Ranchers — 2. L. Swanberg

• Drill teams

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

• Timed events

Barrels — 1. Paige Reed, 7. Karjalainen, 14. Joanna Seelye, 16. Kennady Gilbertson, 22. A. Swanberg, 23. Lewis, 25. Meyer

Bi-wrangle — 1. Gilbertson-Reed, 2. A. Swanberg-L. Swanberg, 11. Middleton-Sharpe-Seelye, 12. Hutton-Karjalainen, 16. Lewis-Meyer

Figure 8 — 1. A. Swanberg, 3. L. Swanberg, 4. Reed, 6. Middleton-Sharpe, 16. Seelye, 19. Karjalainen

Individual Flags — 1. L. Swanberg, 2. Seelye, 3. Reed, 4. Gilbertson, 7. A. Swanberg

Keyhole — 1. Gilbertson, 2. L. Swanberg, 3. Middleton-Sharpe, 6. Seelye, 17. Lewis

Pole bending — 1. Reed, 8. A. Swanberg, 18. Seelye, 19. Meyer

• Cattle events

Breakaway Roping — 1. L. Swanberg

Daubing — 1. Gilbertson*, 2. A. Swanberg, 3. Reed, 10. Middleton-Sharpe

Team Sorting — 1. A. Swanberg-L. Swanberg, 4. Gilbertson-Reed, 13. Hutton-Karjalainen, 15. Middleton-Sharpe-Seelye, 19. Lewis-Meyer

*— Denotes a district record