For a small team, the Wilsonville Wildcats left some big hoof prints at last weekend's equestrian meet, the last meet of the season for the Tri-River Valley District.
Four of its 12 members, including Jennifer Greco, Katie Dovenberg, McKinsey Lintner and Kirstie Frydenlund qualified to the state finals in Redmond on May 15-18.
The Wildcats also swept the top three spots in Hunt Seat Equitation with Dovenberg in first, Frydenlund in second and Aiden Casey in third.
Greco came in ninth place, giving the Wildcats a total of four top-10 finishes in the event. Dovenberg, Greco and Frydenlung all qualified for state.
Wilsonville also scored 24 top-10 finishes in 24 events, including seven top-three finishes: three from Hunt Seat, Frydenlund’s second in Stock Seat, Lintner’s third places in Driving and In Hand Trail, and Casey’s first in Jumping.
Wilsonville also brought home seven medals: Dovenberg’s Bronze in Reining, Greco’s Bronze in Hunt Seat, Lintner’s Silvers in Driving and In Hand Trail, and Frydenlund’s Silvers in Hunt Seat and Showmanship and her Gold in Stock Seat.
The Wildcats enjoyed unprecedented success in gaming as well. Though the team has historically struggled with timed events, seven riders braved the challenge. The team’s Canadian Flags team ended up as state alternates.
The district also recognized all of the graduating seniors at the meet. Wilsonville’s four graduating seniors: Lintner, Greco, Dominique Lucia and Jennifer Boston paraded out with all of the other seniors to be recognized.
“It was a very emotional event. “I cried out there,” Greco said. “OHSET has taught me so much, and I have had so much fun that I know I will miss everyone a lot next year.”
The team coaches, Marli and Erick Lintner were ecstatic about the team’s success.
“We’ve never done this well before,” Marli said. “In the past, we have only had a couple kids do really well, but this year, the whole team did well and we swept all three places in Hunt Seat, a feat we could never have accomplished before.”
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