Riding Into the Winner's Circle

The equestrian team's fall 2013 photo

For members of Dickinson's equestrian team, success comes on and off horseback

by Tony Moore

Excuse the pun, but Dickinson’s equestrian team is riding high. Out of the 35 members of the team, 10 have earned All-Academic honors, four of them First Team.

“It’s no surprise to me that so many members received these academic honors,” says Lindsay Vulich, the equestrian team’s coach since 2004. “Their ability to quickly grasp their training exercises is outstanding. Their academic standing is apparent because of their attention to detail.”

Vulich isn’t alone in seeing the link between academics and riding.

“Both require you to correct mistakes quickly, persevere and think on your feet,” says Kirsten Dedrickson ’15, a philosophy and computer science double major from Pasadena, Md., who earned First Team All-Academic honors.

“Riding teaches students a lot about responsibility and discipline,” says Callan Donovan ’16, a biology and biochemistry & molecular biology double major from Falmouth, Maine, who made Second Team. “Horses are a lot of work, and overall, horseback riding has made me a more mature and responsible person.”

All-Academic Awards are bestowed by the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). First Team honorees have achieved a 3.8 GPA or higher, while the Second Team includes students achieving a 3.5 or higher.

Of course, if it were all about academic honors, it wouldn’t be much of a sport—or nearly as much fun.

“My favorite part about being on the equestrian team is being able to get off campus and just ride,” says Donovan, who has qualified for IHSA Nationals, to be held on May 1 at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg. “It’s my stress reliever, and it’s my favorite part of the week. Joining the team at Dickinson is a great way to meet a great group of people, and it’s one of the best decisions I have ever made.”

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Published April 29, 2014