Xavier’s youngest club sport is already winning honors, though it was only formed a few months ago.

The Xavier University equestrian team, granted full club status earlier this fall, returned from their competition on Nov. 19-20 at Midway College, outside Lexington, Ky., with one second and three fourth place finishes.

This competition was Xavier’s second ever; the first was a show several weeks ago at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) competitions require that the participants show skill in handling their horse. Competitive divisions include the walk, trot, and canter equitation on the flat, in which riders demonstrate their ability to guide the horse’s path on flat ground while maintaining good posture and ease. Competitors must also master the over-fences equitation, which is where riders lead their horses through a course of fences they must jump over.

"Equitation" refers to a rider’s position and skill while riding the horse. In equitation divisions, the rider is judged, not the horse.

In each division of riding there are also three difficulty levels: advanced, intermediate, and beginner.

Xavier’s top competitors from the Midway show were junior Melanie Tedayesky, who placed second in the advanced walk, trot, and canter division, and junior Allison Hritz, who finished fourth and fifth in the intermediate over-fences division.

Other honors went to junior Bridgid Sullivan for two fourth-place finishes in beginning walk, trot, and canter, and to freshman Kristen Klatte for finishing third in the beginning walk and trot division.

Despite its small numbers, the Xavier equestrian team is making waves following its finishes at Midway and Miami.

In its first competition, Xavier outscored several schools in point totals, indicating the possibility of ranking among the top finishers in the region.

The team is coached by Jim and Gwen Arrigon, two nationally recognized coaches who helped build one of the country’s top equestrian programs at Miami University.

The duo left Miami after 17 years to help establish a program at Xavier.

Xavier practices at Beckett Run, a private horse farm run by the Arrigons near Hamilton, Ohio.

Xavier competes in the IHSA, which consists of nearly 8,000 riders from 330 colleges.

Xavier’s region also includes Miami, Midway, Morehead State University, Ohio University Southern, University of Cincinnati, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville and Wilmington College.

The equestrian team is currently looking for new and enthusiastic members, regardless of experience.

Team members are encouraged to practice twice a week with a trainer, who will provide any equipment they might need.