The Oxford High School Equestrian team is having another successful season with the A-team winning both meets and the C-team finishing third in the first two meets.
The Wildcats have run away from the competition during the meets, finishing 149 points ahead of second place Romeo in the first meet and 154 points ahead of Romeo in the second.
‘It has definitely taken a team effort to get where we are now,? said Coach Dee Shepard. ‘The team as a whole has worked diligently to get this far at the district level. All of the riders have stepped up and delivered for the team.?
This year’s team has 19 members on it, 15 on the A team and four on the C team.
The A team is lead by Senior Captain Matthew Champagne, who has performed strongly in all the seat classes and speed classes, Shepard said.
Another member that is looked upon to contribute to the scoring is Junior Amanda Roth, who has consistently placed first or second in her events throughout the year. ‘She’s been a strong influence on the team with her calm demeanor and ability to get the job done,? said Shepard.
Sophomores Mary Cowles and Maria Vitucci have also contributed to the team by becoming top point earners in their respective events.
Shepard said that the young riders on the C team have grown tremendously and competed against tough competition.
The final meet for the A and C team will take place on Sat, Sept 19 at the Armada Fairgrounds. They hope to clinch the district championship and move on to regional championships at Shiawasse County Fairgrounds in October.