Stonewall Stables competitors include (front from left): Lindsey Gordon, Brinley Harrison, Clara Mugnai, Ava Nickerson, Ella Villeneuve, Bella Fabiano, and Claire Lane. Middle: Alex Fabiano, Elizabeth Brown, Emma Wriggins, Brooke Rethman, Marina Godin, and Brooke Seiders. Rear: Jenna Leeman, Natalia Clark, and Kinsey Dean. |
The Midcoast Maine Equestrian Team, a competitive horseback riding team from Stonewall Stables in Nobleboro that competes in the Interscholastic Equestrian Association, is having another good season. The team is coached by Virginia Shaw Nickerson.
The upper school team (grades nine through 12) has five riders and the middle school team (grades six through eight) has 10 riders. Each rider competes both for individual points and as part of their team in order to qualify to move on to regional competition.
The middle school team has done very well with two third-place finishes and two wins, and has accumulated enough points to qualify for regionals.
The upper school must have four riders at each show in order to be competitive in the team competition and, due to injury and low numbers, they have not qualified to move on to regional competition as a team.
In addition to the team competition, each individual rider can qualify by accumulating points in their division at a maximum of five shows.
With most riders having ridden at four competitions so far, the following upper school riders have qualified for regionals, to be held in February: Marina Godin, grade nine, of Thomaston; Clara Mugnai, grade nine, of Alna, and Lindsey Gordon, grade nine, of Wiscasset.
Also riding for the upper school this year are Elizabeth Brown, grade 12, of Manchester, and Brinley Harrison, grade nine, of South Bristol.
Qualifying for regionals on the middle school team are Alexandra Fabiano, grade eight, of Edgecomb; Isabella Fabiano, grade seven, of Edgecomb, and Emma Wriggins, grade six, of Nobleboro.
Also riding for the middle school team are: Claire Lane, grade eight, of Freeport; Ella Villeneuve, grade six, of Alna; Brooke Seiders, grade seven, of South Bristol; Natalia Clark, grade eight, of Newcastle; Emma Leeman, grade eight, of Newcastle; Brooke Rethman, grade six, of Damariscotta, and Kinsey Dean, grade eight, of Nobleboro.
The team will compete for the final time Dec. 7 with several more riders needing only a few points to qualify for regionals. Each team member rides at least once each week with coach Nickerson and the entire team practices together once each month.
Interscholastic Equestrian Association competition is a rare chance for riders who usually compete only for themselves to be part of a team and promotes sportsmanship and good horsemanship among all the riders.
