Ranch Horse Team provides students chance to develop talents
It's not all horsing around with Texas Tech's Ranch Horse Team; hard work is involved too. Kris Wilson, an animal food and science professor at Tech, founded the team in 2005.
"When I came to Tech I thought it would be good to have a traveling ranch horse team," he said. "Tech was the first team in the nation to do that."
Wilson said he grew up in a household with horses and ranching, and it always has been a part of his life "" a part of his life he wanted to share with his students. The team provides students with travel opportunities, a chance to make new friends and work experience.
Wilson said the team has become a part of a Department of Animal and Food Sciences class at Tech that focuses on training ranch horses. The class is split into two sections; the "green" section which includes beginners and the more experienced traveling team. Wilson said the traveling team, which is the Ranch Horse Team, goes to several contests to compete throughout the year.
Both sections of the class work on different skills such as reining, working cows, stock horse pleasure riding, and versatility trail skills during class and team practices. "Our students make our team the best," Wilson said. "I have never been to a competition where someone has not told me how great our students are, and I don't think I could find a better group at another school."
Jennifer Richards, a senior from Marble Falls, has been riding horses for 13 years and has competed on Tech's traveling Ranch Horse Team for the past three years. Richards, a psychology major, said some of the competitions are "scary", and the November national stock horse competition was no exception.
"The day before I was in tears because I was so stressed," she said. "It's basically the judge's opinion, and it can be really discouraging."
Richards said she had not previously considered a job dealing with horses because it was more of a hobby than an occupation, but she said she began to consider a career with horses after joining the Ranch Horse Team. "It's not all about the glory of winning," Richards said. "A lot of time and effort goes into it. You have to be devoted and have real love for the animals."
Richards said her mother loved horses and shared the love for horses with her. However, she said she credits her success and perseverance on the team to Wilson, her coach. A tragic incident caused her to consider quitting the team, she said, but Wilson helped her overcome the difficult experience.
"My other horse got really sick and died on me, and I thought I was done after I had to put my horse down," Richards said. "Kris told me I have to ride, and pushed me to stick with it." Richards said each member's horse is his or her responsibility, and students spend about 10 to 15 hours per week practicing and riding their horses.
Alicia Daugherty, a junior agricultural communication major from Alpine, won the all-around division title for Tech's team during a competition earlier this month. She is a third year member of the Tech's traveling Ranch Horse Team who has worked with horses since childhood.
"I've shown horses since I was eight," Daugherty said. "So, joining the team was the logical thing to do."
She said team members are not required to have a background with horses, but it is helpful and most members do have previous experience. Also, members are not required to have their own horses, Daugherty said, because some horses have been donated.
"It's a good program and has gotten a lot of outside support," she said. "We would not have been able to do a lot of things otherwise." Daugherty said the team competitions have been great.
In the spring, which is the busiest part of the season, the team will compete in about one to three shows per month, which she said can be challenging but worth it. "We are kind of like a family since we're together so much," Daugherty said. "Some of my teammates are my best friends."
Daugherty said her favorite thing about being on the Ranch Horse Team is the traveling she has been able to do. She said she traveled all over Texas and was able to spend a summer in Europe.
During the summer of 2008, coach Wilson, Daugherty and three other students taught horsemanship clinics in Frauenfeld, Switzerland; Prague, Czech Republic; and Wollbach, Germany. Daugherty said she would not have had the opportunity if not for the team.
Sophomore Adam Schwalm competed in his first competition on Tech's team last weekend and won first place in the pleasure division and took second in the double reserve. "I found out about the team after taking Ranch Techniques class with Kris Wilson as an elective," said Schwalm who is from Plano. "I grew up showing Arabian horses, and this was the only outlet Tech had of showing horses."
Showing horses on the Arabian circuit is completely different, he said. The Ranch Horse Team is more of a working ranch horse type of show, and Arabians are a smaller breed. "I enjoy the team because of all the people I have met," Schwalm said. "Also, I am good at it, and when you're good you work really hard."
Richards said the other team members and their coach make the hard work fun and worthwhile. "We have a lot of different backgrounds in showing and ranching on the team, and it's great," she said. "Everyone has tremendous talent and love for horses on the team."
Written by Caylor Ballinger/Staff Writer/ The Daily Toreador
CONTACT: Kris Wilson, coach, Texas Tech University Ranch Horse Team at (806) 742-2805, ext. 236 or k.wilson@ttu.edu
Davis College NewsCenter
-
Address
P.O. Box 42123, Lubbock, Texas 79409-2123, Dean's Office Location:Goddard Building, Room 108 -
Phone
(806)742-2808 -
Email
kris.allen@ttu.edu