Granton Equestrian Team places at state competition for fifth year in a row

The Granton Area School District’s Equestrian Team trotted off with their second Grand Champion placing at the state Wisconsin Interscholastic Horsemanship Association (WIHA) competition held on Oct. 27-29 in Madison. Earlier in the month, Granton won the District 6, Division C competition in Custer, which qualified them to compete against 15 other teams that each had three to five riders.

The WIHA State Horse Show included teams from all across Wisconsin. Each team competed in regional shows against other similarly sized teams in standardized classes consisting of showmanship (showing a pattern in hand), equitation/horsemanship (showing a pattern riding), reinsmanship (showing a pattern driving a cart) and speed events (barrels, poles, etc.).

The team is comprised of Abby Schoessow (12th grade) riding RU Ready for This or “Bubba,” Charlotte Hanna (10th grade) riding AKA Invitational or “Suri,” Grace Verhalen (10th grade) riding Lazy Lady Pearl or “Pearl,” Kate Verhalen (sixth grade) riding Sudden Terms or “Caroline,” and Grace Elmhorst serving as team manager.

Granton secured 149 points, placing them on the top of the standings, followed by Ripon with 124 points and Hartford with 118 points.

Granton’s placings at the 2023 WIHA State Horse Show were as follows: In-hand trail: Charlotte, second; Grace, fifth; trail: Charlotte, third; Grace, fourth; Kate 10th; ranch riding: Abby, sixth; Charlotte, seventh; Kate, eighth; Western showmanship: Kate, fifth; Grace, sixth; saddle seat showmanship: Grace, first; hunt seat showmanship: Grace, eighth; bareback equitation/horsemanship: Charlotte, first; Abby, second; walk/trot horsemanship: Charlotte, first; Abby, fourth; Kate, ninth; hunt seat equitation: Charlotte, fourth; Abby, fourth; English/Western dressage: Abby, fourth; Western horsemanship: Kate, second; Abby, third.

This was Granton’s fifth year to compete in the WIHA regional competition and at state. The team is coached by Courtney Schoessow, Jodi Verhalen, Amy Hanna and Angela Schier. To celebrate the win, the team planned a community pep rally celebration on Nov. 8 at 2:35 p.m. at the school.

The Granton Equestrian Team, consisting of (from left, including horses) Grace Elmhorst, Sudden Terms (“Caroline”), Kate Verhalen, Lazy Lady Pearl (“Pearl”), Grace Verhalen, AKA Invitational (“Suri”), Charlotte Hanna, RU Ready For This (“Bubba”) and Abby Schoessow pose for a photo at the WIHA state competition held in Madison Oct. 27-29. The girls took first place in their division in their fifth trip to state, competing against 15 other teams to take Grand Champion.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO