The WTAMU Stock Horse team is preparing to compete at their first show of the season in Abilene, Texas at the World Championship Stock Horse Show of Texas. The collegiate competition will begin on Nov. 1 and continue through the weekend until Nov. 3.

The WT Stock Horse team is a club on campus that is open for anyone with a horse, with the right horse riding setup such as an english tack, and an interest in showing ranch horse versatility. They have practices three times a week and currently consist of 15 team members. At their competitions, they have the opportunity to participate in four different events: Working Cowhorse, Reining, Ranch Trail and Ranch Pleasure.

“The cow work portion of the Working Cowhorse event is my favorite out of the four events that we compete in,” Jeremy Levi, senior Agriculture Education major, said. “I really enjoy having to deal with the unpredictability of the cattle while keeping myself and my horse focused. It makes things more interesting.”

The WT Stock Horse team gives students on campus an opportunity to show their own horses at a collegiate level and work with professionals, coaches and teammates on their horsemanship abilities.

“I started these ranch versatility competitions and stock horse team while I was attending Laramie County Community College and competed there for two years,” Keylee Sayler, President of the WT Stock Horse team and senior Equine Industry and Business major, said. “This will be my fourth year competing at this level, and it has helped me tremendously with my horsemanship skills and also helped me to communicate better with my horse.”

The team of fifteen members has the chance to travel to Abilene, as long as they go to the scheduled practices, their horses are ready and they get their sponsorships in. Once in Abilene, they will have the opportunity to compete against schools such as Texas Tech University, Tarleton State University and Clarendon Community College.

“I am really excited about the talent that we have on the team this year and I look forward to testing our abilities in Abilene and in the rest of this upcoming season,” Hillary Finck, senior Animal Science major, said.