With 25 of their 30 riders state bound, and 32 horses strong, the Enumclaw High equestrian team recently returned from the Washington Association of High School Equestrian Teams state competition in Moses Lake with the state trophy for large schools.

There were 14 other large-school teams vying for top honors.

The Enumclaw team started in 2007 with nine riders from EHS and has grown to 30 riders from nine different schools. High schools are allowed to co-op with other schools, if their school doesn’t have a team.

This year Enumclaw has co-op riders from Tahoma, Liberty, Kentlake, Kentridge, Vashon, Auburn, Auburn Riverside and Seattle Christian. This year the team had two drill teams, a 12-rider large team and a quad team.

The 12-man team won all three district meets and earned the gold medal for District 6. At state the team earned a silver medal.

The quad team earned a gold medal for the district competition and placed seventh at state.

There are 25 classes offered to riders and Enumclaw was represented in 20 during the state meet. Each rider has to qualify during the three district meets in their class in order to make the state team.

The team works hard, hauling horses to practices all winter long, to make it all happen by the first meet in March.

Leading the team were senior captains Kaylee Milbrath and Kayla Carlin and juniors Kendall Flood, Kayce Furlong, Ashley Swanson and Dyllan Freeburg. The team is coached by Kamie Storer, Dan and Julie McCallister, Janet Milbrath, Doug Wallace, Ryann Bluhm, Lauren Storer and adviser Courtney Valvoda.

The WAHSET season runs from September through mid-May. The team will be excepting new riders at Hornet Days in August.