This year the equestrian club has split into three separate entities; the hunt seat club, the western riding club and most importantly the Wolfpack dressage team. The dressage team, comprised of about 14 girls practices and competes around the region and even ranks nationally. 

According to club president Britt Wilcox, the split into three clubs was just a formality.

“That’s just what the guy at club sports wanted to do,” Wilcox, senior in arts and design, said. “Dressage club normally functioned as its own unit.”

Dressage was created as a military sport and has evolved into more of an art form, likened to ice-skating or ballet on horseback.

In its eight years at N.C. State, the dressage club has competed in the largest region in the nation and one of the most competitive, according to Wilcox.

“We compete against schools in Virginia as well as North Carolina,” Wilcox said. “Including Virginia Intermont, who is a several time national champion and we actually did really  well considering the competition last year.”

Last year, the Wolfpack placed second only to Virginia Intermont in the region. The next competition for the dressage team will be Nov. 1 at Wake Forest University. The club competes in five competitions this semester and four in the spring. If the team gains enough points throughout the season, it will then travel to the national competition. Last semester the team qualified and attended nationals.

According to senior Courtney Intres, nationals was her favorite memory on the team.

“When we went to nationals it was amazing,” Intres said. “We were sitting there looking around at all these horse schools and here we were, N.C. State not known for our

horse program, and we’re competing with them at nations. It was a really cool experience.”

Although the team didn’t place at nations, Wilcox said she expects the team to make it to the big stage again. 

“Our team is very good right now, even though we lost a lot of our members due to graduation from last year,” Wilcox said. “But out program looks really strong and I’m expecting to go to nationals again. At the very least, I expect to send at least one individual.”

Regardless of place at nationas, the dressage team did win the National Sportsmanship Award. 

“Our region nominated us,” Wilcox said. “Since we are such a small school compared to others in our region and we still do well and maintain a very good school and positive spirit.”

The dressage team was actually a deciding factor on why Wilcox chose to come to State, she said.

“I started riding horses when I was four years old,” Wilcox said. “I started competing in dressage in high school and the dressage team at N.C. State was a big reason why I came here. I competed with the team for four years and my eligibility ran out —  now I can’t get away from it so I’m president of the club.”