about us

Equestrian Drill Team

In 1995 the team nearly folded with the retirement of the original drillmaster. Six members of that team, and their families, decided the organization and the activity were too worthwhile to let die. So... the leadership was passed to our current drillmaster, Joan Moore, and a core group of five families - three of whom are still involved with the team. Three of the six members of that 1995 group still ride with the team.

Three of the six members of that 1995 group still ride with the team. From those humble beginnings has grown today's 20 member - 18 family - organization. Over the years, hard work, vision, planning, luck and the addition of several wonderful young equestrians, their terrific horses, and their equally fantastic families, have created an exciting and competitive drill team. Sixteen riders perform the team's freestyle routine. Twelve riders perform the short program, which includes compulsory maneuvers such as the "full team sweep", "suicide wheel", and "wedding ring". In freestyle we perform an original maneuver called the "Latigo lace-up".

Latigo 'N Lace is active all year. The drill season in the Pacific Northwest begins with tryouts in early October, continues through the winter and spring with weekly practices and concludes with drill competitions and other performances during the summer.

From it's inception as a youth drill team, Latigo 'N Lace has competed with adult drill teams. Unfortunately, there is a definite lack of youth teams, even in the rich equestrian drill team environment of the Pacific Northwest, and Clark County, Washington in particular. This has forced the team to work very hard to develop interesting and difficult drills and to introduce new and innovative music - to view the whole product as "show business" for the entertainment of the crowd as well as the critical evaluation of the judges. Drills have been created that involve continuous forward movement and the quick transition from one maneuver to the next with a minimum of set-up time. Maneuvers that stop or slow the forward motion of the drill are avoided or eliminated. The "formula" has proven to be successful. We love to hear the question, "How the h--- did they do that?"

Latigo 'N Lace has also grown older. We are technically no longer a "youth" drill team, although most of our riders are under the age of eighteen and we encourage riders between the ages of twelve and eighteen to join.

The real purpose of Latigo 'N Lace is to provide a healthy, worthwhile, educational and fun experience for young equestrians. It has been repeatedly shown that horses and young people are a good combination. We believe that by adding drill team discipline to the mix, the values of teamwork, hard work, commitment, consistency and trust are presented and nurtured. The necessary accent on family involvement has been shown to enhance those values and relationships as well.

Perhaps the best testimonial to our team's purpose and success came from an email received from an equestrian drill judge in June of 2001. It reads (in part):

"A very few years ago (1995) I was judging a competition and a group of very young riders were competing in the open division. They were a little straggly and did not know all the ropes because they were just beginning. They had a dedicated coach and were a group of kids that loved "team play" and riding as a group. They were cute, dedicated and full of fun.The coach and advisor had given up some personal goals and much personal life to help them out. They were good, and had lots of promise.

We continued to see them working, competing, setting goals, achieving goals and also having disappointments. They grew as a team and as individuals. The Oregon High School Equestrian Teams came along and offered the same thing to youth, but Latigo 'N Lace had pioneered that type of riding for the kids.

Kids need to belong.They need to know how to set goals. They need to know how to work toward those goals and make the good choices that get them there. This drill team became more than a way for the kids to compete. It became an avenue to teach them life skills.

When you work with troubled youngsters you focus on the needs, and you see too much of the bad stuff. Then you get a breath of fresh air and are brought back to the reality of how kids really are and what they can be with positive influence and direction.

Latigo 'N Lace, I love you. You are a goal and ideal that can be presented to the youth of this Country. It is not a drill thing that you do, it is a "team" thing that you do. You are all winners in the drill competitions, but more than that you are winners in Life.

We remember, we watch and we are proud."

That pretty well sums up what we are about, except to mention that we are also about opportunity. No young rider has ever been turned away from Latigo 'N Lace. Only a condition that seriously compromises the safety of a rider or the team would create that condition.

Earlier it was mentioned that the Latigo 'N Lace "formula" has proven successful