Julie Dettman and her horse take a jump at a competition. Submitted photo
In a way, the Cacchione Cup at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association’s National Competition is to college riders what the Kentucky Derby is to professional riders on the horse racing circuit. Honeoye Falls will have a rooting interest in the Cacchione Cup with HF-L graduate Julie Dettman.
Dettman, currently a sophomore at the University of Kentucky, qualified for the Cacchione Cup at the IHSA Nationals May 5-8 after earning the most points, 78, in Region 3 in the open division from all the shows. Although some universities and colleges have equestrian teams as a varsity sport, others such as Kentucky offer the sport as a club team.
“We have lessons and practice once a week,” said Dettman, who took third at the regionals as a freshman.
The Intercollegiate Horse Show Association provides collegiate riders the chance to compete individually and as a team. Dettman was named the High Point Rider following the UK IHSA Horse Show January 29-30 and also did well at the Region 3 competition on February 27. She also qualified for the Zone 6 competition April 2-3 in Michigan in open jumping and open flat with about 250-300 riders in the zone. Dettman has been riding horses since she was four-years old and competitive riding since age eight.
“When I was young, I went to daycare and one of the ladies there owned a farm,” Dettman said. “I had always like horses and she suggested to my mother that I take lessons. I started riding then and never stopped.”
According to Dettman, you learn a lot about yourself riding and you have to be a certain type of person. She noted that you need to possess patience and that there is a lot to being a competitive and successful rider.
“You have to understand the horse and also the people you work with,” said Dettman, who is majoring in equine science and management. “In college, you draw a horse’s name out of a bingo wheel. You aren’t allowed to touch the tack. You get on the horse with no practices beforehand and go out in the ring and compete. Then the handler takes the horse after you get off it and you’re done. If you do well in both your events then you are the High Point Rider of the day.”
College riders are put in divisions based on their show records and ribbons. Dettman won six blue ribbons and once you reach six or more, you are placed in the open division. Shows are every other weekend and the UK team, which has its own barn and horses, goes to other farms where other schools host meets or they come to UK.
Dettman’s two events are open jumping and open flat. In open jumping, officials give a rider a course which the rider and horse have to memorize and do the jumps in the right order. The open flat event involves walking, trotting and cantering and officials can test you with a pattern with results being based on how well the rider and horse look and how well they perform the test.
“I really like everything about competitive riding,” said Dettman, who hopes to become a veterinary technician and also ride professionally with her own barn. “I like meeting new people and riding many different horses that I haven’t ridden before. IHSA also emphasizes sportsmanship and I try to help others become better riders. At UK, everyone helps each other to become better riders.”
Dettman won’t be far away from her college home for the IHSA Nationals and Cacchione Cup as they will be contested May 5-8 at Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.
