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Jennifer Lauzee from Tiburon performs during international vaulting competition Saturday at Garrod Ranch in Saratoga.
Photograph by Dai Sugano
It was a day for displaying trust
Vaulting takes on international flavor in Saratoga
By Jason Baker
The relationship between a horse and rider centers on trust. Some of God's more powerful and graceful creatures, horses also posses their own unique personalities. They can be shy, they can be stubborn and they sometimes can be downright mean.
But with proper handling, horses can develop qualities and characteristics almost human. A horse that is cared for and loved trusts and respects its rider with a capacity few animals can muster, the human animal included.
You'd have to trust and respect someone to let him or her dance on your back.
Mt. Eden Vaulting Club members Megan Benjamin (top), Samantha Smith (middle), and Quincey Sigona (bottom) perform a team routine.
Photograph by Dai Sugano
Athletes hailing from the far corners of the globe descended on the stables of Saratoga's Garrod family July 4 and 5 for the 1999 International Vaulting Competition, a showcase of the equestrian sport best, described as "gymnastics on horseback."
In the team competition, which featured the local Mt. Eden Vaulting Club and Sundance of Woodside, Mt. Eden was first by a small margin. In individual competition, Kerith Lemon of Aptos, who vaults with the Mt. Eden Club, placed first in women's overall. Saratogan Samantha Smith placed third in women's overall, and Saratogan Jandé Kyes placed ninth.
Photograph by Dai Sugano
(From left) Mt. Eden club members Megan Benjamin, Jenn Miller and Becky Hall review their team's performance with a video recorder.
Vaulting combines the strength and power of gymnastics with the grace of dance and the excitement of equestrian competition. The only medals won by the United States at the 1999 World Equestrian Games were won by vaulters, many of whom competed in the Saratoga event.
The sport demands the teamwork of the vaulter, horse and longeur, who controls the horse in a circle on a long line. Vaulters compete as individuals, in pairs, or as a team, performing both compulsory and freestyle routines.
"Whenever I mention vaulting, people always say, 'Oh, horse jumping,'" explained Jen Miller, 16, a Cupertino resident and member of the award-wining Mt. Eden Vaulting Club. "I always say no, it's more like what you see in the circus."
Photograph by Dai Sugano
Mt. Eden club members Samantha Smith (left) and Becky Hall talk with teammate Kerith Lemon (in the back) before the competition.
Vaulters from 10 nations plied their athletic skills during the two-day Saratoga meet. The crowd on hand was treated to a most unique display of skill, as athletes as young 11-years-old wove tapestries of power and grace astride the backs of their mighty steeds.
In choosing a proper mount for vaulting, a horse's size and temperament are key factors, according to Mount Eden coach Emma Drinker. The horse must be relatively tall and broad of body to allow for the movement on its back and must have the patience and focus to provide athletes with a safe ride.
Brant Dahlgren from Valley View Vaulters Club does a headstand during the international competition at Saratoga's Garrod Ranch.
Photograph by Dai Sugano
Vaulting is one of the six equestrian disciplines recognized by the Fédération Equestre Internationale for international competition.
While vaulting's history extends back to the Roman era, its most prominent recognition as an equestrian sport of recent was its inclusion as Artistic Riding in the 1920 Olympic Games. The American Vaulting Association again demonstrated the sport at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and in the Atlanta games in 1996.
Though short on recognition in comparison to mainstream sports, vaulting nonetheless demands physical and mental dedication comparable to any athletic endeavor. And the bond it creates between athletes is just as strong.
"We have such fun spending time together," Miller said. "It's rewarding to go through such a struggle and overcome so much."
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Saratoga, California Since 1975
