Sequim Equestrian Team members overcame a number of obstacles — from horse injuries and sicknesses to the competitions themselves — to finish with five top-10 placings at the Washington High School Equestrian Team state finals in Moses Lake, May 19-21.

“All the girls had to be really flexible for [the] state meet,” coach Katie Newton said. “Many of them were riding back-up horses, or borrowed horses that they had to just jump on and ride.”

Kennedy Gilbertson, Sydney Hutton, Paige Reed and Libby Swanberg teamed up to place fifth in Team Canadian Flags, Sequim’s top team event finish.

Reed placed fourth in Steer Daubing while Sharpe was sixth in Saddleseat Equitation and Swanberg took sixth in Breakaway Roping. Gilbertson was 10th in Keyhole.

Swanberg and Celbie Karjalainen teamed up to place 11th in Cattle Sorting.

“Unfortunately, they didn’t get the placings they would’ve liked to have gotten in many of their events. But they all had a good attitude about it,” Newton said. “They represented Sequim well!”

Sequim results:

• Individual events

Barrels — 28. Gilbertson, 39. Reed

Breakaway Roping — 6. Swanberg

Figure Eight — 17. Gilbertson, 21. Swanberg

Individual Flags — 14. Reed, 21. Libby Swanberg

Keyhole — 10 . Gilbertson, 20. Reed

Saddleseat Equitation — 6. Sharpe

Steer Daubing — 4. Reed

• Team events

Birangle — 18. Gilbertson-Hutton, 23. Reed-Swanberg

Cattle Sorting — 11. Karjalainen-Swanberg

Team Canadian Flags — 5. Gilbertson-Hutton-Reed-Swanberg

Working Pairs — 17. Karjalainen-Sharpe.

Photos courtesy of Katie Salmon-Newton Katelynn Sharpe, pictured here with Sophie, places sixth in the saddleseat competition at the Washington state high school equestrian finals in Moses Lake.

Photo courtesy of Katie Salmon-Newton / Sequim’s Paige Reed, on Maverick, places fourth in the steer daubing division at the Washington High School Equestrian Team state finals in Moses Lake.