The North Bend High School equestrian team has finished in the top-five of its first two South Valley District meets this year, and took a few first place individual honors.

The South Valley District has one meet left on the regular season schedule, which will take place April 11-13. That meet will be the final chance for riders to qualify for the state championships.

Senior Allison Dexter has been leading the way for North Bend — which has finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the first two meets. Dexter had a first place effort in trail, along with two first-place finishes in working pairs with her senior partner Danielle Crockett. Dexter and Crockett, along with Karley Swanson and Sam Hannah, make up the working fours team that also took first place for North Bend.

The 21-team South Valley District, which holds all the district meets at the Oregon Horse Center in Eugene, also had several other local top individual finishers in the first meet.

Marshfield senior Chloe Eberlein took first in the stock seat competition, while Siuslaw’s Ryan Bottensek and Brooke Swesey took first in steer daubing and poles, respectively. Reedsport’s Mandy Foote concluded the top South Valley finishers with her first-place finish in showmanship.

In the second meet of the season Marshfield’s Natalie Hutchenson took first-place in showmanship, while Foote took home her second first-place finish of the season, winning the trail competition.

North Bend’s duo of Dexter and Crockett continued their success in working pairs, placing first for the second straight meet. The Bulldogs’ working fours team also took its second first-place finish of the year.  

“We’re very fortunate to have a great athletic director working with us,” said North Bend coach Barb Bates. “And, a great group of kids who really work hard.”

In order to make the state competition, which will be held on May 22-25 at the Redmond Expo Center, the riders must be included in the top 10 percent of their respective competitions. After the conclusion of the three district meets, the average number of participants per competition is calculated, then the top 10 percent from each competition moves on to the state meet. In order to make the top 10, riders must place well in each meet and have tallied enough points to advance.

Riders from Brookings-Harbor, Coquille, Marshfield, Reedsport and Siuslaw each compete in the small-teams division while North Bend competes in the medium-teams division. The divisions are based on number of riders per team, not the size of school they attend.

“We’re one of the smaller medium-teams,” explained Bates.

North Bend also has been competing without junior Robin Seyler for the first two meets, which has resulted in the loss of several possible points.

During the first meet, North Bend finished second behind Roseburg among medium teams, while Siuslaw was first, Marshfield third, Coquille fourth and Reedsport fifth among small teams.

At the second meet, North Bend was second to Sheldon among medium teams. Marshfield was first, Coquille second, Siuslaw third and Reedsport fourth among small teams.

Other South Coast Individuals who finished in the top 10 at the first meet included:

l Second-place finishers Cheliesa McCarthy of Marshfield (steer daubing); Eberlein of Marshfield (trail); Fallon Hockema of Siuslaw (working rancher); Courtney Bales-Page of Siuslaw (saddle seat).

l Third-place finishers Ashley Brugnoli of Coquille (barrel racing); Amanda Athorne of Coquille (poles); Mandy Foote of Reedsport (trail); Eberlein of Marshfield (showmanship); Bales-Page of Siuslaw (hunt seat).

l Fourth-place finishers Karley Swanson of North Bend (poles); Katelyn Reeves of North Bend (trail); Crockett of North Bend (stock seat).

l Fifth-place finishers Brugnoli of Coquille (steer daubing); Swesey of Siuslaw (barrel racing); Swanson of North Bend (keyhole); Crockett of North Bend (poles); Bales-Page of Siuslaw (reining); Hockema of Siuslaw (trail); Crockett of North Bend (hunt seat); Hockema of Siuslaw (stock seat);

l Sixth-place finishers Chelsea Clemens of Marshfield (poles); Hockema of Siuslaw (over fences).

l Seventh-place finishers McCarthy of Marshfield (poles); Anna Timm of Reedsport (in hand trail); Chelsea Johnson of North Bend (reining); Lea Hoover of Reedsport (working rancher); Courtni Simmons of Brookings-Harbor (showmanship); Jalina Hanson of Coquille (showmanship); Charlene Ramsey of Coquille (showmanship).

l Eighth-place finishers Timm of Reedsport (driving); Shelby Moody of North Bend (reining).

l Ninth-place finishers Crockett of North Bend (reining); Foote of Reedsport (stock seat).

l Tenth-place finishers Johnson of North Bend (working rancher); Hannah Swenson of Coquille (hunt seat); Ramsey of Coquille (hunt seat); Hutchenson of Marshfield (stock seat).

Other South Coast Individuals who finished in the top 10 at the second meet included:

l Second-place finishers Hanson of Coquille (figure-8); Bales-Page of Siuslaw (saddle seat); Simmons of Brookings-Harbor (showmanship); Hockema of Siuslaw (hunt seat).

l Third-place finishers Brugnoli of Coquille (barrel racing); Clemens of Marshfield (poles); Simmons of Brookings-Harbor (reining); Swenson of Coquille (dressage); Eberlein of Marshfield (stock seat).

l Fourth-place finishers Swesey of Siuslaw (barrel racing); Crockett of North Bend (working rancher).

l Fifth-place finishers Swesey of Siuslaw (steer daubing).

l Sixth-place finishers McCarthy of Marshfield (keyhole); Athorne of Coquille (poles); Bales-Page of Siuslaw (reining); Eberlein of Marshfield (trail); Hockema of Siuslaw (over fences); Clemens of Marshfield (showmanship).

l Seventh-place finishes Clemens of Marshfield (barrel racing); Dexter of North Bend (trail); Hockema of Siuslaw (working rancher); Swenson of Coquille (hunt seat).

l Eighth-place finishers McCarthy of Marshfield (steer daubing); Athorne of Coquille (barrel racing); Swanson of North Bend (keyhole); McCarthy of Marshfield (poles); Crockett of North Bend (reining); Brenna Hurley of Marshfield (showmanship).

l Ninth-place finishers Swesey of Siuslaw (figure-8) Elisabeth Pfaller of North Bend (poles); Eberlein of Marshfield (showmanship); Eberlein of Marshfield (dressage); Crockett of North Bend (hunt seat).

l Tenth-place finishers Swanson of North Bend (barrel racing); Reeves of North Bend (working rancher); Foote of Reedsport (stock seat).

Other riders who participated in the first two meets included Cori Skillett and April Criswell of Brookings-Harbor, Kenra Gray of Coquille, Kayla Vellenoweth and Chelsey Bly of Reedsport and Lyndee Center of Siuslaw.