Riders at the Ready: Equestrian competition isn’t...

Riders at the Ready: Equestrian competition isn’t sanctioned by the California Interscholastic Federation, but the sport is more popular in high schools than most couch jockeys might think. More than 150 riders from 29 Southland schools took part in the Interscholastic Equestrian League Championships Sunday at Middle Ranch in Lake View Terrace.

A Rich Tradition: Horse racing is known as the Sport of Kings, and most equestrian activities are generally considered play for the privileged. But that doesn’t hold true for high-school-aged competitors in the San Fernando Valley. “That’s a real misconception,” said Nancy Levin, spokeswoman for the IEL. “In Southern California we have lots of kids who have horses at home in their own backyards.”

Medal Jump: Sue Gene Kim, above, of Chandler School in Pasadena clears a fence on her way to winning the varsity medal final at the IEL championships. La Reina High of Thousand Oaks won the team title. Buckley, led by high-point rider Michelle Yang, was reserve champion and varsity team titlist. Other winners from the Valley included Harvard-Westlake, the novice team champion, and Jamie Taylor of Viewpoint, who was JV high-point champion.

School Spirited: More than 100 of the competitors in the IEL championships represented Valley schools, many of whom will earn varsity letters for their participation. The largest contingents were from the private schools Harvard-Westlake and Buckley and public school in Calabasas. Canoga Park was the only Los Angeles City school represented.