Bloomington High School South, The Gothic, 2013, Page 109

Description:	not justaroundTWO WEEKS..photosynthesiscollection of photosTravel bags indicate the startof spring break adventures.Many Bloomington Southstudents were packing upand moving out early onThursday for vacations inseveral different parts of theworld. PHOTO BY HAILEYJACKSONMembers of the MidwestCheer Allstars Senior Teamexecute lifts during theirperformance at the UCAInternational AllstarCheerleading Championshipin Disney World/ESPNWide World of Sports onMarch 9. PHOTO COURTESYDEBBIE CAPIKMembers of Youth Theatreperform the musical numberKiss the Girl in theirrendition of The LittleMermaid. The troop earneda first-place finish at theNational Performing ArtsFestival in Disney World onFebruary 20-23. PHOTO BYDENISE DOROTHEOSenior Carleigh Fell, who won the Indiana Eventing Association Championship on Feburary26, found a passion for competitive riding and forged a deep bond with her horse, Justa Bob.The adage dogs are mans bestfriend was true for the many doglovers at Bloomington South, but notfor senior Carleigh Fell. She felt acloser bond to a different furryfriend: horses. Fells dedication toher horse and years of ridingpractice paid off at the IndianaEventing Association Championshipin February, where Fell won firstplace.Although Fell had been ridingsince she was six years old, she firstbecame serious about competing atage 14, when she got her ownhorse, whom she dubbed Justa Bob.Fell specialized in eventing, whichconsisted of dressage, cross countryand show jumping.Dressage is kind of like horseballet, cross country involves horseand rider galloping across naturalterrain jumping a variety of fixedobstacles and show jumping iswhen horse and rider jump acourse of jumps in an arena, Fellsaid.Like most competitiveactivities, there were severaldifferent levels of eventing basedon a riders experience and skills.Fell was at the third—the traininglevel, having worked her way upthrough the levels as her bond withJusta Bob grew.Riding horses stuck with Felllike no other activity could. She feltthere was something special inhaving a 1,100 pound teammatewith whom you must communicatewithout words and who has thecapability of killing you, she said.Despite the risks, Fell and Justa Bobhad a bond of mutual trust, andthey succeeded because theyworked in harmony and union.Fells proudest moment waswhen she competed in a Georgiacompetition that was considered tobe one of the hardest cross countrycourses, according to Fell. Despiteits difficulty, rider and horse bothwent in with a very determinedmindset, said Fell. Fell describedthe competition as mostexhilarating feeling I have everfelt. After their great performance,the duo moved up seven places inthe ranking of the competition.Fell recognized Justa Bob asan individual, not just an animal,with his own thoughts and opinions.He came to her during a tough timein her life, and after spending longdays at the barn and telling him allof [her] problems, she came torealize that the horse was not onlyher devoted teammate, but also herbest friend.- SARAH MARSHALLCr,1Esj-<N-dii, 11
Source:	http://cdm17129.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/hs-bloomsouth/id/8661
Collection:	Bloomington High School South

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