Big Gymkhana Family Weekend 2014
A great weekend full of riding, performing, and reconnecting.
Big Gymkhana weekend is an annual opportunity to gather and celebrate tradition, raise money for Thacher, and to find out how far our dedicated riders have come over the course of the year. Many of our new students had never been horseback before their arrival at The Thacher School, but now they're galloping through poles, leaping over jumps, and leaning off their saddles for the silver dollar. It's hard to believe that a mere nine months can produce such capable riders. Their diligence and hard work over the course of this year clearly paid off, leaving many excited and very proud.
Before the actual Big Gymkhana weekend, the student Indoor Committee that organizes weekend activities planned an evening of gymkhana races on foot in honor of the School's 125th anniversary. Students donned team colors and competed in speed ball, Washington poles, hurry scurry, rescue race, and silver "dime" pick-up.
The big weekend kicked off on Friday afternoon with extreme cowboy race and trail course competitions, and an English riding demonstration. Following the events, a fabulous farm-to-table dinner featuring Thacher-raised pork and grass-fed beef was staged on the tennis courts where students and their families sat together. This year, the live auction took place out on the courts with a full view of a beautiful Ojai sunset. The Parents Auction was chaired by Wendy Bingham (Grace ’15) and Jenny Gregory (Anne '15). Many other parents also put in many long hours preparing for the auction and decorating the courts for Friday evening's dinner. The event was emceed by J.P. Manoux CdeP 1987; he and the auctioneer and his spotters, decked out in western attire, created an authentic live auction experience. With almost 200 items in the silent and live auctions, there was something for everyone! In addition to the live auction items, there were 72 donors who raised their paddle in support of the Thacher financial aid program, giving $343,000 in less than 12 minutes. Friday night's fundraising raised over $600,000.
After filling their stomachs, folks meandered through the Commons and the Thacher Room where student artwork (photography, acrylics, charcoal, digital painting, ceramics, and woodwork) was up on display.
Friday night filled the Milligan Center for student performances by the Jazz Band, Dance Ensemble, String Ensemble, Chamber Singers, and Advanced Acting. The evening culminated in a joint performance of the Dance Ensemble, Chamber Singers, and String Ensemble including a brief aerial dance by senior Hannah Everett.
The evening concluded with a smorgasbord of desserts on the Pergola.
Saturday's events kicked off on the gymkhana field with the grand entry of the gymkhana teams and the dedication of the day to three recently departed legends of the Thacher School: Chuck Warren, Willard Wyman, and Jack Huyler. In honor of these champions of the horse program, three riderless horses were led in front of the grandstands and a family member was presented with a Thacher flag. Sophomores Kathryn Lynch, Sammie Muckle, and Hillary Ellman sang the national anthem in conjunction with the running of the flags by Jamie Rush '14 and Lachlan Nutting '14. Races started immediately after and were run by timers and riders with expert efficiency. There were seventeen races on the day that kept spectators and riders busy throughout.
The Green Team, captained by Teo Davis '14, Lachlan Nutting '14, and Owen Yager '15, were unstoppable the entire season pulling out the victory for the third year in a row earning a total of 21,979 on the season. The Blue Team, led by Alex Morris '14 and Jamie Rush '14, was in a close second the whole season and finished just shy of the Green Team with a total of 19,955 points. The season started a little slow for the Orange Team, captained by Lane Sohn '14, Briggs Boss '15, and Ben Connor '15 but they put in the hard work and finished strong with a total of 15,112 points. (See below for Top Ten Freshmen, Top Ten Overall, Top Ten of the Day, and Horsemanship awards.) Two records were broken on the day: the Speed Ball record was broken (twice!) first by Jamie Rush '14 on Gypsy and then later by Andrew Eaton '17 on Nadia who broke the record earlier in the year. The new record stands at 7.53 seconds. Jamie Rush '14 also broke the number of first place wins on Big Gymkhana with nine. The previous record stood at seven first place finishes on the day.
The final event of the day was the Silver Dollar Pick-up. Membership to this elite Thacher club is earned only by successfully picking up a silver dollar off the ground at a lope. A chance for membership into this group was earned by nine riders who qualified earlier in the season by picking up a tennis ball off the ground at a lope. None were successfull on the big day, but those who qualified were given more opportunities in the following week. Anthony Nikitopoulos '17 and Ronan Byrne '17 became the most recent additions to the ranks this year.
Director of the Horse Department Cam Schryver announced the day's big awards; interspersed were more performances by the Dance Ensemble, Freshman Chorus, Freshman Acting, and Freshman Ukuleles. The ceremony culminated in a standing ovation for the Horse Department faculty and staff, whose hard work all year brought along this group of riders.
Despite an already long day, many people turned out for the Mulligans' Open House on Saturday night. Parents there experienced a typical Thacher Saturday night of warm cookies, quesadillas, games, coloring, movies, and good conversation.
To cap off the weekend, folks gathered the next morning in the Outdoor Chapel to hear remarks from Chris Land, father of Beatrice '14, Carson CdeP 2011, and Douglas CdeP 2008. There’s no place better for spiritual regrouping than this spot carved a century ago out of the hillside. Here, parents and kids were in a picturesque spot to prepare for a farewell-til-summer break.
Following the chapel service, the Twin Peaks Trap Range opened for competition and Nick Johnson '16 and his father, Bob Johnson shot the highest winning score for the event going back over the past twelve years, missing just three targets for a score of 22 out of a possible 25.
Top Ten Riders for the Season
1. Jamie Rush '14 [Captain] on Gypsy
2. Alex Morris '14 [Captain] on Delightful
3. Teo Davis [Captain] on Poppy
4. Lachlan Nutting '14 [Captain] on GreaseSpot
5. Taylor Gaines '17 on Russell
6. Andrew Eaton '17 on Nadia
7. Nick Johnson '16 on Ranger
8. Max Damon '17 on Zee
9. Ben Connor '15 [Captain] on Sharon
10. Fiona Bean '17 on HighStyle
Top Ten Riders for Big Gymkhana Day
1. Jamie Rush '14 [Captain] on Gypsy
2. Teo Davis '14 [Captain] on Poppy
3. Alex Morris '14 [Captain] on Delightful
4. Lachlan Nutting '14 [Captain] on GreaseSpot
5. Taylor Gaines '17 on Russell
6. Ben Connor '16 [Captain] on Sharon
7. Andrew Eaton '17 on Nadia
8. Max Damon '17 on Zee
9. Kai Boas '17 on Brandy
10. Pierre Weil '17 on Sunny
Top Ten Freshmen
1. Taylor Gaines on Russell
2. Andrew Eaton on Nadia
3. Max Damon on Zee
4. Fiona Bean on HighStyle
5. Braden Roh on Dave
6. Steven Jump on Tamulena
7. Kai Boas on Brandy
8. Pierre Weil on Sunny
9. Liam Kirkpatrick on Lena
10. Evan Jackson on Cady
Horsemanship Awards
Peter Ammons '16 on Chill
Fiona Bean '17 on HighStyle
Ronan Byrne '17 on Happy
Isabelle Doubleday '17 on Corkey
Annie Everett '17 on Moped
Sophia Fung '17 on Jamie
Taylor Gaines '17 on Russell
Evan Jackson '17 on Cady
Nick Johnson '16 on Ranger
Steven Jump '17 on Tamulena
Liam Kirkpatrick '17 on Lena
Doug Klink '16 on Sabrina
Anthony Nikitopoulos '17 on Owen/Jewel
Karl Nozadze '17 on Maddie
Eric Oregel '17 on Shorty
Braden Roh '17 on Dave
Pierre Weil '17 on Sunny
Robert Welch '16 on Lincoln
Maya Willcox '17 on Sioux
Horsemanship Bridles (presented to sophomore or junior boy and girl)
Alessandro Lorenzoni '16 on Tarzan
Colly Smith '16 on Butch powers
Back
Before the actual Big Gymkhana weekend, the student Indoor Committee that organizes weekend activities planned an evening of gymkhana races on foot in honor of the School's 125th anniversary. Students donned team colors and competed in speed ball, Washington poles, hurry scurry, rescue race, and silver "dime" pick-up.
The big weekend kicked off on Friday afternoon with extreme cowboy race and trail course competitions, and an English riding demonstration. Following the events, a fabulous farm-to-table dinner featuring Thacher-raised pork and grass-fed beef was staged on the tennis courts where students and their families sat together. This year, the live auction took place out on the courts with a full view of a beautiful Ojai sunset. The Parents Auction was chaired by Wendy Bingham (Grace ’15) and Jenny Gregory (Anne '15). Many other parents also put in many long hours preparing for the auction and decorating the courts for Friday evening's dinner. The event was emceed by J.P. Manoux CdeP 1987; he and the auctioneer and his spotters, decked out in western attire, created an authentic live auction experience. With almost 200 items in the silent and live auctions, there was something for everyone! In addition to the live auction items, there were 72 donors who raised their paddle in support of the Thacher financial aid program, giving $343,000 in less than 12 minutes. Friday night's fundraising raised over $600,000.
After filling their stomachs, folks meandered through the Commons and the Thacher Room where student artwork (photography, acrylics, charcoal, digital painting, ceramics, and woodwork) was up on display.
Friday night filled the Milligan Center for student performances by the Jazz Band, Dance Ensemble, String Ensemble, Chamber Singers, and Advanced Acting. The evening culminated in a joint performance of the Dance Ensemble, Chamber Singers, and String Ensemble including a brief aerial dance by senior Hannah Everett.
The evening concluded with a smorgasbord of desserts on the Pergola.
Saturday's events kicked off on the gymkhana field with the grand entry of the gymkhana teams and the dedication of the day to three recently departed legends of the Thacher School: Chuck Warren, Willard Wyman, and Jack Huyler. In honor of these champions of the horse program, three riderless horses were led in front of the grandstands and a family member was presented with a Thacher flag. Sophomores Kathryn Lynch, Sammie Muckle, and Hillary Ellman sang the national anthem in conjunction with the running of the flags by Jamie Rush '14 and Lachlan Nutting '14. Races started immediately after and were run by timers and riders with expert efficiency. There were seventeen races on the day that kept spectators and riders busy throughout.
The Green Team, captained by Teo Davis '14, Lachlan Nutting '14, and Owen Yager '15, were unstoppable the entire season pulling out the victory for the third year in a row earning a total of 21,979 on the season. The Blue Team, led by Alex Morris '14 and Jamie Rush '14, was in a close second the whole season and finished just shy of the Green Team with a total of 19,955 points. The season started a little slow for the Orange Team, captained by Lane Sohn '14, Briggs Boss '15, and Ben Connor '15 but they put in the hard work and finished strong with a total of 15,112 points. (See below for Top Ten Freshmen, Top Ten Overall, Top Ten of the Day, and Horsemanship awards.) Two records were broken on the day: the Speed Ball record was broken (twice!) first by Jamie Rush '14 on Gypsy and then later by Andrew Eaton '17 on Nadia who broke the record earlier in the year. The new record stands at 7.53 seconds. Jamie Rush '14 also broke the number of first place wins on Big Gymkhana with nine. The previous record stood at seven first place finishes on the day.
The final event of the day was the Silver Dollar Pick-up. Membership to this elite Thacher club is earned only by successfully picking up a silver dollar off the ground at a lope. A chance for membership into this group was earned by nine riders who qualified earlier in the season by picking up a tennis ball off the ground at a lope. None were successfull on the big day, but those who qualified were given more opportunities in the following week. Anthony Nikitopoulos '17 and Ronan Byrne '17 became the most recent additions to the ranks this year.
Director of the Horse Department Cam Schryver announced the day's big awards; interspersed were more performances by the Dance Ensemble, Freshman Chorus, Freshman Acting, and Freshman Ukuleles. The ceremony culminated in a standing ovation for the Horse Department faculty and staff, whose hard work all year brought along this group of riders.
Despite an already long day, many people turned out for the Mulligans' Open House on Saturday night. Parents there experienced a typical Thacher Saturday night of warm cookies, quesadillas, games, coloring, movies, and good conversation.
To cap off the weekend, folks gathered the next morning in the Outdoor Chapel to hear remarks from Chris Land, father of Beatrice '14, Carson CdeP 2011, and Douglas CdeP 2008. There’s no place better for spiritual regrouping than this spot carved a century ago out of the hillside. Here, parents and kids were in a picturesque spot to prepare for a farewell-til-summer break.
Following the chapel service, the Twin Peaks Trap Range opened for competition and Nick Johnson '16 and his father, Bob Johnson shot the highest winning score for the event going back over the past twelve years, missing just three targets for a score of 22 out of a possible 25.
Top Ten Riders for the Season
1. Jamie Rush '14 [Captain] on Gypsy
2. Alex Morris '14 [Captain] on Delightful
3. Teo Davis [Captain] on Poppy
4. Lachlan Nutting '14 [Captain] on GreaseSpot
5. Taylor Gaines '17 on Russell
6. Andrew Eaton '17 on Nadia
7. Nick Johnson '16 on Ranger
8. Max Damon '17 on Zee
9. Ben Connor '15 [Captain] on Sharon
10. Fiona Bean '17 on HighStyle
Top Ten Riders for Big Gymkhana Day
1. Jamie Rush '14 [Captain] on Gypsy
2. Teo Davis '14 [Captain] on Poppy
3. Alex Morris '14 [Captain] on Delightful
4. Lachlan Nutting '14 [Captain] on GreaseSpot
5. Taylor Gaines '17 on Russell
6. Ben Connor '16 [Captain] on Sharon
7. Andrew Eaton '17 on Nadia
8. Max Damon '17 on Zee
9. Kai Boas '17 on Brandy
10. Pierre Weil '17 on Sunny
Top Ten Freshmen
1. Taylor Gaines on Russell
2. Andrew Eaton on Nadia
3. Max Damon on Zee
4. Fiona Bean on HighStyle
5. Braden Roh on Dave
6. Steven Jump on Tamulena
7. Kai Boas on Brandy
8. Pierre Weil on Sunny
9. Liam Kirkpatrick on Lena
10. Evan Jackson on Cady
Horsemanship Awards
Peter Ammons '16 on Chill
Fiona Bean '17 on HighStyle
Ronan Byrne '17 on Happy
Isabelle Doubleday '17 on Corkey
Annie Everett '17 on Moped
Sophia Fung '17 on Jamie
Taylor Gaines '17 on Russell
Evan Jackson '17 on Cady
Nick Johnson '16 on Ranger
Steven Jump '17 on Tamulena
Liam Kirkpatrick '17 on Lena
Doug Klink '16 on Sabrina
Anthony Nikitopoulos '17 on Owen/Jewel
Karl Nozadze '17 on Maddie
Eric Oregel '17 on Shorty
Braden Roh '17 on Dave
Pierre Weil '17 on Sunny
Robert Welch '16 on Lincoln
Maya Willcox '17 on Sioux
Horsemanship Bridles (presented to sophomore or junior boy and girl)
Alessandro Lorenzoni '16 on Tarzan
Colly Smith '16 on Butch powers
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A college preparatory boarding school for grades 9-12
Notice of nondiscriminatory policy as to students: The Thacher School admits students of any race, color, national, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national, and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other School-administered programs.