The drill team holds seven total events per year: 2 open practices, 2 performances at Triple V Stables, 1 weekend performing at the Iowa Horse Fair, and 2 bake sales. All events are open to Grinnell students as well as the public. Attending all events is free*, as are all food and activities at the events. There's never a need to get tickets** or RSVP in any way. Just show up, we'd love to have you!
Our first events every year are the open practices. These occur during family weekend because they are the perfect opportunity for parents to see the barn and watch an ordinary practice. Any students who are considering joining drill team should come as well. Of course, all Grinnell students are welcome. There are two events, one for intermediate team, the other for advanced team, and both are scheduled during their teams' normal practice times. This is the only event at Triple V which does not include food or rides to/from campus.
These performances occur twice a year: once near the end of first semester, once near the end of second semester. They are the culmination of a semester's hard work, so each team is excited to perform its drill. After the perfomances, there are pony rides, and attendees can meet the miniature ponies. Then a gigantic bonfire is lit, and attendees make smore's. Food is provided throughout the event. Cats (usually about a dozen, mostly kittens) and a dog roam the premises, and attendees are welcome to pet them. Free rides are provided from Grinnell's campus to Triple V.
When we can fundraise enough money, both drill teams go to the Iowa Horse Fair in Des Moines.
Anybody who wants to support the team is welcome to come see us perform! It's a wonderful fair for anybody with interest in horses.
Typically,
the intermediate team performs one night, and the advanced team performs two nights. We stay in a hotel near the fairgrounds. It's easily the highlight of our spring semesters, since we
get to see many other performers and workshops, spend a lot of time together, and, of course, perform in front of a bigger audience than we can in Grinnell. We get to meet
other drill teams, such as the Red Rock Riders, and enjoy the sense of community at the fair.
We haven't yet raised enough money to attend fair this year, so we would welcome
donations. Please contact us at equestrian@grinnell.edu if you would like to make a donation. We are incredibly thankful for everybody who donates or participates in
our fundraisers, since you're the ones who let us perform. We couldn't do this without you!
Bake sales are held twice a year to raise money for the Iowa Horse Fair performances. We bake cupcakes, cookies, brownies, and fudge. We make around a hundred baked goods, which is quite an undertaking in a dorm kitchen! We sell our baked goods at a table in JRC for about a week or until we run out of food to sell.
It is too far in advance for us to give much information about upcoming events for the 2018-2019 school year. Check back in a few months!
Family weekend is September 28th through September 30th this year. If we hold open practices, they'll be the same weekend.
Dates haven't been chosen, but we wouldn't dream of cutting this event! We can't wait to see you there.
We hope to make this happen for the 2018-2019 school year, but it's difficult to predict so far ahead. We will let everybody know as soon as we do!
There will be at least one bake sale this year.
To see photos and videos from past events, please check out our Facebook page!