BookNow@DiamondDCowgirls.com
(404) 695-1662
Diamond D Cowgirls Team Descriptions & Details
Mission Statement
Diamond D Cowgirls mission is to enrich the lives of young girls by building confidence, encouraging positive teamwork and developing character through sharing a love for horses. We accept the responsibility of teaching life lessons to our riders to further their growth inside the riding arena and out. We are committed to making the sport of drill team a pleasant, safe and rewarding experience for everyone involved through quality coaching, sound leadership and genuine sincerity. Our atmosphere is one that will always strive to glorify God. Each practice will include a prayer time for riders to share praises and prayer requests.
1 Timothy 4:12 “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”
Horse Care in the sport of Drill Team
Horses that participate in Equine Mounted Drill Team at any level are considered high performance athletes and should be treated and cared for accordingly. At Dabney Riding Academy, we strive to give our school horses the best possible care. This includes customized diets and supplements, corrective shoeing, routine dental treatments, regular massage and bodywork, and, of course, in the instance that one is injured or needs specific joint care and treatment, they will receive whatever is needed for their recovery. Just as the more you drive a car, the more maintenance it requires, the situation is similar with horse care. The more they are worked, especially those in high level performance sports such as competition drill team, the more maintenance they require, in order to continue at that level. We highly recommend this level of care for all our students with personal horses. Our coaches are committed to helping guide students and parents in understanding their horses needs in order to help them feel their best and perform at the expected level.
Auditions
Before starting a new season, each rider from the previous season will receive an email survey to determine the number of returning riders which tells us the number of available positions on each team before hosting open auditions. As a returning member, if you wish to secure your spot on the team you were riding in the most recent season, you will be exempt from auditions. However, returning riders planning to use a new personal horse in the upcoming season will need to audition with that horse. Alternatively, if you would like to be considered for advancing up to a higher level team, there will be an option to indicate that preference in the survey. Auditions for the fall season will take place on August 8, 2025 and riders must register beforehand.
Dabney Riding Academy School Horses: Rental
In order to support our horses in upper level drill teams, there will be an additional fee to rent a Dabney School horse for competitive level teams. This will insure that you have a horse to ride during practices and performances. The rental only includes drill practices and performances and there may be times that the horse is also used on another team therefore some riders may have to share a horse at shows with another team. Each teams coach will pair riders with a Dabney School horse based on skills and team level. We try to maintain consistent horse and rider pairs by mid season so long as the horse is sound and able to perform at that level. Any rider who regularly brings her own horse, but may need to rent a horse for a practice or performance, will incur a one-time rental fee of $50.
Team Fee Payment Options
For each season we will be offering the option of paying a one time fee for the entire season. Some have requested this way of payment in the past in order to not have to think about a monthly payment. We will also have the option of setting up an automatic monthly withdrawal. This will reduce the number of monthly invoices sent out and insure that all payments are made on time.
Team Communication
In order to streamline communication and provide a timely response to inquiries, we ask that you email questions or comments to info@dabneyridingacademy.com. Lily Sumner has been a member of the Diamond D Cowgirls program since 2017 and took on the administrative and communications role in 2023. Lily handles all billing, invoicing and email correspondence.
Loping Level Descriptions:
Beginner lope- Rider can perform a lope with little to no assistance from the instructor and maintain the lope for a minimum of 5-10 strides on a straight line displaying good control and can stop their horse within a couple of strides.
Intermediate lope- Rider can ask specifically for a lope on both leads as well as determine which lead the horse is on by feel. Rider can maintain a lope for a minimum of one lap of the arena while displaying control through the different speeds of a lope (slow, medium, fast).
Advanced Lope- Rider can ask specifically for a lope on both leads as well as determine which lead the horse is on by feel. Rider can maintain a lope for a minimum of one lap of the arena while displaying control through the different speeds of a lope (slow, medium, fast). Rider can maintain a lope through turns of various degrees, asking for lead changes all while neck reining (only one hand on the rein.)
Show Descriptions:
Fall Showcase- This is our end of the season show where riders invite their friends and family to Dabney Riding Academy for a chance to display their routines to music. This event takes place around November normally before the holidays begin.
Spring Spectacular - This is our end of the season show where riders invite their friends and family to Dabney Riding Academy for a chance to display their routines to music. This event takes place early May before the summer break begins.
Dabney Fun Show- This show is be hosted at Dabney Riding Academy. Similar to most fun shows there are many different competitive classes the riders can enter such as barrel racing, pole bending, arena race and more! All other riders who choose to enter the show are required to ride a personal horse. There will be a separate entry fee per rider, per class entered. No DRA school horses are permitted to be ridden in the fun show classes. Youth and Adult classes are offered.
Competition- Drill Team competitions are a 2-3 day weekend event usually 2-4 hours away from Dabney Riding Academy. Horses will be stalled on location of the competition and riders are fully responsible for feeding, cleaning and caring for their horse’s needs throughout the course of the show. Parents are responsible for booking their own hotel/camping accommodations for the duration of the show. Competition show fees can range from $175-$250 per rider per competition (price varies depending on entry fees).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Performance Drill Teams
*Practice days are subject to change as we are in the process of finalizing details for the teams. Parents/Riders will be notified before any changes are final.
JV Team
- Walk/Trot (Ages 5-12)
- Practice on Mondays at 4:30pm
Jewel Team
- Trot/Beginner Lope
- Practice on Thursdays at 4:30pm
All Star
- Trot/ One-Handed Lope (Ages 10-19)
- Practice on Tuesdays at 4:30pm
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Competition Drill Team
(These teams will compete in all 5 shows of the SEMDTA show series.)
Varsity Team
- Lope with Flags, Same level as last season
competition team (Ages 10- 18)
- Practice on Tuesdays at 5:30pm
Elite Team
- Adv. Lope with Flags, Same level as
last season Elite Team (ages 14-25)
- Practice on Mondays at 5:30pm
Quad Teams
- Practice and Details TBD
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adult Drill Teams
Royal Spurs
- Trot/Beginner Lope
- 2 Fridays per month at 11:30am
Legacy Team
- Trot/Lope with Flags
- 2 Saturdays per month at 11:30am
