WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2016
APPEAL TRIBUNE
●
3B
Equestrian drill team shines at state competition
CHRISTENA BROOKS
SPECIAL TO THE APPEAL TRIBUNE
Roughly
translated,
the famous Latin phrase,
“Omne trium perfectum,”
means, “A set of three is
complete.”
A satisfying sense of
completeness surrounded
Silverton High School’s
equestrian drill team as it
secured first place at
state for the third consec-
utive year. The magic of
the “rule of three” wasn’t
lost on the three seniors
on the team who rode
their horses to OHSET
victory for a third, and
last, time in Redmond last
month.
Elsie Guenther, Ange-
line Starrs and Nicole
Kuenzi will graduate high
school this month with the
distinction of having led
Silverton’s “6+” drill team
to state gold in 2014, 2015
and 2016. A fourth mem-
ber – junior Brienne Hook
– helped secure the trio of
wins too. Rounding out the
squad for 2016 was Han-
nah Brunkal, a senior, and
sophomore Hannah Zur-
brugg, a sophomore.
Together, these six
young ladies headed to the
Deschutes County Fair-
grounds, driven by hopes
and dreams and followed
by a load of pressure as
heavy as expected for
reigning champs.
“There was an insane
amount of pressure,” El-
sie Guenther said. “With
only six people on our
team, it is hard to compete
against teams with 10 or
12.”
Eighteen other drill
teams showed up to strut
their stuff against the
Foxes on Friday, May 13.
For Silverton, the night
started with a shaky
warm-up, Guenther re-
called. This was followed
by a rousing pep talk from
coach Casey Rush. Then it
was show time: five min-
utes of carefully choreo-
graphed horsemanship
pushing the limits of tech-
nicality and difficulty.
“Our performance was
intense. It was not per-
fect, but we rode like it
was,” said Nicole Kuenzi.
“We rode with confidence
and emotion.”
“There were a couple
of spots that could have
been better, but our drill
was much harder than
any of the other teams,
and we had a team unity
that many teams just can’t
achieve,” Guenther add-
ed.
The girls knew they’d
done well, and they’d
waited all year for this
moment, but they had to
wait a little longer. Re-
sults posted the next day:
Silverton
was
state
champ again, with a score
of 2029. Behind them
were Canby and Forest
Grove high schools.
“We screamed with
joy,” Kuenzi said. “We had
awards that day and got a
team trophy. Each of us
got medals and halters for
our horses.”
On paper, 2016 appears
similar to 2014 and 2015,
with their respective
scores of 2030 and 2308.
But each year has its own
back-story, with details
only the riders know.
“To me, (winning) rep-
resents everything that
we went through to get
here,” Guenther said. “All
three years started out
rough, and we went
through quite a few chal-
lenges. There were sever-
al times when I didn’t
think it would ever come
together, but it always did,
and we came out on top.”
Making 2016 extra bit-
tersweet, drill coach Ca-
sey Rush, 25, announced
she’s stepping down. Her
mother is head coach, but
Rush,
an
equestrian
champ herself, has shep-
herded the 6+ drill team to
its three state wins. She
plans to apply to Oregon
State University, her
mother, Sue, said.
“(Casey) kept us up
late, got us up early and
pushed us past anything
we though we could do,”
Guenther said. “She is the
reason we won all three
years.
She has an extraordi-
nary talent for bringing
everyone’s individual tal-
ents and combining them
with routines that she
spent hours and hours
writing.”
With seven seniors
graduating, next year’s
younger team will push
forward with Sue Rush at
the helm.
Many are interested in
riding drill, whether free-
style fours or 6+, she said.
Rebuilding the team in
2016-17 is a process she
expects with anticipation.
“Sometimes the chase
is more fun than the win.
It’s easy to forget that,”
she said.
At state, overall, Sil-
verton finished 12th. The
meet ran May 12-15.
unique spirit.
A celebration of Am-
ber’s life will be held at 5
p.m., Saturday, June 11,
2016, at Salem First Free
Methodist Church, 4455
Silverton Road NE Salem,
OR 97305. Arrangements
by Unger Funeral Chapel
in Silverton.
Memorial
contribu-
tions can be made to the
Amber Taverne Memorial
Fund at any Umpqua
Bank location.
ber of St. Mary’s Parish,
also serving in the Catho-
lic Daughters and the St.
Ann’s Society.
She was preceded in
death by her parents, her
brothers Raymond and
Leroy and her son Gary.
She is survived by her
husband Harold, her
daughter Kathy (Gene)
Luffman of Iowa Park,
Texas, son Richard (Su-
zanne) Dieker of Yakima,
Washington, her sisters
Arlene (Dale) Kloucek
and Loraine (Henry)
Geshwill, 7 grandchil-
dren, 18 great grandchil-
dren and 1 great great
grandson.
A
special
thanks to the staff at
Heartwood Place Memo-
ry Care in Woodburn and
Hospice Care of the
Northwest. The family
wishes to express appre-
ciation to all who visited
and supported her in the
final months of her life.
A rosary was held on
June 6, 2016 at St. Mary’s
Church. A funeral mass
was held at St. Mary’s
Church at 11 a.m. on Tues-
day, June 7, 2016. In lieu of
flowers, donations to the
St. Ann’s Society would be
appreciated.
verton on Sept. 21, 1925, to
Henry and Ruth Oveross.
She was preceded in death
by her husband Robert
(Bob) F. Moon in 2007.
Jean grew up and lived
in Silverton. She and her
husband Bob and children
moved to Canada in 1968.
She always remained in
touch with her family,
friends and classmates
from her Silverton High
School class of 1943. Jean
brought joy to family,
friends and all who met
her. She will always be re-
membered and held in our
hearts.
Jean is survived by her
three children: Curt (Car-
ol) of Vancouver, British
Columbia, Dale (Amparo)
of Lake Oswego, and Mon-
ica of Naramata, British
Columbia; and three
grandchildren: Ryan (Te-
resa), Cameron (Aline)
and Brandon; and extend-
ed family.
Memorial tributes can
be made to SHS Alumni
Association.
Arrange-
ments by Unger Funeral
Chapel in Valley View
Cemetery in Silverton.
1941to Richmond, Califor-
nia. He graduated from
Golden Gate Academy
where he met his future
wife, Jean. He was an ap-
prentice plasterer, and
went on to become a gen-
eral contractor, building
homes in the Bay Area. In
1971, he and his family
moved to Salem and start-
ed berry farming and
building homes. Harlan
was a very strong man of
faith, loved his wife, chil-
dren, and grandchildren.
He and his family served
a homeless ministry for 17
plus years. He loved trav-
eling in their RV. Harlan
was also a member of the
Obsolete Fleet Chevy
Club of Salem.
He is survived by his
wife of 61 years, Jean; his
daughter, Sharon (Ron)
Hoyven, his son, Rick
(Leslie) Warnick, grand-
children: Caleb and Ma-
risa, sister, Claudia Le
Moine,
brother-in-law,
Jim (Jan) Ford; and many
nieces and nephews.
Celebration of life will
be at 3 p.m. June 10 at the
Emmanuel Bible Church,
8512 Sunnyview Road NE
in Salem. Contributions
may be made to the Em-
manuel Bible Church
Building Fund or Union
Gospel Mission.
Arrangements by Un-
ger Funeral Chapel in Sil-
verton.
June 1, 2016
Buster was born in
Broadus, Montana, to
Chuck and Era Richards.
Buster was one of nine
siblings, married to Mar-
garet Richards, father to
Duane (Carolyn) Rich-
ards; Jolene (Theresa)
Richards; Rhonda (Brett)
Medalia; grandfather to 8,
great grandfather of 11
and one on the way.
Before his retirement,
Buster was a cook, had his
own business and was
well known as a handy-
man in the Silverton area.
He was a jack of all
trades, most known for
his kind heart and sense of
humor, always willing to
help everyone. Buster
never met a person he
didn’t like. He was a true
friend to all.
Buster lived everyday
knowing his best friend
and love of his life for 56
years was always by his
side. The most important
thing in Dad’s life was his
family and he always put
them first.
Service for Buster was
held June 7 at The First
Christian Church, Silver-
ton. In lieu of flowers do-
nations can be made to
First Christian Church or
a charity of your choice.
OBITUARIES
Amber R. Taverne
October
29, 1983 —
May
25,
2016
Amber
was born in
Salem
where she
grew up and graduated
from McKay High School
in 2003. Amber recently
graduated from the Uni-
versity of Western States.
Upon graduation she was
hired by the university’s
massage therapy pro-
gram, and she had also
started her own massage
therapy business. She
loved helping others and
was always there for her
friends and family. Am-
ber was a loving mother to
two beautiful daughters;
her love for music was
passed on to her daughter,
Amy. The family she left
behind
includes
her
daughters: Amy Taverne
and Ollie Swider, her part-
ner: Nick Volkoff and his
son, Jayson Volkoff; par-
ents: Wilma and Hollis Re-
agor, and Don Williams;
brothers: Chris Kennedy,
Tony Currier-Reagor and
James Williams, sisters:
Shaila Reagor and Tian-
nah Reagor; grandpar-
ents: Roy and Carol Ken-
nedy, Don and Loretta
Williams, Ray and Judy
Reagor; and many other
extended family mem-
bers.
She will be missed by
all who had the privilege
of knowing her and those
who appreciated her
Bernice H. Dieker
March
19, 1928 —
May
30,
2016
Bernice
H. Dieker,
age
88,
passed
away peacefully on Mon-
day, May 30, 2016. Bernice
was born in Salem on
March 19, 1928, to Aloyi-
sious and Marie Duda. She
grew up in Hazel Green,
then in 1940 her family
moved to Mt. Angel. She
graduated from Mt. Angel
Academy in 1946. On May
12, 1948, she married Har-
old Dieker. They celebrat-
ed 68 years of marriage.
In 1955 Harold and Ber-
nice and their family
moved out to the family
farm on Hook Road. Ber-
nice worked at John F.
Kennedy High School as a
cook, retiring in 1990. She
enjoyed cooking, sewing,
gardening, camping, fish-
ing and spending time
with friends and family.
She was a lifelong mem-
Jean A. Moon
Sept. 21, 1925 — May 7,
2016
Jean A. Moon, our be-
loved mother and grand-
mother, passed away
peacefully surrounded by
family on May 7, 2016.
Jean was born in Sil-
Harlan Delano
Warnick
October 17, 1935 — May
28, 2016
Harlan Delano War-
nick, 80, was called home
on May 28, 2016.
He was born in St. Paul,
Minnesota, to Clarence
and Josephine Warnick on
October 17, 1935. Harlan
moved with the family in
Clarence “Buster”
Richards
February 15, 1940 —
Joan Millie Hein
Aug. 8, 1945 — May 31,
2016
No services will be
held. Arrangements by
Unger Funeral Chapel in
Silverton.