Norwich returns to its roots with calvary

Riding a horse is a partnership that is made out of strength, trust and friendship. Norwich's Cavalry Troop experiences this richness of life every week of the school year.

Cavalry was founded in 1909, but changed when World War II started, and the need for horses diminished. The cavalry members switched to armor and instead of riding horses, they drove tanks, according to Michael Mckeever, 21, junior, political science major from Oxford, Pa.

The club was revived in the mid-90s.

"It was officially reintegrated into the corps back in 2004," said William Day, 21, senior, chemistry and biology major from Portland, Maine.

"We were founded as a cavalry school, the barn was down by the student service center," said Don Dibastiani, 21, a senior business management and accounting major from Norrisville, Md.

Cavalry receives horsemanship training from Breckenridge Farm. Training consists of classical riding techniques, ground training, horse management, horse science, drill team work and performance skills.

"Judy Whipple is the owner of the horses and teaches how to deal with the horses in (many) situations," Mckeever said.

"Working with an animal that you can't speak to and weighs 10 times more than you: try to control them. That's a challenge" Dibastiani said.

Any cadet can join cavalry and earn their sabers, but interested cadets must go through a process called "candidacy."

"There is a yearlong candidacy, meaning two semesters, twice a week, that consists of PT, knowledge, horsemanship, and bonding with fellow candidates" Mckeever said.

"First semester is teaching them the basics of cavalry; second semester is when they start doing tests. That's when they get the proper training to join the company," said Terrell Coleman, 21, a political science major from Olympia Fields, Ill.

"We stress team work, if you don't work as a team in cavalry you're essentially going to fail," Coleman said.

While most members start as rooks, Steven Bartomioli is a sophomore.

"It's been the most positive environment I can think of. The training is good, it serves a purpose. You're always doing something, always moving," said Bartomioli, 19, political science and international studies major from Falls Village, Conn.

Cadets who take part in cavalry stay in the same company throughout college.

"Cavalry is meant to keep the tradition of Norwich alive; there was a point that every cadet rode horses, it's a standard of what cadets should be like," said Bartomioli

"It is a sense of family, I'm only a candidate but I live with them, even though there is that separation between saber holders and candidates, I still get that sense of family, they include me," Bartomioli said.

There has been the thought of putting a barn on campus, but the funding and space is something Norwich does not have now.

"It would be much easier to have a barn on campus. The downside would be the room needed for a barn and pastures, staff for upkeep of the barn, and the cost of this all," Bartomioli said.

"If we could just walk over to the barn and saddle up, I would be riding every day," Dibastiani said.