Colorado Springs based equestrian team competing nationally in the unique sport

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- An equestrian team based out of Black Forest in Colorado Springs is headed to a national championship in North Carolina after qualifying in March in Arizona.

The Forest Edge Farm equestrian team consists of high school and middle schoolers. They beat out every other team in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona, training all year for this competition.

The riders are judged on being able to control and display how they ride different horses they've never been on by completing a series of different heights of jumps.

The girls have been training and competing together for multiple years. Team captain Isabelle Malick has been involved for six years.

"It's really team-oriented," Malick said. "I like that concept because we get to work together and earn a certain number of points to move on. So it's nice that we all get to contribute something and we all get credit."

Isabelle is excited to continue to be a role model in her upcoming senior year for the new, younger girls coming in. She says the sport is a good fundamental for people interested in horse showing and riding.

The competition goes from April 27-29 in North Carolina. The next season kicks off in September, and most of the girls plan to continue.