Over the past four years, Annie Keller has been a consistent top performer for the Roger Williams University Equestrian team. Keller came to Roger Williams with over 15 years of competitive riding under her belt. RWU had a number of qualities that checked off all the boxes that she was looking for in a college.
 
"The beauty of the campus definitely immediately made an impression on me, and it was also the only school with a nice campus, a Psychology major, a varsity equestrian team, and which wasn't too far from or too close to my house in Arlington."
 
After a freshman campaign that saw limited action, she would break out in her sophomore season. Keller qualified for Intercollegiate Horse Show Association National Championship after placing second and earning Reserve Champion honors in Novice Flat at the Zone 1 Championship.
 
"I'm not exaggerating when I say I truly never thought I would make it that far. To get to the National level in equestrian, you have to place top two in your division in your region, then top two in your division in your Zone, which is against the top two riders from all of the other regions."
 
Although Keller was the only Roger Williams rider to qualify for Nationals in that year, she still performed at the show, being named Honorable Mention in her division.
 
"It was a bit sad because I didn't have any teammates, but my best friend from my hometown and her mother drove all the way to Pennsylvania to watch me, and my mom, dad, and boyfriend at the time all came as well to support me, so I felt very loved."
 
The following season saw the Equestrian team put together arguably one of the best seasons in program history. Keller once again qualified for the IHSA National Championship, but this time she wouldn't be alone. RWU qualified as a team for Nationals for the first time in program history after winning the Zone 1 Championship. This time, Keller knew that she would be able to share the experience of competing at Nationals with her teammates.
 
"Not only was I able to share the experience with a team of friends which I had so much fun with, but I also managed to secure fifth place in the nation in the Team portion of Intermediate Over Fences (jumping) representing RWU! Helping the RWU Equestrian team qualify as a team for Nationals for the first time in history is something I'll forever be proud of, and we ended up as 13th place overall in the nation out of over 400 schools that compete in the IHSA!"
 
After a history-making 2018-19 season, the team had high hopes for themselves entering the 2019-20 campaign. Keller in particular felt the pressure of trying to live up to her own expectations and improve upon last season's finish.
 
"I just didn't have a lot of strong rides, or didn't connect well with the horse I drew. I think the pressure of going to Nationals two years in a row and having two really strong seasons in a row got to me, because every time I entered the ring I was thinking, 'You HAVE to do well because they're expecting you to do well! Don't embarrass yourself!' And the nerves probably got to me."
 
Despite dealing with the stress of trying to compete a high level week in and out, Keller still managed put together a solid senior year.
 
"I did have a few really good rides this season, including a couple wins at shows, and good lessons at our home barn. At our final show in the spring, I actually won my Open Flat class (highest level flat class) and I was very proud of that, and the team as a whole moved into first place in the region with our collective points after that show. So technically, we ended as first in the region!"
 
The hard work that she and her teammates have put in over the past four seasons have been rewarding. However, she wants people to know although they may make it look easy, horse riding is far from it.
 
"It's very physically taxing. I know to the uneducated eye it may look like we 'just sit there,' but that's because we're supposed to be so strong, supple and graceful that our bodies barely move and we're in sync with the horse's motion–which actually takes a huge amount of strength and muscle training, particularly in your core and legs."
 
"Also, the type of riding we do is not horse racing; we are judged on our form (position on the horse), effectiveness as a rider, and execution of what's asked of us. Thirdly, the horse does NOT just 'do whatever we want' all the time. In fact, some horses may make it a little bit harder if they're stubborn, which is where effectiveness of riding comes into play. And lastly, what makes IHSA so hard is that at shows, each rider is assigned a horse to ride at random, many of which have been brought in by other teams and they may have never seen before."
 
With her collegiate career coming to a close, Keller will be looking to transition to a professional career within the therapeutic field of psychology, preferably professionally related to horses. She has volunteered at a therapeutic horseback riding barn for several years that teaches children and teens with mental and physical disabilities how to ride horses.
 
No matter where her career will take her, Keller will treasure the memories and experiences offered to her at RWU.
 
"Our trips, and the friends I've made through that club are definitely some of the best things to come out of my time here at Roger. Also, of course, going to horse shows with the team!"