Telltale signs of fall include leaves changing color, weekend trips to cider mills and folks decorating their houses with pumpkins and scarecrows.

In Oxford, folks can be sure that autumn has officially arrived when the high school equestrian team finds itself in the hunt for another state title.

For the 20th consecutive year, the Wildcat equestrians earned the right to compete at the state championship, which will be held Oct. 9-13 at the Midland County Fairgrounds.

“We always go in there with the intention to win it,” said Head Coach Dee Shepard. “But, as long as we . . . put our best foot forward, (are) prepared, look professional and . . have the best rides we can, I’m pretty happy with that.”

The Wildcats earned their 20th trip to the state championship over the weekend by winning the Michigan Interscholastic Horsemanship Association Region E Championship at the Ingham County Fairgrounds.

Competing in everything from showmanship to jumping and timed events, the Wildcats earned a combined 352 points at regionals.

Oxford bested Cedar Springs (288), Notre Dame Prep (260), Mason (258), Tri County (216), Manchester (209), Sand Creek (202) and Laingsburg (79).

To Shepard, who has been leading the team for 20 years, the secret to making it to the state championship year after year is really no secret at all. It’s about having riders who are dedicated to working hard day in and day out, and serious about honoring the commitment they’ve made to themselves, their horses and the team, she explained.

“They know they’re coming onto a team that has very, very high expectations and standards,” Shepard said.

Riders are required to practice at least once a week, but Shepard said some members are out at her farm working five or six days a week.

“Those are the kids that you see the most improvement in,” she said.

Spending lots of time practicing with a horse and truly getting to know the animal and how to communicate with it on “an emotional level” is absolutely critical, in Shepard’s opinion, to succeeding at competitions.

“You’re dealing with a 1,200-pound animal with a mind of its own . . . You’ve got to know where their head’s at, if they’re feeling cranky, if they’re feeling fearful (or) a little too frisky,” she said.

Shepard is “surprised” by “how much pride” the riders take in being part of a team that annually competes at the state level.

She said they really take that “history to heart” and work tirelessly to keep this streak alive. “They (know they) can’t just get there because we’ve done it in the past,” Shepard said.

Over the years, the OHS Equestrian Team has won four state championships and been named reserve state champion seven times.