After having ridden multiple times at Nationals as a freshman and sophomore, Spencer Zimmerman of the University of Findlay (on horse) competed in only one class at 2010 Nationals. The junior from Newport, Pennsylvania made it count in a big way, winning the first western team class (novice western horsemanship) to send the Oilers on their way.

FINDLAY PULLS AWAY ON FINAL DAY, TAKES SECOND CONSECUTIVE WESTERN TEAM TITLE

LEXINGTON, KY - IHSA trivia for you: After Ohio State and Findlay, which IHSA program has the third-most Western National Champion Teams? Times Up. Texas A & M University, with four wins (including three straight). Which program has the fourth-most? Miami University of Ohio, with three titles in four years.

However those three titles within four years were won in 1979, 1980 and 1982. 1979 was the first year a Western National Champion team was crowned, and in fact Miami was champion in much the same way all the hunter seat team champions earned the honor prior to 1973 - by finishing on top of the only region that existed for western at that time.

Texas A & M's heroics came mostly in the early part of the decade just ended, sharing the title with Ohio State in '02, then with West Texas A & M in '03 before winning outright in '04. Texas A & M left the IHSA following the 2005-06 season to compete NCAA/Varsity-only, making them one of ten schools to show varsity-only nationwide during the 2009-10 school year.

What does all this mean? It means that while at one time the western national championship was really up for grabs, today it appears to be mostly a two-way race. Entering 2010 Nationals Ohio State has won nine National Championships since 1991 while the University of Findlay has won four since 2001, including last season. Findlay has won three straight on odd-numbered years, while Ohio State won in '06 and '08 to hold serve in evens. Since Semifinals replaced Zones for western in 2007 both Findlay and Ohio State are four-for-four at Semifinal shows, with several of the Findlay wins by prohibative margins. Only one of the other seven teams competing against Ohio State and Findlay at 2010 Nationals has ever won or shared a National team title (West Texas A & M University). There was some hope for an upset going in, as Oregon State had managed to tie Ohio State for the Reserve Championship in Murfreesboro, Tennessee last season.

Seen here with her parents, St. Andrews Presbyterian College freshman Brittany Powell (center) earned the Knights their best team ribbon at 2010 Nationals with a second in team intermediate horsemanship on May 9th. St. Andrews went on to tie for third place and score a program-record 18 points at a National show.

For the second season in a row the Western Team Competition started on day two of Nationals (following the all-hunter seat opening day), with two western team classes each held on days two, three and four. Following six english classes and two rail phase sections of the individual AQHA Trophy division it was time for the usual Friday afternoon kick-off to the western team competition, the Team Novice Western Horsemanship division. Each of the nine novice riders walked, jogged and lopped when asked to by Judges Bonnie Jo Clay and Charlene Carter before lining up and attempting to do the novice pattern around the cones. Eventually it was time for the first 'announced' western results of any kind at 2010 Nationals (there were no announced scores for the individual AQHA rail phases). Announcer Kenn Marash, a veteran of many prior IHSA National shows, was back for the first time since Burbank in '08 to read off the placings. In a break from the past few seasons, all nine riders received a placing above the participation level in the team western divisions, with Alekzandra Huttemann-Kall of the State University of New York at Oswego first to hear her name with ninth place. Hayley McGuire of Oregon State was eighth while Stephanie Hallgren of West Texas A & M was seventh. Ohio State earned their first point of the competition as Kayla Feltz was sixth. The University of Nebraska at Lincoln was back at Nationals with a full western team for the first time since 2007 (and for the first time as a member of Zone 7. The Cornhuskers have now competed at Nationals out of three different Zones, having taken a full team in 2000 out of the old Zone 6, Region 4 and several times in the mid-00's out of Zone 9, Region 3). Brandon Essink earned the Cornhusker's first points with a fifth. Similarly Middle Tennessee State University had not advanced a team to Nationals in three years. Cayce Turner put the Blue Raiders on the board with a fourth. St. Andrews Presbyterian College was back with a full team for the third season in a row, and Megan Stiles gave hope that for the third year in a row St. Andrews would break double digits. Stiles was third for the Knights who scored 15 points at both '08 and '09 Nationals.

Kristen Atwell, a Berry College junior from Cartersville, Georgia who was making her IHSA Nationals debut was the Reserve Champion. With Atwell's name being announced it meant that Spencer Zimmerman of the University of Findlay was going to hear his name next (he was the only one left in the ring at that moment). A junior from Newport, Pennsylvania, Zimmerman gave the Oilers the early lead with his second-ever IHSA Nationals blue ribbon and first in a team class (Zimmerman won the individual intermediate western division at '09 Nationals. Zimmerman actually competed in consecutive classes that day, placing eighth in individual walk-trot before rushing to change and return to win intermediate western horsemanship. Zimmerman just missed another blue in '08, placing second in individual beginner western. Moving up from one level to another has only made Zimmerman stronger!). With Findlay sporting the early lead some already began to wonder if the Oilers would win consective National titles for the first time in program history.

Following team walk-trot it was time for the second of six team sections, the Advanced Western Horsemanship division. This division was run exactly like the previous division, save for the fact that the pattern was more difficult to navigate. About 45 minutes after it had started, all nine riders were standing in the ring ready to hear their fate. Ninth place went to Amy Mitchem of West Texas A & M, who was one of a handful of riders to show both English and Western over the long weekend (Mitchem was out of the ribbons in the individual intermediate over fences division which started Nationals on May 6th). Eighth place went to Chelsey Argo of Berry College while seventh place went to Hali Jorgensen of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Co-defending reserve national champion Oregon State got on the board as Kaci Sintek was sixth. It was deja vu all over again for Kayla Hay of St. Andrews Presbyterian College. Hay was fifth in team advanced western in 2009 and a pink-ribbon winner again in the division a little over a year later. Middle Tennessee State junior Douglas Hess was fourth, equaling teammate Turner's placing.

Seen here between Coaches Ollie (on left) and Debbie Griffith (on right), Ohio State University sophomore Lauren Smanik won team advanced western horsemanship to keep the Buckeyes within three points of the lead through the first day of western competition. Findlay held an 11-8 lead at that moment but Ohio State would make it an even closer race through two days.

Findlay could not repeat their blue ribbon effort this time, as Madison Hallas was third. A freshman from West Nyack, New York, Hallas would win individual novice western horsemanship two days later. The State University of New York was making their IHSA Nationals debut with a full team, and Gretchen Dietrich earned the Lakers their first-ever team points at a National show. A junior from Millbrook, New York, Dietrich was the Reserve Champion. Lauren Smanik, an Ohio State sophomore from Maineville, Ohio who like Dietrich was making her IHSA Nationals debut was the Advanced champion. Suddenly the usual leaders were once again leading the way. Through two divisions it was Findlay 11, Ohio State 8, St. Andrews 6, Middle Tennessee State 6, SUNY-Oswego 5, Berry 5, Nebraska at Lincoln 2, Oregon State 1 and West Texas A & M still looking to dent the scoreboard.

It was close to three in the afternoon on Saturday, May 8th when the third of six team classes commenced. Team Open Reining featured two riders who had time in the seat early in the day as competitors in the individual open reining division. However in both cases the team ride would not be nearly as memorable as the individual ride. Each of the 12 riders took their turn in the ring, spinning and sliding and eliciting "au-au-au-ooh's" and the occasional "yeh" from the crowd. After each ride Marash announced the combined scores Carter and Clay, which meant anyone with a pen and paper could determine who was leading who at the moment. After all the trips were completed (happily with no re-rides and no zero scores for the only time at 2010 Nationals) each of the dozen riders re-entered the ring on foot for the awarding of ribbons. Kelsey Moody, a St. Andrews Presbyterian College junior from Woodstock, Georgia who had placed third in individual open reining (to advance to the NRHA Derby on June 26th in Oklahoma City) brought up the rear this time with a '128.5' score and ninth place (however two classes later Moody would place second in a field of 12 to be individual open western horsemanship reserve champion). Mindy Leach, a University of Nebraska at Lincoln senior from Malcolm, Nebraska who was the only Cornhusker to compete at 2009 Nationals received a '130.5' and eighth place. Jenni Nagel of S.U.N.Y. - Oswego was next. The junior from Ransomville, New York who was the individual AQHA Trophy winner at 2009 Nationals received a '131.5' and seventh place. Elizabeth Whitman of Oregon State equaled teammate Sintek with a sixth. A sophomore from Albany, Oregon, Whitman's score was '134.5.' Middle Tennessee State sophomore Korry Bailey broke the streak of point-five scores, receiving a '136' and adding two points to the Blue Raider's total. Though she had been reserve champion in individual open reining (also advancing to the Derby), Berry College junior Allie Jones slipped to fourth in the team class. From Cambridge, England Jones received a score of '137.' Rachel Olson of West Texas A & M was riding at IHSA Nationals for the second time. After having placed fifth in team open western horsemanship at 2009 Nationals, the senior from Alexis, Illinois received a '140' score and the third place ribbon in her final IHSA undergraduate ride. Olson's third also assured the Buffs they would not be shut out.

Alas for the underdogs the only two riders still standing in the ring were from Ohio State and Findlay, respectively. The Buckeyes are certainly deep at the open level, as although Sarah Phillips and Meghan Ritchey survived Regionals and Semifinals on an individual basis it was their teammate Jesse Gentile competing in the team class. A freshman from Valley City, Ohio Gentile was the Reserve Champion in his IHSA Nationals debut. Gentile's score was '141.5.' Also making his IHSA Nationals debut was University of Findlay junior Andrew Wolf. From Schwenksville, Pennsylvania Wolf made his only ride at 2010 Nationals stand out, as his '144' score was the best in class. Wolf added seven points to the Findlay total one day before his sister Ashley won the indivdiual intermediate western horsemanship class. The Wolf's are undefeated to date at Nationals. Through three divisions it was Findlay 18, Ohio State 13, Middle Tennessee State 8, Berry 8, St. Andrews 6, S.U.N.Y. - Oswego 5, West Texas A & M 4, Oregon State 2 and Nebraska at Lincoln 2.

Maybe Anne Brzezicki knows!? Brzezicki (third on left), the Head Coach of Middle Tennessee State University, holds the perpetual trophy won by Megan Hephner (on horse). Hephner was first in team open western horsemanship. What we wonder is if MTSU has ever scored more than 18 points at an IHSA Nationals show. The Blue Raiders scored this many in 2010 but did not score more than 16 between 1997 and 2007.

Following alumni western and individual open western it was time for the most unpredictable of the western team classes, the Beginner Western Horsemanship division. Riders in this division usually came to college with no riding experience, and in many cases have been riding for well under one year. Eight of the nine riders in the 2010 team beginner class were making their IHSA Nationals debut, with one of the nine entries a holdover from the 2009 team class. Riders in this division walked and trotted before lining up and going through the cones. Eventually Marash had the placings and the ribbons were awarded. Ninth place went to Seara Lelakowski of S.U.N.Y. - Oswego while Brook Davis, who had placed second in individual walk-trot a day earlier, delivered eighth place to Middle Tennessee State. Emily McKinney of West Texas A & M was seventh while the Cornhuskers earned their third point as Paige Walla was sixth (though Walla did not know it at the time, the junior from North Bend, Nebraska had scored Nebraska-Lincoln's final point of the season). Berry College hit double digits and moved into third place outright for the moment as Ariel Robelen was fifth. Leah Davison, A junior from Los Angeles, California nearly put St. Andrews even with the Vikings, placing fourth to give the Knights nine points through two-thirds of the team divisions. Raquel Frakes, a freshman from Butler, Indiana (who is not tired of hearing about Butler's recent near-miss against Duke in the NCAA College Basketball Tournament) placed third for Findlay. This gave the Oilers 22 points through two days of showing.

Though they came in as the defending reserve co-champions, up to this moment Oregon State had only two points through three classes and sat in a tie for last place. However Kelsey Leonard, a junior from Portland, Oregon, would take the Beavers out of the cellar for the duration of the team competition. Leonard, who was third in team beginner western in Murfreesboro a year earlier (and who did not exceed 35 total points in walk-jog through three semesters of showing) moved up one placing to the Reserve Championship in 2010. This left only Caitlin Sanders in the ring. The Ohio State freshman from Warren, Ohio moved the Buckeyes within two points of the Oilers with the blue ribbon. Sanders is the first Ohio State rider to win this division since Angela Rospert won it four years earlier in Harrisburg. With two classes still to come it was Findlay 22, Ohio State 20, Berry 10, St. Andrews 9, Middle Tennessee State 8, Oregon State 7, S.U.N.Y. - Oswego 5, West Texas A & M 4 and Nebraska at Lincoln 3.

The final day of IHSA Nationals was one of the longer day fours in recent memory. This was because an additional class was added to shorten the Friday schedule so that much of the IHSA could attend a function honoring the retirement of the current Cacchione Cup. Also for the first time the reining phase of the Individual AQHA Trophy division was split into two sections (in the past 11 riders would perform their pattern, then the ring would be drug, and then the remaining eleven would perform their pattern. In 2010 eleven riders went to start the day, then three classes - two individual and one team - were held before the remaining eleven riders went a-reining.

Though they entered the second day of western classes trailing Findlay by three points, Ohio State ended the second of three days trailing by only two thanks to Caitlin Sanders (on horse). A freshman from Warren, Ohio, Sanders won team beginner western to narrow Findlay's lead to 22-20.

Following the first 11 of 22 riders performing their individual AQHA reining pattern it was time for Team Intermediate Western Horsemanship. Though Berry, St. Andrews and Middle Tennessee State were all technically still alive for a share of the Championship it would take a complete colapse by both Findlay and Ohio State for any of the three to overtake the leaders. The class was held the usual way, with each of the nine intermediates walking, jogging and lopping until the judges lined everyone up for the pattern. Then handlers came into the ring to return the horses to the holding area while riders remained in the ring for the awarding of ribbons. In ninth place was Brooke Preston of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. From the town of Firth, Nebraska, Preston was one of six freshman in the division, making team intermediate western the most frosh-dominated class of the entire four-day event. Jessica Wegman however is a junior. From Rochester, New York, Wegman was eighth for S.U.N.Y. - Oswego. Rebecca Cochran, a freshman from Portsmouth, Rhode Island earned seventh place for Berry College. Courtney Noonan, one of two riders with prior IHSA Nationals experience, was sixth. A junior from Willoughby, Ohio, Noonan had won Team Intermediate Western Horsemanship in 2009 for the Buckeyes but only saw a green ribbon this time. Katherine Sender, a West Texas A & M freshman from Dallas, Texas was fifth to move the Buffs in front of the Lakers. Casey Cox, a Middle Tennessee State freshman from Gallatin, Tennessee was fourth. Cox put the Blue Raiders ahead of the Vikings for the moment. While Sender is from Dallas, Texas, Barbara Lerwick of Oregon State is from the town of Dallas, Oregon! Yet another of the six freshman in the division, Lerwick was third to put the Beavers into a tie with Middle Tennessee State at 11 each.

St. Andrews came to within a point of equaling their 15 point total achieved at each of the previous two National shows. Brittany Powell, a freshman from Huntersville, North Carolina was the Reserve Champion to put the Knights into third place. Though she pointed out of beginner western during the regular season, Heather Kiesewetter of the University of Findlay stayed undefeated at IHSA Nationals. The sophomore from Covington, Ohio who won Team Beginner Western at 2009 Nationals was still the champion with a lope added in! For the first time since 2007 when the Oilers routed the field the final team class would not determine the New National Champion Western Team, as Kiesewetter's win gave Findlay an eight point lead and a lock on the school's first-ever back-to-back IHSA National Championships. Though some might disagree the knowledge that first place awaited them at the day-end awards ceremony may have helped the Oilers qualified in the remaining individual classes to relax a bit, as Findlay riders proceeded to win all four of the individual classes held between team intermediate and team open (including another blue ribbon for Kiesewetter, now three-and-oh at Nationals after winning individual beginner western). With five of six team classes completed it was the Oilers 29, the Buckeyes 21, the Knights 14, the Beavers 11, the Blue Raiders 11, the Vikings 10, the Buffs (or Buffaloes) 6, the Lakers 5 and the Cornhuskers 3.

Heather Kiesewetter (on horse) won Team Beginner Western in 2009 and Team Intermediate Western on May 9th of 2010. Since she is a sophomore at Findlay it would be logical to think she will win Team Novice in '11 and Team Advanced in '12! The Oilers clinched their second-consecutive IHSA Western National Championship with Kiesewetter's seven points in the next-to-last team class.

Save for Jason Romney of Utah State winning the Individual AQHA Trophy division, the University of Findlay went into the final class of the day (and of Nationals itself) having won every team and individual class so far on May 9th. The traditional final class of IHSA Nationals (at least since the four-day format went into place in 2004) is Team Open Western Horsemanship. Because open riders have more opportunities to qualify for Nationals (at least if they rein and show on the rail they do) it was not too surprising that eight of the nine open western entries had already shown in at least one other class at IHSA Nationals over the previous two days. Save for the pattern being more difficult, the class was similar to each of the previous western horsemanship classes which required a lope. When the results were announced ninth place went to Jones, who had finished fifth in the individual AQHA Trophy class earlier in the afternoon to go with her second in individual open reining a day earlier. Eighth place went to Leach, who thus equaled her reining ribbon from May 8th. Ohio State's Sarah Phillips was seventh, ending the run of the Phillips' sisters (older sister Laura Phillips, who won the Individual AQHA Trophy as a freshman for the Buckeyes when Nationals were held in Cazenovia, New York in 1999, was on hand to see Sarah not only ride in this division but also place fourth in Individual AQHA). During the Mohrsville, Pennsylvania seniors' four years and her sister's four years the Buckeyes won or shared three National Westen titles. The previous two Individual AQHA Trophy champions were next to hear their names called. Nagel, who did not make the top ten this season after winning the AQHA in '09 was sixth to close out the Lakers' first Nationals appearance with six points. Katie Morehead, a University of Findlay junior who won the '08 AQHA in Burbank and who was second in Murfreesboro in '09 and third earlier today, closed out the Oiler scoring with a fifth. Findlay was thus the National Champion by ten points over Ohio State, but for a few seconds there was still the question of whether or not there would be a tie for reserve champion.

Whitman closed out the Beaver's scoring with a fourth, raising Oregon State's total to 14. Third place confirmed that Ohio State would not have to share the Reserve Championship as had been the case in 2009. Moody received the yellow ribbon, not enough for St. Andrews to tie the Buckeyes but good enough for 18 points, third place (outright? Wait and see!) and new program highs for both categories at Nationals. Second place went to the only rider who mounted up for the first time at 2009 Nationals on May 9th. Andrea Spencer, a West Texas A & M senior from Clinton, Illinois was the Reserve Champion. Considering they were shut out through the first two classes the Buffs came back to score 11 points and finish ahead of three schools and thus make the final result more respectable. When Spencer was announced as Reserve Champion the Middle Tennessee State riders were almost as happy as those who show for the Buffs. This meant that Megan Hephner had won the division for the Blue Raiders. A junior from Georgetown, Kentucky (a town less than ten miles north of the Kentucky Horse Park), Hephner went two-for-two at Nationals, having also won individual open western horsemanship on May 8th. Hephner's win made it a tie for third place, as Middle Tennessee State equaled the Knights at 18. Though we do not have the actual team points for western prior to 1997 we can tell you that Middle Tennessee State had not scored more than 16 points at any IHSA National show in that time (the Blue Raiders scored 16 in 2003, at a time when there were only five team classes). If anyone knows if MTSU ever scored more than 18 points at an IHSA Nationals show please let us know when it happened.

Hephner was announced as the blue ribbon winner at 3:55PM. The presentation of awards followed, with Findlay announced as the 2010 IHSA Western National Champion team at 4:23PM. Save for 2006 (when the Oilers did not have a full team at Nationals due to a rider at Zones forgetting to wear her numberback into the ring) the University of Findlay has earned either the Championship or Reserve Championship every season since 2005. Ohio State can make the exact same claim (though not once have the Buckeyes missed qualifying). The same two Ohio Schools have evolved into the 'Tiffany' of IHSA western programs. This is the standard the rest of the organization needs to elevate itself to if it wants to end the Oiler's and Buckeye's run of National Titles.

How times have changed: This writer was not present for 2001 Nationals but otherwise has seen every contest of this kind in person since Mount Holyoke College hosted Nationals in 1997. In researching information on past Nationals performances a quick look at the 1997 IHSA Nationals program shows a very different group of Western Teams having qualified. Led by Jill Soronen, who was first in open horsemanship and third in open reining, Ohio State was a five point winner (26-21) over New Mexico State University. The Buckeyes were the only program with a full western team at both 1997 and 2010 IHSA Nationals. Who were the remaining seven programs at Mount Holyoke you ask? S.U.N.Y. - Morrisville, Morehead State University, Western Kentucky University, Texas A & M University, Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo, Otterbein College and a school indentified only as the University of Minnesota (was this the Twin Cities Campus? The Crookston Campus? They survived Zones out of the old Zone 6, Region 2 - which went from North Dakota to Indiana - and claimed Jane Hoesly, Jenny Olson, Nikki Fiorini, Melissa Cave and Chuckie Raguse as their five team riders. Raguse's fourth in team beginner western accounted for all three team points. If anyone can confirm which campus this was within the University of Minnesota system please e-mail our editor so he remains a walking IHSA encyclopedia - Editor).

---Steve Maxwell

The 2010 IHSA Nationals Western Team Class-by-Class Results. The first two classes listed were held Friday, May 7th, the third and fourth classes were held Saturday, May 8th and the final two classes were held Sunday, May 9th. The judges for all 2010 IHSA Nationals western classes were Charlene Carter and Bonnie Jo Clay:

AQHA Novice Western Horsemanship: 1. Spencer Zimmerman, University of Findlay. 2. Kristen Atwell, Berry College. 3. Megan Stiles, St. Andrews Presbyterian College. 4. Cayce Turner, Middle Tennessee State University. 5. Brandon Essink, University of Nebraska at Lincoln. 6. Kayla Feltz, Ohio State University. 7. Stephanie Hallgren, West Texas A & M University. 8. Hayley McGuire, Oregon State University. 9. Alekzandra Huttemann-Kall, State University of New York at Oswego.

AQHA Advanced Western Horsemanship: 1. Lauren Smanik, Ohio State University. 2. Gretchen Dietrich, State University of New York at Oswego. 3. Madison Hallas, University of Findlay. 4. Douglas Hess, Middle Tennessee State University. 5. Kayla Hay, St. Andrews Presbyterian College. 6. Kaci Sintek, Oregon State University. 7. Hali Jorgensen, University of Nebraska at Lincoln. 8. Chelsey Argo, Berry College. 9. Amy Mitchem, West Texas A & M University.

AQHA Open Reining: 1. Andrew Wolf, University of Findlay. 2. Jesse Gentile, Ohio State University. 3. Rachel Olson, West Texas A & M University. 4. Allie Jones, Berry College. 5. Korry Bailey, Middle Tennessee State University. 6. Elizabeth Whitman, Oregon State University. 7. Jenni Nagel, State University of New York at Oswego. 8. Mindy Leach, University of Nebraska at Lincoln. 9. Kelsey Moody, St. Andrews Presbyterian College.

AQHA Beginner Western Horsemanship: 1. Caitlin Sanders, Ohio State University. 2. Kelsey Leonard, Oregon State University. 3. Raquel Frakes, University of Findlay. 4. Leah Davison, St. Andrews Presbyterian College. 5. Ariel Robelen, Berry College. 6. Paige Walla, University of Nebraska at Lincoln. 7. Emily McKinney, West Texas A & M University. 8. Brook Davis, Middle Tennessee State University. 9. Seara Lelakowski, State University of New York at Oswego.

AQHA Intermediate Western Horsemanship: 1. Heather Kiesewetter, University of Findlay. 2. Brittany Powell, St. Andrews Presbyterian College. 3. Barbara Lerwick, Oregon State University. 4. Casey Cox, Middle Tennessee State University. 5. Katherine Sender, West Texas A & M University. 6. Courtney Noonan, Ohio State University. 7. Rebecca Cochran, Berry College. 8. Jessica Wegman, State University of New York at Oswego. 9. Brooke Preston, University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

AQHA Open Western Horsemanship: 1. Megan Hephner, Middle Tennessee State University. 2. Andrea Spencer, West Texas A & M University. 3. Kelsey Moody, St. Andrews Presbyterian College. 4. Elizabeth Whitman, Oregon State University. 5. Katie Morehead, University of Findlay. 6. Jenni Nagel, State University of New York at Oswego. 7. Sarah Phillips, Ohio State University. 8. Mindy Leach, University of Nebraska at Lincoln. 9. Allie Jones, Berry College.

2010 IHSA Nationals Western Team Totals: