She was known as Bobbie Jo Adsit when she was a freshman in 2016-17. Since then Adsit (on horse) has dropped the "Jo" but the blue ribbons have kept on coming. This time Adsit won team open flat at 2019 IHSA Nationals. The Emory and Henry College junior is joined by her teammates in the winner's circle in Syracuse on May 4th. There was much to celebrate as the Wasps clinched their first IHSA hunter seat National Championship with Adsit's victory.

FINDLAY RACKS UP ANOTHER WESTERN TITLE WHILE EMORY AND HENRY SURPRISES ON THE ENGLISH SIDE

SYRACUSE, NY - A new venue, a new scoring system and a first-ever hunter seat National Championship for a school that didn't even have an IHSA team six seasons ago were among the headlines at 2019 IHSA Nationals.

In 2013 no one with a crystal ball could have predicted that Emory and Henry College would place first in the hunter seat team competition at 2019 Nationals. At that time Emory and Henry had never fielded an IHSA team let alone make a run at the post-season. All this changed when Virginia Intermont College closed their doors at the end of the 2013-14 school year. VI was located in Bristol, Virginia, less than 20 miles south of Emory, Virginia along Interstate 81. With VI selling off its' assets the powers that be at Emory and Henry opted to purchase the VI Equestrian Center. The facility was not only ten miles south of campus but also could boast of three IHSA National Champion teams between 2004 and 2007. The VI riding program was so strong that even with the school on the brink of closing the Cobras still captured their 15th straight region title in early 2014. With the facility changing hands VI Coaches Heather Richardson and Lisa Moosemuller - Terry were both retained and much of the inaugural season roster in 2014-15 was made up of Virginia Intermont transfers. The facility was re-named Intermont Equestrian Center at Emory and Henry College and all that was missing were the regular season results. For the season the Wasps finished eighth in Zone 4, Region 2 (VI had been in Zone 4, Region 5 for the record) though novice flat rider Morgan Sollenberger went all the way to Nationals in West Springfield, Massachusetts and won the division to become the first Emory and Henry rider to either reach Nationals or win a class there.

Fast-forward to early 2019 and Emory and Henry won Region 5 for the second time in three seasons. The Wasps then won Zone 4 Zones in Charlottesville, Virginia by a 44-37 margin over Sweet Briar College on April 6th to go forward to Syracuse, New York.

For the first time IHSA Nationals were held at the brand-new Exposition Center at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, a multi-purpose building with permanent stands and enough room for the many vendors to set up shop on one side of the arena. The room itself was perhaps the most brightly-lit arena in IHSA history, owing to all the walls being a very bright white and also with considerable natural light coming through not to mention state-of-the-art energy-efficient electronic lighting. Also new to IHSA Nationals (and exclusive to only this IHSA competition) was a new scoring system. At all previous IHSA Nationals events first place equaled seven points, second place five points, third place four, etc. all the way down to a point for sixth place. Former Purdue University head coach Jerry Steinmetz came up with a new scoring system that awarded ten points for first place, eight for second place, seven for third, etc. down to half a point for tenth. Steinmetz, who is still involved with the Purdue team as his daughter Krista is now the hunter seat head coach, explained that the goal was to eliminate 'zero' scores. At many previous IHSA National shows so many teams did not score any points yet still earned team ribbons for tieing as high as eighth place. More teams were likely to get on the scoreboard with the new system which also in turn would provide better publicity for these schools. Steinmetz's' new scoring system worked as well as one could hope as all the hunter seat and western teams earned at least eight points for the weekend.

What is everyone staring at? From left to right are University of Findlay head coach Spencer Zimmerman, coach Clark Bradley, open rider Julia Roshelli and other members of the Findlay team as they watch a replay of Roshelli's ride in the National Reining Horse Association - sponsored individual open reining class...

In fact all the Western Teams were in double figures. The Western program with the most points was defending National Champion University of Findlay. Findlay never trailed as Morgan Knerr won the open reining to kick off the Western team competition on May 3rd while Bryant Fox won team novice western later that day to keep the Oilers undefeated up until that point. Though the Oilers earned 49 of a possible 60 points (under the old system this would have been 31 of a possible 42 by contrast) the outcome was still in doubt after four team classes. Ohio State University sophomore Breanna Lucci won team beginner western which was the only team class held on May 4th while University of Wisconsin at River Falls sophomore Krista Schoenfelder won team advanced western to kick off the team classes on May 5th. Both the Buckeyes and the Falcons were mathematically alive at that point, with the latter only a point behind Findlay at 29-28.

Oilers sophomore Miranda Klein proceeded to win the team intermediate class which followed the advanced. However Libby Alders of Wisconsin - River Falls was second to keep things close at 39-36. However the star of the show up to that point remained beyond compare. Julia Roshelli, a Findlay senior from Collegeville, Pennsylvania who last season won individual advanced western horsemanship in her only ride at 2018 Nationals, won the team open western division to clinch the title for the Oilers. Roshelli had a perfect weekend, winning all three classes in which she was entered. Roshelli received a reining score of "146.5" in the National Reining Horse Association - sponsored individual open reining class. A day later Roshelli received a score of "146" in her Individual American Quarter Horse Association - sponsored ride in the two-phased competition to determine the top IHSA Western Rider for the year. These were the only occasions this weekend when Western Judges Bob Kail and Kim Myers issued a reining score above 145 and a half. Technically Roshelli was only fourth in the rail phase of the individual AQHA competition but when the two phases were combined she was the Champion by a narrow margin. Rocky Mountain College senior Codi Uecker won the rail phase but was fifth in the reining to claim Reserve Champion honors.

Former University of Findlay rider and second-year Western head coach Spencer Zimmerman is now two-for-two at winning the National Championship. On hand in the stands was former Findlay head coach Cindy Morehead, who was there to watch her daughter Katie coach two Bowling Green State riders (incidentally Katie Morehead and Zimmerman were teammates at Findlay a decade ago). Morehead was head coach for the other five titles and with Zimmerman's recent success at the helm the Oilers are now only three titles behind Ohio State, coached by Ollie and Debbie Griffith for all ten of the Buckeyes' Western National Championships.

...The live internet feed of Nationals was actually roughly five minutes behind real time. Therefore riders in reining classes and over fences classes could dismount, go over to the monitor near the gate and watch their ride. Roshelli won three classes including the individual open reining while the Oilers repeated as western National Champion Team (Note: This photo was taken one day after the previous photo of Roshelli and shows another rider who was competing in the individual AQHA high point open rider division). A senior, Roshelli also prevailed as the 2018-19 individual AQHA high point competition champion, making her the fifth Findlay rider in program history to earn the honor as the season's top IHSA Western rider.

Three teams could say they were in first place at some point during the 2019 IHSA Nationals Hunter Seat Team Competition. Kendall Woellmer of West Texas A and M University won team novice fences on May 2nd to give the Buffs the early lead. When Mikayla Westlake of Otterbein University won team novice flat later that day Emilie Fink of Emory and Henry was second, thus giving the Wasps the lead through two. The final team class of the day put ten points on the board for Savannah College of Art and Design. Madelyn "Maddy" Keck of the Bees won team intermediate flat to pull SCAD into a 22-all tie with Emory and Henry through three.

A non-entity to many on day one would dominate day two. While Caitlin Doocy of St. Lawrence University won team intermediate fences to start the day runner-up Alexis Martin started a trend where Delaware Valley University would leapfrog nearly the entire field over the three hunter seat team classes held on May 3rd. Catherine "Caydee" Dickensheets of SCAD was third as the Bees - only two years removed from a three-year streak of National Championships - had the lead at 29-24 over Emory and Henry. Almost five hours later Juliette Hopkins of Delaware Valley won team walk-trot. Louisiana State's Stephanie Zardon was second (to earn all eight of the Tiger's points) while Louise Vallely of defending National Champion Skidmore College was third. Devynn Osborne of Emory and Henry was fourth which allowed the Wasps to re-take the lead at 30-29 on the Bees. Less than three hours later Haley Ferguson of Delaware Valley University (which is located in Doylestown, Pennsylvania and not within the state of Delaware) won team walk-trot-canter. This gave Del Val a healthy 29 points (two firsts and a second for the day) with two team classes remaining. Abbey Narodowy of Sweet Briar was second while Elissa Baldwin of St. Lawrence moved the Saints to 23 and a half points with a third. Ali Black's fourth for Stanford University lifted the Cardinal to 22 and a half points while Alison Santucci's fifth for Skidmore had the Thoroughbreds at 22 points even. In sixth was freshman Rebecca Pagnini of Emory and Henry. With ninth going to Allyson Bates of SCAD the Emory and Henry lead grew slightly to 34-30 on the Bees with Del Val at 29. St. Lawrence, Stanford and Skidmore were all mathematically alive as was Otterbein with 20 points through two days.

If any one class gave the viewers their money's worth it was team open over fences, the first of two hunter seat team classes held on May 4th. The combined jumping scores of Hunter Seat Judges Mary Babick and William Sparks basically revealed who would potentially be tested, and therefore who would and would not pick up the most team points within the division. Emily Cornell of Delaware Valley went first and received a score of '76' as the benchmark. Elizabeth "Lizzy" Traband of Penn State (main campus) went fourth and was the first rider to exceed Cornell's total with an '80.' Victoria Lawler of Miami University of Ohio was next with a '79.' Two rides later Francisco Caba Guil of Emory and Henry received an '82.' Adam Edgar of SCAD went ninth and earned the high score of '83.' Tenth to go was Mara Chemerinsky of Skidmore who received an '81.' Eleventh in the order was Stanford's Kristen Blomstrom. Blomstrom received an '80.5' which following the remaining five rides was the fifth best score. Babick and Sparks asked each of the five who scored in the 80's to return for a test. The test involved four fences, the final one of the group which was a trot fence. The riders were tested from the current fifth place (Traband testing first) through the current first place (Edgar going fifth out of the group of five). Traband had a very good test and as the others continued to go her test looked like it might vault her to the top. Both Caba Guil and Edgar had issues with the trot fence which had many wondering how radically the top five might change. When the results were announced Edgar was fifth, Caba Guil fourth, Blomstrom third, Traband second and Chemerinsky the winner. A sophomore from Newport Beach, California, Chemerinsky had vaulted Skidmore into a tie for third with Delaware Valley at 32 each. Blomstrom's seven points had Stanford at 29 while Edgar gave SCAD five more to reach 35. Caba Guil upped Emory and Henry's total to 40 which meant only four schools had a shot at the big prize prior to the team open flat.

Delaware Valley University head coach Cory Kieschnick (on left) and coach Genna Morano (on right) watch as freshman Juliette Hopkins is interviewed by the media. Hopkins won the team walk-trot class on May 3rd which was day two of IHSA Nationals. On that day the Aggies won two of the three hunter seat team classes while placing second in the other which helped Del Val eventually tie for fourth place.

Only three of the riders from the top five schools through seven placed in the team open flat. With six riders excused receiving honorable mention the countback of the ten riders still in the ring provided considerable drama. As announcer Kenn Marash read the placings from tenth back to first one-by-one both the SCAD rider - Edgar - nor the Emory and Henry rider - Bobbie Adsit - remained while watching the other eight receive their ribbons. If Adsit was mentioned at any time prior to the announcement of fifth place then the Bees could still have caught the Wasps. When fifth went to Merle Beach of St. Lawrence it was official (though many probably did not realize it). Emory and Henry would be the new National Champion. Cariann Johnson of Sacred Heart was fourth, followed by Kelsi Okun of Stanford in third which meant the Cardinal had jumped both Delaware Valley and Skidmore for third place. Both Edgar and Adsit remained and it turned out Edgar would here his name next. The sophomore from Leesburg, Virginia closed out the weekend with two firsts, a second, a third and a fifth as the only rider this season to ride in every possible hunter seat open class at Nationals. Finally Adsit, a junior from Montpelier, Virginia received the blue ribbon in team open flat. Even though Emory and Henry led more than any other team during the hunter seat competition Adsit proved to be their only blue ribbon winner of the weekend. The final score was 50-42 in favor of the Wasps with the Cardinal third with 36 and a half. Emory and Henry set a modern day IHSA record as the school with the shortest span between their first IHSA show (fall 2014) and their first IHSA team National Championship. However the equestrian center back in Bristol where they train and host multiple IHSA shows each season could hoist a fourth banner in 15 years. Also worth noting is that coaches Richardson and Moosemuller - Terry worked under current SCAD director of riding Eddie Federwisch while at Virginia Intermont during their Title years. This means that these three individuals have played a part in seven of the past sixteen IHSA hunter seat National Championship team honors.

Though SCAD came up just shy in their bid for another National Championship the Bees left Syracuse with one of the major awards. One of the two first place ribbons that Adam Edgar won was for his efforts in the Cacchione Cup Competition. Named for Mario "Marty" Cacchione (the Father of IHSA founder and executive director Bob Cacchione) the Cacchione is a two-phased division with 24 riders jumping, then returning to flat, and then (at the Judge's discretion) a select number returning a third time to work off for first place. It turned out that the top five in the jumping phase would go on to place first through fifth in the same order based on their scores, this even though only the top four were invited back for the work-off. On May 3rd Edgar was seventh in the order of go and his score of '85' would be the best. Claudia Freeman, a Rochester Institute of Technology junior from Webster, New York received a score of '83' and she would go on to be the Reserve Champion. Michael Andrade, a Centenary University senior from New Paltz, New York received an '82' and he went on to finish third. Okun, a junior from McLean, Virginia received a score of '80' which made her one of only four riders in the division to reach the '80's. Maeve Foley, a Skidmore College senior from Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, was fifth having received a score of '79.' We must mention sixth place, as Kirby Tidmore of Randolph College moved up in the flat phase. A junior from Prosper, Texas, Tidmore received a jumping score of '74' which put her just inside the top ten prior to flatting. Tidmore's appearance in the awarding of the top ten in the division marked the end of an era. In early 2018 Randolph College announced they would eliminate their riding team following the 2018-19 season for financial reasons. While two Randolph riders competed at 2019 Nationals (Molly McLaughlin was sixth in individual novice fences) Tidmore was the last of the two to ride and the last to receive a ribbon for a program that went back to at least the early 1980's if not when the IHSA expanded to Virginia in the fall of 1975.

Good friends Adam Edgar of Savannah College of Art and Design (on left) and Claudia Freeman of Rochester Institute of Technology pose at the "Thank-You Notes Table" with their medallions awarded in the Cacchione Cup Competition. Edgar and Freeman were two of four riders called back for the work-off phase on May 4th with Edgar taking the top prize followed by Freeman as the reserve champion. A sophomore in 2018-19 Edgar is the second SCAD rider to win the Cacchione Cup, with former Bee Kels Bonham having been the first to do so back in 2012.

The individual hunter seat classes were won by riders from eight different schools. Edgar started the competition off with a win in open fences. His score of '86' was one of only two in the class in the 80's. Penn State freshman Julianna Empie was second with an '81' in the only undergraduate fences class which required no further testing. Sara Hearn, a Mount Holyoke College sophomore from Tallahassee, Florida who won team intermediate over fences at 2018 Nationals won the individual intermediate over fences with a jumping score of '82.' Hearn did have to test against Alexa Sendro of Findlay (a score of '80') and Abby Thurm of the University of Southern California ('81.' the reserve champion). While Thurm just missed the top spot her Trojan teammate Emilie Frede would not be denied. A junior from Princeton, New Jersey, Frede won the individual novice over fences class that followed. By coincidence Frede had the top score with an '82,' Rachel Hill of the University of Alabama was second with an '81' and Savannah Phillipps of the University of Louisville third with an '80.' Zone 6 schools took the top prizes in the individual intermediate flat. Amelia Jacksy of the University of Toledo was second to Roman Mezger of Otterbein University. A senior from Denver, Colorado, Mezger was third in team intermediate flat in his only other IHSA Nationals appearance last season. Another Zone 6 rider was second in individual novice flat. Marley Vieta of Miami University of Ohio was second to Molly Krause of Skidmore College. A senior from Amherst, Massachusetts, Krause will go into the history books as the last individual rider at Nationals to win a class under legendary head coach Cindy Ford. After 29 seasons as head coach and 31 as director of riding, Ford quietly announced her retirement earlier in 2019 effective after Nationals. Ford won seven hunter seat National Titles as head coach (in 1991, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2010, 2013 - shared with St. Lawrence - and 2018; Ford was director when Sara Hufstader coached Skidmore to their first championship in 1990). Between 1988 and 2019 Skidmore was a hunter seat Region Champion all but two times and competed with a full team at Nationals all but five times. No program can claim more IHSA hunter seat national team titles in their history than Skidmore and Ford was employed within the riding program for all eight of them in one capacity or another.

Clemson University's Helen Schertz was the only freshman to win a individual class be it English or Western. From Charleston, South Carolina, Schertz won the individual walk-trot-canter. Schertz was also the only undergraduate individual hunter seat champion Not from a school which won a region title in 2019. The runner-up was Kendra Gingerich of St. Mary of the Woods College, who along with Woellmer and Arizona Parker of the University of Arizona could claim to have shown at 2019 IHSA Nationals in at least one hunter seat and one western division. Seven of the eight individual hunter seat classes took place on May 2nd, and Andrade was the seventh to earn the blue ribbon. One year earlier the Centenary senior won the first class of the day, individual open over fences. This time he was best among 16 in the individual open on the flat. Just as she had finished second to Andrade at both Regionals and Zones, Centenary teammate Madison Myro was the reserve champion. The freshman from Henderson, Nevada tied teammate Arielle Logiudice for second place in the Zone 3, Region 3 hunter seat open rider standings with 76 points each. However Andrade led the region with 116 of a possible 140 points. The individual walk-trot was held on May 3rd (traditionally this has been the final hunter seat individual undergraduate class held at Nationals this decade) with Cherise Madrid of Goucher College the champion. A junior from Braintree, Massachusetts, Madrid was the last rider standing by herself in the ring following the annoucement of second for Alyssa Oddo of Miami of Ohio. Though the Red Hawks did not receive a blue Oddo and Vieta were the only individual teammates to receive seconds.

While Molly Krause of Skidmore College (not pictured) won individual novice flat two days earlier her teammate Mara Chemerinsky (on left) was the second and final Skidmore rider to win a class at 2019 Nationals. Chemerinsky's first in team open over fences on May 4th is the final blue ribbon of any kind won by a Skidmore rider during the tenure of head coach and director of riding Cindy Ford (on right). After 29 seasons as head coach and 31 as director of riding Ford announced earlier in the year that she would retire at the end of the season. The Throughbreds won a National Championship in 1990 while Ford only held the director of riding title but starting the following year Skidmore won seven more National Championships with Ford as both head coach and director.

Findlay riders accounted for half of the six blue ribbons awarded for individual undergraduate western classes. Fox, a junior from Greenville, Ohio won the individual intermediate western thus making him two-for-two in 2019 IHSA Nationals rides. Tori Gonzales of Ohio State was the reserve champion. In the individual advanced western which took place on May 5th just prior to the intermediate Jamie Kittle of the Oilers prevailed. A sophomore from Novinger, Missouri, Kittle was third in individual novice western a year ago in Harrisburg. Alfred University senior Kristie Wagner was second to Kittle in her final undergraduate ride. Roshelli was first in the NRHA individual open reining which is known for keeping the top four riders from ending their season at IHSA Nationals. Every year the NRHA invites the top four in this division to compete at the Derby in Oklahoma City (to be held this year June 15-23). Also Derby-bound are Erin Bosse of Ohio State (fourth), Caitlyn Davis of Utah State University (third) and Ethan Stratford, the reserve champion. A second year student from Teeterville, Ontario on the University of Guelph team, Stratford will have the opportunity to become the first IHSA rider from a Canadian school to win the Collegiate Derby Competition. In addition to Roshelli, Stratford, Davis and Bosse there will be eight other riders entered. The NRHA brings the top four NCEA open reiners along with four 'at large' selections. On a few occasions one of the at-large selections is an IHSA rider who already made the top four at Nationals, which means (possibly) another rider from the IHSA who showed in the division at Nationals moves up and takes that rider's place.

Woellmer won blue ribbons on consecutive days, the junior from Sedona, Arizona earning a blue ribbon in individual open western horsemanship late in the day on May 3rd roughly 28 hours after her win in team novice fences. Uecker, from Lewistown, Montana, was second in this division thus finishing her final IHSA undergraduate competition with a pair of red ribbons. Ohio State claimed both of the best individual beginner western riders in 2019. Clara Young was second while Addie Anspaugh was the champion. A sophomore from Camden, Ohio, Anspaugh had edged out teammate Young at the Ocala, Florida Semifinal but in that case Aspaugh had been third and Young fourth. Another individual to place third at the Ocala Semifinal is Allie Robertson of Berry College. The Viking senior from Nashville, Tennessee won the final IHSA class of the 2018-19 season. In recent seasons the individual novice western has concluded each Nationals event, and after having placed third in the division at Semi's in March Robertson was the champion late in the afternoon on May 5th. Robertson's win stopped Findlay from a fourth individual blue ribbbon, as Leah Ely of the Oilers was second. Had Ely won Findlay riders could have claimed eight of the 16 blue ribbons awarded in this class since the division was introduced at 2004 Nationals. Still seven out of sixteen is not bad either.

Former University of Connecticut rider Tara Mathews made Nationals history on May 4th when she became the first rider ever to win both a hunter seat alumni class and a western alumni class. Many riders have shown at Nationals in both hunter seat and western alumni divisions but not one had ever been able to say they won in both disciplines as a graduate. This allows for those who could have accomplished this feat over several Nationals events, but it had not happened until Mathews did it at the same show on the same day in back-to-back classes! The Zone 1, Region 1 Cacchione Cup representative at 2008 Nationals in Burbank won the alumni flat on May 4th. Following the Cacchione Cup and Hunter Seat Team Awards ceremonies the next class held was alumni western horsemanship. Mathews, who was Tara Lynch as an undergraduate at UConn, prevailed in the western horsemanship field of eight riders (there were 14 in her alumni flat class). We are not sure if she won these divisions at Regionals but we can confirm Mathews won alumni horsemanship at the Ocala Semifinal on March 17th and the Zone 1 Zones alumni flat class on April 6th. The first class of the day on May 4th saw 2018 University of Alabama graduate Lauren Neibauer receive a combined judge's score of '82' as the eighth of 14 riders to go in the alumni over fences division. Georgia Keogh, a 2016 Morehead State University graduate, came closest to Neibauer with a score of '79' in the next-to-last ride. With Neibauer the only rider in the 80's the judges decided against further testing and thus Neibauer was the Alumni over fences national champion while Keogh was reserve champ. The Alumni Reining division took place a day earlier, closing out the schedule on May 3rd. Owing to two disqualifications only six riders placed, with two of the top three being former Florida State University teammates. With a score of '140' 2015 Murray State University graduate Amanda Belcher was the runner-up. Belcher was sandwiched between former Seminoles Holley Crutchfield (a score of 136.5 for third place) and the 2019 Alumni Reining champion Taylor Crutchfield. A 2017 graduate, Crutchfield was the last of eight riders to go. Her 142.5 score was the best and gave Florida State individual alumni champions at Nationals two years in a row. Last season Ellen Waidner won the individual western horsemanship class in Harrisburg.

University of Connecticut graduate Tara Mathews (center) became the first person ever to win both an alumni western and an alumni hunter seat class at IHSA Nationals when she won both the alumni flat and alumni horsemanship on May 4th. Though her Mother (on left) is at many of her shows it is a rare occurance when her Father (on right) is also on hand. Mathews, who was Tara Lynch as an undergraduate, claims her Father is a good luck charm. However it is also true that her Mother has been present for a great many of her blue ribbon IHSA efforts dating back to the middle of the previous decade. Mathews is seen here after winning the alumni western to go into the history books.

Three first times and one long time waiting: Three schools made their Nationals debuts with full teams. 2019 Zone 1 Zones was the first Zones show ever to send not one but two schools forward with full hunter seat teams for the first time in program history. Roger Williams University was high point team at Zone 1 Zones on April 6th with Sacred Heart University reserve. While both brought a full hunter seat team to Nationals for the first time so did Northeastern Oklahoma A and M College on the Western side. NEO was reserve high point team at the Findlay, Ohio Semifinal (the Oilers won 39-23 en route to Nationals) and like Emory and Henry NEO could say they did not have an IHSA team when calendar year 2014 began. Though it was not the first time with a full western team at Nationals for Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo it was the Mustang's first time since 1998. A few of the current Cal Poly - SLO riders were not yet born when the '98 team competed in Port Jervis, New York. Of these four schools NEO had the best outcome, placing fourth overall behind only Findlay, UWRF and Ohio State. Sacred Heart made the hunter seat top ten in tenth, with Elisa Palmier of the Pioneers having the unique honor of earning the first-ever "Half Point" awared using the new point system. Palmier was tenth in team novice fences on May 2nd. A few hours later Palmier earned Sacred Heart's first full point at a Nationals team competition with a ninth in team novice flat.

Mystery from '18 Nationals solved: Jordan Miles of Reedley College again represented Zone 8, Region 1 in the individual AQHA high point rider division. After not making the top ten in Harrisburg last season Reedley was eighth in Syracuse. Campus Equestrian was trying to determine if Miles was the first Reedley rider to qualify for an IHSA Nationals event. Technically with the Reedley name she is, but the school was previously known as Kings River Community College until 1998. At 1996 IHSA Nationals in Burbank, California Jennifer Jones of Kings River Community College won the individual intermediate western horsemanship division. Therefore Jones was a nationals qualifier ahead of Miles but not under the same school name (Thanks go out to Reedley head coach Desi Molyneux, who saw Jone's name as a previous winner in the show program and explained the connection).

Back-to-Backs, Maybe: Though no official announcement was made there was the possibility that 2020 IHSA Nationals would be held at the Exposition Center in Syracuse for a second consecutive season. If this comes to pass it will mark the sixth time that IHSA Nationals were held at the same facility in back-to-back seasons. The other times were 2000 and 2001 (in Conyers, Georgia); 2003 and 2004 (Murfreesboro, Tennessee); 2010 and 2011 (Lexington, Kentucky); 2013 and 2014 (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) and 2016 and 2017 (again in Lexington). Had the Exposition Center not been completed in time for 2019 Nationals then Harrisburg would have been the site a second straight year. The Exposition Center was completed in August of 2018 so this was never an issue as it turned out. As soon as we officially know where 2020 Nationals will take place we will put the information out there.

--Steve Maxwell

The 2019 IHSA Nationals Class-by-Class Results, held at Exposition Center at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, New York May 2nd through 5th. The Classes are listed in the order in which they were held. The hunter Seat Judges were Mary Babick and William Sparks while the Western Judges were Kim Myers and Bob Kail.

Thursday, May 2nd:

Individual Open Equitation Over Fences: 1. Adam Edgar, Savannah College of Art and Design. 2. Julianna Empie, Penn State University (State College). 3. Jacqueline Watts, University of South Carolina. 4. Gabrielle Baker, Cazenovia College. 5. Kelsi Okun, Stanford University. 6. Kristen Blomstrom, Stanford University. 7. Caitlyn Sheffer, Hollins University. 8. Caitlin Russell, University of Oklahoma. 9. Jennifer DePietro, Johnson and Wales University. 10. Jessica Brighenti, High Point University.

Individual Intermediate Equitation Over Fences: 1. Sara Hearn, Mount Holyoke College. 2. Abby Thurm, University of California at Los Angeles. 3. Alexa Sendro, University of Findlay. 4. Emily Kowit, Otterbein University. 5. Lily Barnard, St. Lawrence University. 6. Mara Chemerinsky, Skidmore College. 7. Kenna Rooney, Salve Regina University. 8. Emma Bergqvist. 9. Zoe Lewczak, University of Virginia. 10. Kasey Emm, University of Alabama.

Individual Novice Equitation Over Fences: 1. Emilie Frede, University of Southern California. 2. Rachel Hill, University of Alabama. 3. Savannah Phillipps, University of Louisville. 4. Maddie Hogan, St. Lawrence University. 5. Hannah Ankeny, Stanford University. 6. Molly McLaughlin, Randolph College. 7. Leah Tanzman, Marist College. 8. Emma Alhalel, Miami University of Ohio. 9. Sheriden Beard, Skidmore College. 10. Sarah Harbinson, University of New Hampshire.

Team Novice Equitation Over Fences: 1. Kendall Woellmer, West Texas A and M University. 2. Emma Mclean, Stanford University. 3. Meaggan Niesen, Miami University of Ohio. 4. Avery Dewan, Emory and Henry University. 5. Brady Martino, Savannah College of Art and Design. 6. Claire Carpenter, Skidmore College. 7. Sarah Miller, Sweet Briar College. 8. Amelia Buckmaster, Purdue University. 9. Evelyn Smith, Delaware Valley University. 10. Elisa Palmier, Sacred Heart University.

Individual Intermediate Equitation On The Flat: 1. Roman Mezger, Otterbein University. 2. Amelia Jacksy, University of Toledo. 3. Sarah Harbinson, University of New Hampshire. 4. Madeleine Olson, University of Wisconsin - River Falls. 5. Isabella Jarosiewicz, Endicott College. 6. Marcus Livermore, Morrisville State College. 7. Erin Ugolini, University of Guelph. 8. Arizona Parker, University of Arizona. 9. Ashley McNally, Penn State University (State College). 10. Alexandra Ulmer, Stanford University.

Individual Novice Equitation On The Flat: 1. Molly Krause, Skidmore College. 2. Marley Vieta, Miami University of Ohio. 3. Georgia Osborne, Bridgewater College. 4. Kaitlin Duecker, Sweet Briar College. 5. Christine Wastila, University of California at Los Angeles. 6. Madeline Fava, University of Florida. 7. Lily Pier, University of California at Santa Cruz. 8. Amanda Terbrusch, University of New Hampshire. 9. Grace Amerling, Savannah College of Art and Design. 10. Sydney Savage, Illinois State University.

Team Novice Equitation On The Flat: 1. Mikayla Westlake, Otterbein University. 2. Emilie Fink, Emory and Henry College. 3. Brady Martino, Savannah College of Art and Design. 4. Clare Rooney, University of Southern California. 5. Lindsay Thornton, Stanford University. 6. Sarah Baker, Roger Williams University. 7. Chris Joyce, St. Lawrence University. 8. Caitlin O'Neill, Penn State University (State College). 9. Elisa Palmier, Sacred Heart University. 10. Kendall Woellmer, West Texas A and M University.

Individual Walk-Trot-Canter Equitation On The Flat: 1. Helen Schertz, Clemson University. 2. Kindra Gingerich, St. Mary of the Woods College. 3. Olivia LeRoux, Miami University of Ohio. 4. Elizabeth Wakeman, Goucher College. 5. Jennifer Mannino, Ohio State University. 6. Megan Watt, Rutgers University. 7. Anna Burke, Virginia Tech. 8. Hunter Reiff, Mercyhurst College. 9. Sarah Etzel, Mount Holyoke College. 10. Samantha Wilson, Penn State University (State College).

Individual Open Equitation On The Flat: 1. Michael Andrade, Centenary University. 2. Madison Myro, Centenary University. 3. Adam Edgar, Savannah College of Art and Design. 4. Madelyn Malone, University of Alabama. 5. Caitlyn Sheffer, Hollins University. 6. Libby Pollock, University of Nebraska at Lincoln. 7. Holly Longest, Virginia Commonwealth University. 8. Selena Young, University of Minnesota - Crookston. 9. Victoria Lawler, Miami University of Ohio. 10. Erika Leach, Hampshire College.

Team Intermediate Equitation On The Flat: 1. Madelyn Keck, Savannah College of Art and Design. 2. Hayden Wilkes, Emory and Henry College. 3. Andrea Marti, Purdue University. 4. Sheriden Beard, Skidmore College. 5. Kaitlin Duecker, Sweet Briar College. 6. Brigitta Shepard, Sacred Heart University. 7. Caitlin Doocy, St. Lawrence University. 8. Annie Keller, Roger Williams University. 9. Julianna Empie, Penn State University (State College). 10. Avery Dukes, University of Southern California.

Friday, May 3rd:

Team Intermediate Equitation Over Fences: 1. Caitlin Doocy, St. Lawrence University. 2. Alexis Martin, Delaware Valley University. 3. Catherine Dickinsheets, Savannah College of Art and Design. 4. Sabrina Mercadante, Penn State University (State College). 5. Annie Keller, Roger Williams University. 6. Emilie Frede, University of Southern California. 7. Madison Kress, Otterbein University. 8. Abigail McCoy, Emory and Henry College. 9. Lea Mascola, Sacred Heart University. 10. Lindsay Thornton, Stanford University.

Team Open Reining: 1. Morgan Knerr, University of Findlay. 2. Anna Woolsey, Northeastern Oklahoma A and M College. 3. Racheal Nordby, Oregon State University. 4. Matthew Graves, University of Nebraska at Lincoln. 5. Danielle Paulson, University of Wisconsin at River Falls. 6. Erin Bosse, Ohio State University. 7. Teresa Job, Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo. 8. Sarah Cooper, Berry College. 9. Mikaela Cormier, Morrisville State College.

Individual Walk-Trot Equitation On The Flat: 1. Cherise Madrid, Goucher College. 2. Alyssa Oddo, Miami University of Ohio. 3. Maddison Marnin, Sonoma State University. 4. Alexi Przybylski, Nazareth College. 5. Sofia Patino Duque, Stanford University. 6. Honami Tanaka, Mount Holyoke College. 7. Sarah Wood, Berry College. 8. Myriah Archer, Florida Atlantic University. 9. Michelle Perullo, Rutgers University. 10. Jiawei Xu, Long Island University - C.W. Post College.

Team Walk-Trot Equitation On The Flat: 1. Juliette Hopkins, Delaware Valley University. 2. Stephanie Zardon, Louisiana State University. 3. Louise Vallely, Skidmore College. 4. Devynn Osborne, Emory and Henry College. 5. Kristen Walker, Purdue University. 6. Brooke Bickford, Otterbein University. 7. Jennifer Parker, Stanford University. 8. Pauli Born, Sweet Briar College. 9. Rebecca Dion, Sacred Heart University. 10. Paul Archambeau, St. Lawrence University.

Team Novice Western Horsemanship: 1. Bryant Fox, University of Findlay. 2. Morgan Kiehl, Ohio State University. 3. Megan Pokorny, University of Nebraska at Lincoln. 4. Monica Steenkolk, Oregon State University. 5. Kendyl Bennett, University of Wisconsin - River Falls. 6. Baily Summers, Northeastern Oklahoma A and M College. 7. Hannah Atsma, Berry College. 8. Annaliese Snowhook, Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo. 9. Abigail Schul, Morrisville State College.

Team Walk-Trot-Canter Equitation On The Flat: 1. Haley Ferguson, Delaware Valley University. 2. Abbey Narodowy, Sweet Briar College. 3. Elissa Baldwin, St. Lawrence University. 4. Ali Black, Stanford University. 5. Alison Santucci, Skidmore College. 6. Rebecca Pagnini, Emory and Henry College. 7. Emily Tepe, Otterbein University. 8. Valerie Stein, Sacred Heart University. 9. Ally Bates, Savannah College of Art and Design. 10. Taylor Palermo, Roger Williams University.

Individual Open Western Horsemanship: 1. Kendall Woellmer, West Texas A and M University. 2. Codi Uecker, Rocky Mountain College. College. 3. Travis Fortune, Murray State University. 4. Erin Bosse, Ohio State University. 5. Carla Carfora, Northeastern Oklahoma A and M College. 6. Matthew Winter, University of Florida. 7. Sara Beth Felker, St. Andrews University. 8. Danielle Paulson, University of Wisconsin - River Falls. 9. Matthew Graves, University of Nebraska at Lincoln. 10. Sarah Cooper, Berry College.

Alumni Reining: 1. Taylor Crutchfield, Florida State University. 2. Amanda Belcher, Murray State University. 3. Holly Nicholson, Florida State University. 4. Lexi Buckheit, Alfred University. 5. Rebecca Folk, Lafayette College. 6. Kelsey O'Shea, Cornell University.

Saturday, May 4th:

Alumni Equitation Over Fences: 1. Lauren Neibauer, University of Alabama. 2. Georgia Keogh, Morehead State University. 3. Victoria Green, Le Moyne College. 4. Zellie Wothers, Bridgewater College. 5. Anna Rzchowski, Mount Holyoke College. 6. Stephanie Harnois, Virginia Intermont College. 7. Melissa Korteweg, Amherst College. 8. Kayleigh Burke, Virginia Tech. 9. Jenna Boillotat, Colby-Sawyer College. 10. Megan Mendenhall, Wilson College.

Team Open Equitation Over Fences: 1. Mara Chemerinsky, Skidmore College. 2. Elizabeth Traband, Penn State University (State College). 3. Kristen Blomstrom, Stanford University. 4. Francisco Caba Guil, Emory and Henry College. 5. Adam Edgar, Savannah College of Art and Design. 6. Victoria Lawler, Miami University of Ohio. 7. Emily Cornell, Delaware Valley University. 8. Merle Beach, St. Lawrence University. 9. Danielle Duryea, Otterbein University. 10. Lindsay Levine, University of Southern California.

Cacchione Cup Competition: 1. Adam Edgar, Savannah College of Art and Design. 2. Claudia Freeman, Rochester Institute of Technology. 3. Michael Andrade, Centenary University. 4. Kelsi Okun, Stanford University. 5. Maeve Foley, Skidmore College. 6. Kirby Tidmore, Randolph College. 7. Cariann Johnson, Sacred Heart University. 8. Elizabeth Traband, Penn State University (State College). 9. Meghan Rutherford, Indiana University. 10. Victoria Lawler, Miami University of Ohio.

Stanford University teammates Kristen Blomstrom (on left) and Kelsi Okun (on right) went head-to-head in the individual open over fences division which started IHSA Nationals. Blomstrom was sixth and Okun fifth but both would do better as the weekend progressed. Okun finished her junior year with a fourth in the Cacchione Cup Competition and a third in team open on the flat. Blomstrom finished her senior year with a third in team open over fences as both riders helped the Cardinal take third place outright in the hunter seat team competition for a second consecutive season.

National Reining Horse Association Individual Open Reining: 1. Julia Roshelli, University of Findlay. 2. Ethan Stratford, University of Guelph. 3. Caitlyn Davis, Utah State University. 4. Erin Bosse, Ohio State University. 5. Mary Catherine Wade, Middle Tennessee State University. 6. Jenna Seal, Middle Tennessee State University. 7. Aubrey Braham, Slippery Rock University. 8. Kindra Gingerich, St. Mary of the Woods College. 9. Cailyn Simonis, North Central Texas College. 10. Carla Carfora, Northeastern Oklahoma A and M College.

Team Open Equitation On The Flat: 1. Bobbie Adsit, Emory and Henry College. 2. Adam Edgar, Savannah College of Art and Design. 3. Kelsi Okun, Stanford University. 4. Cariann Johnson, Sacred Heart University. 5. Lily Barnard, St. Lawrence University. 6. Victoria Lawler, Miami University of Ohio. 7. Elizabeth Traband, Penn State University (State College). 8. Lindsay Lucas, Purdue University. 9. Lindsay Levine, University of Southern California. 10. Danielle Duryea, Otterbein University.

Alumni Equitation On The Flat: 1. Tara Mathews, University of Connecticut. 2. Megan Mendenhall, Wilson College. 3. Morgan Wooten, University of Maryland (College Park). 4. Chloe Arndt, Indiana University. 5. Kylie Roberts, North Carolina State University. 6. Anna Rzchowski, Mount Holyoke College. 7. Sarah Lent, Morrisville State College. 8. Lauren Neibauer, University of Alabama. 9. Georgia Keogh, Morehead State University. 10. Danielle Moraski, Binghamton University.

Alumni Western Horsemanship: 1. Tara Mathews, University of Connecticut. 2. Rebecca Folk, Lafayette College. 3. Elizabeth Woznica, Alfred University. 4. Bailey Young, Delaware Valley University. 5. Kelsey Prosch-Jensen, Grand Valley State University. 6. Kimberly Storey, University of Tennessee at Knoxville. 7. Elisabeth Bianco, Ohio State University. 8. Amanda Belcher, Murray State University.

Team Beginner Western Horsemanship: 1. Breanna Lucci, Ohio State University. 2. Emily Edwards, University of Wisconsin - River Falls. 3. Kasey Locke, Berry College. 4. Kira McCoy, Oregon State University. 5. Mariah Heiss, University of Nebraska at Lincoln. 6. Derek Stawn, Northeastern Oklahoma A and M College. 7. Morgan Eckstein, University of Findlay. 8. Charlotte Ellis, Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo. 9. Julia Anderson, Morrisville State College.

Sunday, May 5th:

Team Advanced Western Horsemanship: 1. Krista Schoenfelder, University of Wisconsin - River Falls. 2. Allie Robertson, Berry College. 3. Marissa Schneider, Ohio State University. 4. Charity Thacker, University of Findlay. 5. Ariana Horton, Northeastern Oklahoma A and M College. 6. Lea Inhaber-Courchesne, Morrisville State College. 7. Emily Downs, University of Nebraska at Lincoln. 8. Rebecca Lisberg, Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo. 9. Samantha Roff, Oregon State University.

After finishing tied for fourth at 2018 IHSA Nationals, the University of Wisconsin at River Falls moved up to the reserve western National Championship team ribbon. Krista Schoenfelder (on horse) won the team advanced western class on May 5th to help the Falcons score 41 points on their way to their best showing ever at an IHSA Nationals event.

Team Intermediate Western Horsemanship: 1. Miranda Klein, University of Findlay. 2. Libby Alders, University of Wisconsin - River Falls. 3. Colleen Ferry, Oregon State University. 4. Samantha Greenfield, Morrisville State College. 5. Katelyn Cates, Northeastern Oklahoma A and M College. 6. Cassidy Mueller, Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo. 7. Anna Hollenack, Ohio State University. 8. Grace Bowers, Berry College. 9. Ryan Sedlacek, University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

Individual Advanced Western Horsemanship: 1. Jamie Kittle, University of Findlay. 2. Kristie Wagner, Alfred University. 3. CeCe Klein, University of Findlay. 4. Allison Gossett, Black Hawk College. 5. Megan Griffin, Sacred Heart University. 6. Kiley Stadmiller, Murray State University. 7. Spencer Orr, Iowa State University. 8. Camille Bethers, Utah State University. 9. Jacilyn Thayer, University of Wisconsin - River Falls. 10. Natalie Barnett, Tarleton State University.

Individual Intermediate Western Horsemanship: 1. Bryant Fox, University of Findlay. 2. Tori Gonzales, Ohio State University. 3. Danielle Crossman, University of Florida. 4. Kailey Vande Kamp, Middle Tennessee State University. 5. Madelyne Cope, West Texas A and M University. 6. Monica Steenkolk, Oregon State University. 7. Rudy Pohlabeln, Morehead State University. 8. Maureen Bender, State University of New York at Oswego. 9. Shianne Walther, Missouri State University. 10. Emily Bevan, Youngstown State University.

Individual AQHA High Point Open Rider Competition: 1. Julia Roshelli, University of Findlay. 2. Codi Uecker, Rocky Mountain College. 3. Erin Bosse, Ohio State University. 4. Kendall Woellmer, West Texas A and M University. 5. Racheal Nordby, Oregon State University. 6. Travis Fortune, Murray State University. 7. Gina Ulveie, St. Andrews University. 8. Jordan Miles, Reedley College. 9. Mikaela Cormier, Morrisville State College. 10. Emilie Hernandez, University of Connecticut.

Individual Beginner Western Horsemanship: 1. Addie Anspaugh, Ohio State University. 2. Clara Young, Ohio State University. 3. Emma Kemp, Northeastern Oklahoma A and M College. 4. Sarah Rucker, Middle Georgia State University. 5. Kayla Burns, Northeastern Oklahoma A and M College. 6. Kaylee Hayes, Middle Tennessee State University. 7. Kelli Castaldo, Morrisville State College. 8. Samantha Abrahamson, University of Wisconsin - River Falls. 9. Alexi Nielson, University of Findlay. 10. Hannah Russell, Oregon State University.

Team Open Western Horsemanship: 1. Julia Roshelli, University of Findlay. 2. Carla Carfora, Northeastern Oklahoma A and M College. 3. Erin Bosse, Ohio State University. 4. Racheal Nordby, Oregon State University. 5. Danielle Paulson, University of Wisconsin - River Falls. 6. Sarah Cooper, Berry College. 7. Mikayla Cormier, Morrisville State College. 8. Cassidy Curtis, University of Nebraska at Lincoln. 9. Megan Borzone, Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo.

Individual Novice Western Horsemanship: 1. Allie Robertson, Berry College. 2. Leah Ely, University of Findlay. 3. Sierra Nelson, University of Nebraska at Lincoln. 4. Elyse Scott, Morrisville State College. 5. Emmaline Klute, Purdue University. 6. Samantha Roff, Oregon State University. 7. Aubrey Bennett, Black Hawk College. 8. Lea Inhaber-Courchesne, Morrisville State College. 9. Sierra McCullough, Northeastern Oklahoma A and M College. 10. Kaitlyn Frizzell, West Texas A and M University.

2019 IHSA Nationals Hunter Seat Team Totals: