Though we are still in search of the final western open rider and team totals from Zone 5, Region 2 we can tell you that Berry College junior Allie Jones (pictured) has qualified for the individual AQHA Trophy Class at IHSA Nationals a third consecutive season.

2010 FIELD OF INDIVIDUAL AQHA TROPHY CLASS QUALIFIERS NOW SET

Once again 22 riders will be vying for the chance to be the individual AQHA Trophy Champion at IHSA Nationals come May 7th. And through March 14th the entire field of competitors had been determined.

Kayla Swartz of Bloomsburg University edged out Lisa Chaplin of West Virginia University (by two points) and Katelyn Grumbling of Kutztown University (by six points) on March 14th to represent Zone 3, Region 4 in the AQHA class. Swartz appears to have hung on here, as she did not earn points in the final show while neither Chaplin nor Grumbling quite caught up to her though the opportunity was there. Swartz was the 22nd and final rider to mathematically secure a spot in the Trophy class.

A similar scenario took place in Ohio a week earlier, as Meghan Ritchey of Ohio State had the chance to catch teammate Sarah Phillips but didn't. Phillips hung on for a 63-60 win and thus becomes the first Ohio State rider not named Keith Ceddia to compete for the trophy since 2006.

One of the better races for a place in the AQHA was settled on March 6th. Rachel Olson of West Texas A & M rallied from six back to tie Alicia Daugherty of Texas Tech in the AM show at North Central Texas College. The PM show saw Daugherty retake the lead by a single point, earning an 82-81 win over Olson to advance to Lexington.

The final Zone 9, Region 2 western show at Black Hawk College saw a non-Black Hawk rider clinch on March 13th. Lauren Eagles of Missouri State University earned thirds in both of her classes to secure an 84-79 win over Kole Price of Black Hawk.

And we would be remiss if we did not mention that Samantha Eckert of Murray State edged out Megan Hephner of Middle Tennessee State in Zone 5, Region 1 over the final weekend in February. Eckert went into the final two shows up by five and survived by four.

The list of qualifiers includes six returnees from last year's AQHA Trophy class (or classes, as everyone will ride once on the rail a day or two before their reining pattern). Randy Cashman of Centenary, Allie Jones of Berry, Katie Douglass of Florida State, Allison Kralovansky of St. Mary of the Woods, Katie Morehead of Findlay and defending champion Jeni Nagel of the State University of New York at Oswego all took part last season (four of these riders made the top ten). Cashman, Jones, Douglass and Morehead also competed for the trophy in '08, with Morehead the champion. Interestingly, though Cashman and Douglass were out of the ribbons last season both made the top ten in '08, meaning that all six returnees have at least one top ten placing over the past two seasons in the AQHA Trophy division.

--Steve Maxwell

2010 IHSA Nationals Individual AQHA Qualifiers, each of whom will compete for the Individual AQHA Trophy May 6th through 9th in Lexington, Kentucky:

ZONE 2, REGION 1: Randi Cashman, Centenary College

ZONE 2, REGION 2: Jeni Nagel, State University of New York at Oswego

ZONE 2, REGION 3: Jill Featherly, Morrisville State College

ZONE 3, REGION 2: Carolyn LaRose, Delaware Valley College

ZONE 3, REGION 4: Kayla Swartz, Bloomsburg University

ZONE 4, REGION 3: Kelsey Moody, St. Andrews Presbyterian College

ZONE 5, REGION 1: Samantha Eckert, Murray State University

ZONE 5, REGION 2: Allie Jones, Berry College

ZONE 5, REGION 3: Katie Douglas, Florida State University

ZONE 6, REGION 1: Sarah Phillips, Ohio State University

ZONE 6, REGION 2: Britta Jackson, University of Louisville

ZONE 6, REGION 3: Katie Morehead, University of Findlay

ZONE 6, REGION 4: Austin Crawley, Michigan State University

ZONE 7, REGION 1: Kim Corradi, University of Nebraska at Lincoln

ZONE 7, REGION 2: Alicia Daugherty, Texas Tech University

ZONE 8, REGION 1: Sabrina Wilson, Stanford University

ZONE 8, REGION 2: Amanda Brightwell, University of California at San Diego

ZONE 8, REGION 3: Jason Romney, Utah State University

ZONE 8, REGION 4: Elizabeth Whitman, Oregon State University

ZONE 9, REGION 1: Allison Kralovansky, St. Mary of the Woods College

ZONE 9, REGION 2: Lauren Eagles, Missouri State University

ZONE 9, REGION 3: Amanda Peterson, University of Minnesota - Crookston