From Ojai, California, Lillian Hilgers of Savannah College of Art & Design is seen here after winning a class at the 2016 Pre-Season Tournament of Champions invitational in Towson, Maryland. Hilgers finished last season with a win in team novice on the flat at IHSA Nationals in Lexington, Kentucky on May 4th. SCAD competes in their First official IHSA show since Nationals this Saturday.

DEFENDING HUNTER SEAT NATIONAL CHAMPIONS & RESERVE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS TAKE TO THE RING THIS WEEKEND

We at Campus Equestrian are wondering if we are missing some Western shows scheduled for this weekend. We have not been able to confirm if there will be jogging and loping in certain parts of the country. Maybe.

We can confirm there will be at least 14 hunter seat shows each day. Many eyes will be on Kimberden Farm in Ocala, Florida, which was the site of Zone 5 Zones last April 1st. Kimberden is operated by University of Florida head coach Kim Burdette, and while the Gators are the host school on Saturday the University of Central Florida will host there Sunday. Saturday's show will be the hunter seat season opener for Zone 5, Region 5, which means that one of the schools headed to Kimberden is Savannah College of Art & Design. The Bees have captured each of the past three IHSA hunter seat National Championships. SCAD rarely loses and on more than one occasion last season scored 49 points. While some might point out that at least three members of the Bees who showed in the team competition at Nationals last season have graduated (Madison Albano, Meredith Denny and Tatum Tatreau) one should remember that two seasons ago both Ryann Genn and Devon Walther (and others) received diplomas and they still won it all. Expect SCAD to be a force to be reckoned with as usual.

Meanwhile it won't be the first show of the year for Centenary University but the school that finished second to SCAD last season and twice over the past three seasons (prior to which they won it all in '14) will be at home with the United States Military Academy serving as the host school. The Cyclones were edged out by Marist College back on September 30th by two points in the only prior Zone 3, Region 3 show of the season. IHSA Founder and Executive Director Bob Cacchione may be on hand for this one (as well as a show hosted by Towson University in Zone 4, Region 1 a day later).

Several other regions kick off their seasons. Hartwick College hosts the Zone 2, Region 3 season opener on Saturday. Skidmore College has won this region every year since the region was formed in 2000. Cornell University hosts the first hunter seat show in Zone 2, Region 1 on Sunday. The Big Red are looking for their fifth region title in a row.

And in the "If you blink you will miss it" department Zone 5, Region 4 holds three shows this weekend. However these are the only three fall shows of any kind in this region, which hopes to get in a total of seven hunter seat shows prior to Regionals. Louisiana State University has captured the region title in this region every year since the Zone 5, Region 4 name was given to schools in Louisiana and Eastern Texas.

As usual I could provide a list of things to remember to do prior to an IHSA show and then say "Enjoy the shows" but I thought I would be different this week.

---Steve Maxwell

Friday, October 20th:

Zone 5, Region 4 Texas State University at San Marcos (Host) in the indoor arena at Dripping Springs Ranch Park, Dripping Springs, TX 12:30PM ENGLISH ONLY

Saturday, October 21st:

Zone 1, Region 1 Roger Williams University (Host) at Nora Harris Equestrian, Tiverton, RI 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 1, Region 3 Hampshire College (Host) on the campus of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst at Hadley Farm, Amherst, MA 8:30AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 1, Region 5 Connecticut College (Host) at Mystic Valley Hunt Club, Gales Ferry, CT 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 2, Region 3 Hartwick College (Host) at Hunter's Rein Stable, Otego, NY 8:30AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 3, Region 3 United States Military Academy (Host) at the Centenary University Equestrian Center, Long Valley, NJ 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 4, Region 5 High Point University (Host) at Sedgefield Showgrounds, Greensboro, NC 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 5, Region 1 Maryville College (Host) at Penrose Farm, Knoxville, TN 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 5, Region 3 Clemson University (Host) Site and Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 5, Region 4 Texas State University at San Marcos (Host) in the indoor arena at Dripping Springs Ranch Park, Dripping Springs, TX 7:30AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 5, Region 5 University of Florida (Host) at Kimberden Farm, Ocala, FL Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 6, Region 2 Miami University of Ohio (Host) on campus at Miami Equestrian Center, also known as John Brown Stables, Oxford, OH 10:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 6, Region 4 Kalamazoo College (Host) at Cedar Lodge Stable, Lawrence, MI Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 7, Region 2 University of Oklahoma (Host) at the McClain Expo Center, Purcell, OK Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 8, Region 5 Colorado School of Mines (Host) at Fall River Farm, Fort Lupton, CO 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Sunday, October 22nd:

Zone 1, Region 2 Dartmouth College (Host) at the Dartmouth Riding Center at Morton Farm, Etna, NH 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 2, Region 1 Cornell University (Host) at the John T. Oxley Equestrian Center, Ithaca, NY 8:30AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 2, Region 4 Hofstra University/Suffolk County Community College (Co-Hosts) at Country Farms, Medford, NY 8:30AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 4, Region 1 Towson University (Host) at Amazing Grace Equestrian Center, Parkton, MD 10:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 4, Region 3 University of North Carolina at Wilmington (Host) at Old Homestead Farm, Rocky Point, NC Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 4, Region 5 High Point University (Host) at Sedgefield Showgrounds, Greensboro, NC 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 5, Region 1 Maryville College (Host) at Penrose Farm, Knoxville, TN 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 5, Region 3 Clemson University (Host) Site and Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 5, Region 4 Texas State University at San Marcos (Host) in the indoor arena at Dripping Springs Ranch Park, Dripping Springs, TX 8:30AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 5, Region 5 University of Central Florida (Host) at Kimberden Farm, Ocala, FL Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 6, Region 2 Miami University of Ohio (Host) on campus at Miami Equestrian Center, also known as John Brown Stables, Oxford, OH 10:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 7, Region 2 University of Oklahoma (Host) at the McClain Expo Center, Purcell, OK Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 8, Region 1 University of California at Santa Cruz (Host) at Belmont Training Stables, Watsonville, CA Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 8, Region 5 Colorado State University (Host) at Fall River Farm, Fort Lupton, CO 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

All times listed are local time. Show Schedule subject to change.