Campus Equestrian: Zone 3, Region 1 Home Page

IHSA ZONE 3 - REGION 1

On day one of 2026 IHSA Nationals we told Maye Stichter of Dickinson College (on right) and head coach Lindsay Vulich (on left) that the next time we update our Zone 3, Region 1 page that we would put their photo at the top of the page. And so here they are, at IHSA Nationals at Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, North Carolina on May 1st. Stichter was one of two Dickinson riders showing that day, having placed second in individual intermediate on the flat at Zone 3 Zones on April 4th to advance to the year-end IHSA show. From Fairfield, Connecticut, Stichter closed out her senior year by placing eighth in the same division not long after this photo was taken.

Kayleigh Miller of Bucknell University is seen here waiting for the individual introductory equitation class at Zone 3 Zones in Long Valley, New Jersey on April 4th. A sophomore from Rockville Center, New York, Miller was second in the field of eight to advance to IHSA Nationals in the division. Miller was the only Region 1 rider Not from either Penn State (Main Campus) or Dickinson to qualify for the year-end IHSA show.

At Zone 3 Zones on April 4th Judge Maria Takacs tested three of the seven riders entered in the individual intermediate over fences. Some including this writer thought one of the riders not tested was the best of the bunch. It turned out that Takacs was testing for second place. Daisy Ballantine of Dickinson College had in fact been saved for first place by Takacs, and IHSA Founder Bob Cacchione (on right) posed with Ballantine after she received her blue ribbon. From Alexandria, Virginia, Ballantine was not done for the day, claiming another blue ribbon in individual limit on the flat a few hours later. This made Ballantine the only Region 1 rider to secure two rides at 2026 Nationals. It was quite an impressive freshman year for Ballantine, who helped Dickinson give Penn State (Main Campus) a run for their money in the Region 1 team standings. Dickinson was tied with the Nittany Lions at the winter break (and at that time Dickinson would have held the tiebreaker) and ultimately finished only 13 points out. Ballantine was tested in the individual intermediate fences at Nationals, finishing second. Ballantine was also tenth in individual limit on the flat on May 1st. Ballantine, Stichter, Miller and Penn State (Main Campus) teammates Sarah Bowe and Isabella Quill were the Region 1 hunter seat riders to show at '26 Nationals. When we updated this page on August 23rd we added the first five photos to the other 12 without removing any. The remaining 12 photos and their captions were written and posted in late 2025, including the last one on the page which is where you will find Bowe of the Nittany Lions who was second in individual novice flat at Zones. If you visit the team standings page you will find a photo of Quill, who was third at Nationals in individual limit fences.

Penn State University (Main Campus) was high point team in Zone 3 for the 2025-26 season. The Nittany Lions were third at the Findlay, Ohio Semifinal March 23rd and 24th to advance a full Western team to IHSA Nationals. The Main Campus (which at Campus Equestrian we often call "State College") scored 15 points at Nationals with seven of them coming from Brooke Gochnour (pictured). A junior from New Enterprize, Pennsylvania, Gochnour was third in team beginner western horsemanship early in the day on May 2nd. The Nittany Lions made the top ten at tenth place to receive team ribbons at the awards ceremony held at the end of Nationals on May 3rd.

We swear that Rachel Bardsley of Wilson College and Gochnour did not share the same yellow ribbon! Though Bardsley rode in the class right after Gochnour there were plenty of ribbons in all colors to go around! A junior from Palmyra, Pennsylvania, Bardsley is seen here after having placed third in individual level I western horsemanship at Nationals on May 2nd. Bardsley previously placed third in the same division at the Findlay, Ohio Semifinal to qualify for Nationals. Behind only Penn State and Delaware Valley, Wilson was the clear-cut third place Western team in Zone 3 for the 2025-26 season.

Seen here between her parents at 2024 IHSA Nationals (during which she competed in team rookie western horsemanship) Riley Schreiber of Penn State University (main campus) is one of ten Nittany Lions to have qualified for 2026 Regionals in one of the western divisions. The senior from Kunkeltown, Pennsylvania is qualified in level I western horsemanship. Penn State won the three most recent Zone 3 Western Shows to take a 21 point lead on Delaware Valley into the winter break.

When this photo was taken at the November 12, 2023 Susquehanna/Bucknell show Sage Wolf of Dickinson College (holding "Andy") took part in a three-way question-off for high point rider. Wolf had won sections of intermediate fences and limit flat that day. Fast-forward to the current season and the junior from Warrenton, Virginia is third in the Region 1 hunter seat open rider standings through five shows. Dickinson won the season opener at the Greer School 42-39 over host Penn State on October 4th and won both shows at Brookside Stables in Ringoes, New Jersey November 8th and 9th to finish the fall in a tie with the Nittany Lions for overall Region 1 hunter seat high point team with 180 points each.

Kendi Long of Wilson College (pictured) entered the season needing one single point in limit flat and eleven points in limit fences to qualify for Regionals in both divisions. A fifth for the senior from Media, Pennsylvania in limit flat on October 4th checked the first box and at some point Long also pointed out of limit fences. Long is one of five Region 1 riders to have qualified for Regionals in both limit divisions after five shows.

This photo of Candace DelCastillo dates from the December 2, 2023 Holiday Tournament of Champions invitational in Long Valley, New Jersey. A senior from Pleasantville, New York, DelCastillo is qualified for 2026 Regionals in limit flat. The 2025 Holiday Tournament will again be in Long Valley, New Jersey with the show taking place on December 6th. And Penn State along with the other three defending hunter seat Region Champions from the other three regions within Zone 3 will also be part of the field of 15 schools (this means Delaware Valley University, the University of Delaware and host Centenary University will join Penn State - State College or main campus - at the show).

We don't have the class-by-class results from the October 5th Penn State show. But we do have them for the other four fall Region 1 hunter seat shows. And at each of those four shows Mira Goberman of Susquehanna University (pictured) won her flat class. A sophomore from East Granby, Connecticut, Goberman won her limit flat on October 4th when this photo was taken. By October 25th when Wilson hosted Goberman had pointed out of the limits into both intermediate divisions, and at Wilson (and at both shows at Brookside in November) Goberman was a winner in intermediate flat. If there are three more shows Goberman has to be careful about pointing up in the flats twice in the same season.

After Dickinson and Penn State with 180 points each comes Juniata College with 136. One of three Juniata riders heading to Regionals is Alexa Viands (pictured). A senior from Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania, Viands is seen here at the Greer School on October 4th before placing second in novice equitation to qualify for Regionals in the division.

We don't have a more recent photo of Samantha Bruhin of Bucknell University (on right) so we are re-using this photo of the Bison senior with show coach Katie Shoop at the October 26, 2024 Wilson show. From Schwenksville, Pennsylvania Bruhin is qualified for Regionals in both limit divisions. Bucknell, Susquehanna and Wilson are all close together in the team standings, with the Bison at 117 points two in front of Wilson and five behind Susquehanna.

Here is another photo from November 12, 2023 (when Brookside was still known as Planeta Stables). This photo features Allison Clayton of Wilson College between her parents. This season the senior from Morgantown, Pennsylvania is qualfied for Regionals in both limit division.

Head coach Mackenzie Appleman and Lucy Anders of Susquehanna University pose with "Patron" at that same fall 2023 show the River Hawks co-hosted with Bucknell. At that time Anders was new to the limit divisions, having pointed out of novice at a Wilson show a few weeks earlier. This season the senior from Baltimore, Maryland is qualified for Regionals in limit flat.

Most recently Karly Hosterman of Gettysburg College (pictured) won a second place ribbon in novice equitation at the November 9th Susquehanna/Bucknell show. A sophomore from Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania, Hosterman is seen here after placing third in the division at the Greer School on October 4th. We are still awaiting the Spring Region 1 show schedule but it is possible Gettysburg will be hosting or co-hosting one of the shows.

A freshman from Ephrata, Pennsylvania, Katie Reed of Dickinson College was second in limit fences both days at Brookside including the November 8th show which Dickinson hosted. Dickinson won that particular show by five points with three blue ribbons in total.

Penn State (main campus or State College as we list them) has the most hunter seat Regional Qualifiers in Region 1 with six including Sarah Bowe (pictured). A senior from Paxton, Massachusetts Bowe is seen here at the Greer School after winning her novice equitation class on October 4th. Bowe is one of nine riders across the region to have pointed out of novice during the fall.

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The Zone 3, Region 1 Smorgasbord

Schools which competed in Zone 3, Region 1 during the 2025-2026 school year: Bucknell University, Dickinson College, Gettysburg College, Juniata College, Penn State University (State College), Penn State University - Altoona Campus, Susquehanna University and Wilson College.

Winter/Spring 2026 Show Schedule for Zone 3, Region 1:

Saturday, February 7 Penn State University (Host) at Eagle Valley Equestrian Center, Bellefonte, PA 9:00AM 2 WESTERN ONLY

Saturday, February 28 Juniata College/Gettysburg College/Penn State - Altoona (Co-Hosts) at Swan Lake Stables, Littlestown, PA 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Saturday, February 28 Rutgers University (Host) at Saddlebrook Equestrian Center, Schwenksville, PA 8:00AM WESTERN ONLY

Saturday, February 28 Zone 3 Western Regionals at Saddlebrook Equestrian Center, Schwenksville, PA HELD FOLLOWING THE FINAL REGULAR SEASON WESTERN SHOW - WESTERN ONLY

Sunday, March 1 Juniata College/Gettysburg College/Penn State - Altoona (Co-Hosts) at Swan Lake Stables, Littlestown, PA 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Saturday, March 21 Susquehanna University (Host) at the Grier School, Birmingham, PA Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Saturday, March 21 WESTERN SEMIFINALS - DAY 1 Hosted by the University of Findlay at the University of Findlay Equine Animal Science Center, Findlay, OH Time TBA WESTERN ONLY

Sunday, March 22 Zone 3, Region 1 Hunter Seat Regionals at the Grier School, Birmingham, PA Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Sunday, March 22 WESTERN SEMIFINALS - DAY 2 Hosted by the University of Findlay at the University of Findlay Equine Animal Science Center, Findlay, OH Time TBA WESTERN ONLY

Saturday, April 4 ZONE 3 ZONES at the Centenary University Equestrian Center, Long Valley, NJ Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Friday through Sunday, May 1 - 3 IHSA NATIONALS at Tryon International Equestrian Center, Mill Spring, NC Time each day TBA ENGLISH AND WESTERN

The Rutgers Western Shows scheduled for January 31st have been cancelled due to weather concerns. One single show has been added prior to the start of Western Regionals on February 28th. Schools in each Zone 3 Hunter Seat Region will show Western as part of one big region again in 2025-26. Show Schedule subject to change.

Recent Region 1 Team Champions (The current hunter seat version of Zone 3, Region 1 was created from parts of Zone 3, Region 2, Zone 3, Region 3 and Zone 3, Region 4 following the 2004-05 season):

Hunter Seat:

2006 - Penn State University (State College)
2007 - Penn State University (State College)
2008 - Penn State University (State College)
2009 - Penn State University (State College)
2010 - Penn State University (State College)
2011 - Penn State University (State College)
2012 - Penn State University (State College)
2013 - Penn State University (State College)
2014 - Penn State University (State College)
2015 - Penn State University (State College)
2016 - Penn State University (State College)
2017 - Penn State University (State College)
2018 - Penn State University (State College)
2019 - Penn State University (State College)
2020 - Penn State University (State College)
2022 - Penn State University (State College)
2023 - Penn State University (State College)
2024 - Penn State University (State College)
2025 - Penn State University (State College)
2026 - Penn State University (State College)

Western:

1999 - Kutztown University
2000 - Kutztown University
2001 - University of Delaware
2002 - Rutgers University
2003 - Bucks County Community College
2004 - Bucks County Community College
2005 - Delaware Valley College
2006 - Delaware Valley College
2007 - Delaware Valley College
2008 - Delaware Valley College
2009 - Washington College
2010 - University of Delaware
2011 - University of Delaware
2012 - University of Delaware
2013 - Delaware Valley College
2014 - Delaware Valley College
2015 - Delaware Valley College
2016 - Delaware Valley University
2017 - Delaware Valley University
2018 - Delaware Valley University
2019 - Penn State University (State College)
2020 - University of Delaware
2022 - Delaware Valley University
2023 - Delaware Valley University
2024 - Penn State University (State College)
2025 - Delaware Valley University
2026 - Penn State University (State College)

Regional Qualifiers

Open Level Rider Standings

Team Standings

ZONE 3 NEIGHBORS

Region 2 Homepage

Region 3 Homepage

Region 4 Homepage

Region 5 Homepage