Seen here earlier in the season, Becky Baumel of Findlay had a very busy day at Zone 6 Zones on April 12th. The senior from Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey won her team open flat while finishing second in team open fences and individual open flat (photo courtesy Sandra McCarthy/University of Findlay Equestrian Team).

STATUS QUO PREVAILS IN ZONE 6 AS FINDLAY, KENTUCKY ADVANCE

Findlay, OH - As was the case at Zone 6 Zones roughly 12 months earlier, the University of Findlay captured high point team honors while the University of Kentucky was reserve. And as was the case last season, Findlay had to come from behind to earn the blue ribbon.

Trailing 14-10 through two team divisions, Raffi Kechijian won team novice fences while Becky Baumel's first in team open flat two divisions later gave the Oilers a 29-28 lead over the Wildcats. Spencer Zimmerman's first in team walk-trot and Lindsay Bakers' first in team novice flat widened the final margin of victory to 48-40.

Early on it appeared the Wildcats might be able to win big in Findlay's hunter seat facility on the East Campus. Senior Callie Schott won team open over fences by one placing over Baumel while freshman Ali Cibon won team intermediate fences to keep Kentucky perfect through two divisions (Ironically Schott and Baumel finished ahead of Zone 6, Region 1 three-time Cacchione Cup qualifier Kati Cibon, a Ohio University junior who is also Ali Cibon's older sister).

But while Findlay rode so well on the flat (no Oiler rider placed below second in any of the eight team classes) the Wildcats watched in dismay as Ohio University slowly closed the gap for second place. Wins for Kari Beslar (in team walk-trot-canter) and Colleen Boyle (in team intermediate flat) put Ohio University behind Kentucky by a mere 31-29 score through six divisions. However Sarah Bybee's second to Zimmerman in team walk-trot allowed the Wildcats to open up a 36-33 lead on the Bobcats with one class remaining. Though Brittany Smith of Ohio University was second in team novice flat behind Baker only a first in the division would have kept the Bobcats' hopes alive for a trip to Nationals. Kentucky ultimately prevailed for second narrowly, 40-38 to join Findlay with a full team at the National show in Burbank, California in May.

University of Findlay riders prevailed with the most blue ribbons in the individual classes, as Jenny Priebe (intermediate fences), Matt Piccolo (open flat), Kechijian (walk-trot-canter) and Zoe Steele-Rand (novice flat) won outright. Baumel gave the Oilers another regional qualifier by placing second to Piccolo in open flat. Region 3 riders accounted for three other top-two placings, including Miami of Ohio's Katie Kurtz, who won the intermediate flat. Each of the other three regions could claim one individual winner each, as Ohio University's Rachel Saunders won walk-trot for Region 1, Schott won open fences for Region 2 and Central Michigan University's Marisa Whitbey won individual novice fences for Region 4.

Though many of the schools now located in Zone 9, Region 3 used the name Zone 6, Region 4 from 1997 to 2002 that name was given to the Michigan schools upon forming their own region this season. Kristin Syverson (team intermediate flat) and Elisabeth Haney (team novice fences) were the only riders on Region 4 high point team University of Michigan to avert fourth place in the team classes, with each receiving a third. The Wolverines scored 26 points in their Zones debut and hopefully will fare better in '09 if they repeat as Region Champions. Rebecca Payne (second to Schott in open fences) and Dana Vandenbrink (second to Whitbey in novice fences) ride for Grand Valley State and both advanced individually to '08 Nationals. In addition to Payne, Vandenbrink and Whitbey Region 4 will have one more hunter seat rider at Nationals, as the Wolverines' Jenna Watson will compete against Schott, Piccolo and Kati Cibon in the Cacchione Cup Competition, slated to take place over the first three days of the national show.

--Steve Maxwell

Class-By-Class Results from Zone 6 Zones, held April 12th, 2008 in Findlay, Ohio, with the top two riders in each individual class advancing to IHSA Nationals May 8th through 11th in Burbank, California:

Individual Open Equitation Over Fences: 1. Callie Schott, University of Kentucky. 2. Rebecca Payne, Grand Valley State University. 3. Laurie Muellner, Miami University of Ohio. 4. Jenna Watson, University of Michigan. 5. Kati Cibon, Ohio University. 6. Matt Piccolo, University of Findlay. 7. Katie Masten, University of Kentucky. 8. Whitney Yoder, Ohio University.

Team Open Equitation Over Fences: 1. Callie Schott, University of Kentucky. 2. Becky Baumel, University of Findlay. 3. Kati Cibon, Ohio University. 4. Kevin Stevens, University of Michigan.

Individual Intermediate Equitation Over Fences: 1. Jenny Priebe, University of Findlay. 2. Diane Silcox, Miami University of Ohio. 3. Laurel Oswell, University of Louisville. 4. Shannon Carr, University of Cincinnati. 5. Elizabeth Henry, Denison University. 6. Katherine Trimble, Ohio University. 7. Nicole Sienkiewicz, Michigan State University.

Team Intermediate Equitation Over Fences: 1. Ali Cibon, University of Kentucky. 2. Natassia Hovey, University of Findlay. 3. Jessa Moser, Ohio University. 4. Leslie Jablonski, University of Michigan.

Individual Novice Equitation Over Fences: 1. Marisa Whitbey, Central Michigan University. 2. Dana Vandenbrink, Grand Valley State University. 3. Hanna Toebben, Morehead State University. 4. Hilary Costa, Lake Erie College. 5. Alex Hollern, Miami University. 6. Jessa Moser, Ohio University. 7. Stephanie Beachy, University of Louisville.

Team Novice Equitation Over Fences: 1. Raffi Kechijian, University of Findlay. 2. Louise Bowden, University of Kentucky. 3. Elisabeth Haney, University of Michigan. 4. Brittany Smith, Ohio University.

Alumni Equitation Over Fences: 1. Melissa Ochal, Miami University of Ohio. 2. Allison Park, Hiram College.

Alumni Equitation On The Flat: 1. Erin Barritt, Miami University of Ohio. 2. Allison Park, Hiram College.

Individual Open Equitation On The Flat: 1. Matt Piccolo, University of Findlay. 2. Becky Baumel, University of Findlay. 3. Kati Cibon, Ohio University. 4. Nicole DiCorte, Lake Erie College. 5. Katie Masten, University of Kentucky. 6. Katie Krauss, Oakland University. 7. Callie Schott, University of Kentucky. 8. Christine Grahl, Albion College.

Team Walk-Trot-Canter Equitation On The Flat: 1. Kari Beslar, Ohio University. 2. Stephanie Springer, University of Findlay. 3. Allison Davidson, University of Kentucky. 4. Claudia Cieslak, University of Michigan.

Team Open Equitation On The Flat: 1. Becky Baumel, University of Findlay. 2. Callie Schott, University of Kentucky. 3. Kati Cibon, Ohio University. 4. Andrea Gunn, University of Michigan.

Individual Walk-Trot Equitation On The Flat: 1. Rachel Saunders, Ohio University. 2. Briana Ambrosic, Bowling Green State University. 3. Ashley Page, Midway College. 4. Sarah Long, Western Michigan University. 5. Kevin Keller, Xavier University. 6. Heather Holl, Otterbein College. 7. Jessica Smith, Ohio State University. 8. Whitney Engler, University of Michigan.

Team Intermediate Equitation On The Flat: 1. Colleen Boyle, Ohio University. 2. Natassia Hovey, University of Findlay. 3. Kristin Syverson, University of Michigan. 4. Ali Cibon, University of Kentucky.

Individual Walk-Trot-Canter Equitation On The Flat: 1. Raffi Kechijian, University of Findlay. 2. Hanna Toebben, Morehead State University. 3. Rebecca Wichard, University of Kentucky. 4. Tedi Milgrom, University of Michigan. 5. Katie Ferraro, Grand Valley State University. 6. Laura Schmidbauer, Miami University of Ohio. 7. Courtney Ellenburg, Lake Erie College. 8. Lauren Cunningham, Oberlin College.

Team Walk-Trot Equitation on the Flat: 1. Spencer Zimmerman, University of Findlay. 2. Sarah Bybee, University of Kentucky. 3. Lisa Bernheim, Ohio University. 4. Caroline Wolcott, University of Michigan.

Individual Intermediate Equitation On The Flat: 1. Katie Kurtz, Miami University of Ohio. 2. Cortney Glass, Oakland University. 3. Louise Bowden, University of Kentucky. 4. Kim Cieselwicz, Miami University of Ohio. 5. Kelly Wheeler, Midway College. 6. Emily Smith, Ohio State University. 7. Kelly Dunn, Grand Valley State University. 8. Alana Yourkevich, Lake Erie College.

Team Novice Equitation On The Flat: 1. Lindsay Baker, University of Findlay. 2. Brittany Smith, Ohio University. 3. Rebecca Wichard, University of Kentucky. 4. Erin Grimm, University of Michigan.

Individual Novice Equitation On The Flat: 1. Zoe Steele-Rand, University of Findlay. 2. Hope Berninghausen, University of Findlay. 3. Kathleen Reed, University of Kentucky. 4. Holly Karlecke, Ohio State University. 5. Maegan Bento, Lake Erie College. 6. Kristen Syverson, University of Michigan. 7. Laura DeBruin, Michigan State University. 8. Jen Gordenier, Morehead State University.

Final Hunter Seat Team Totals, with the top two teams advancing to IHSA Nationals May 8th through 11th in Burbank, California: University of Findlay 48 (Champion), University of Kentucky 40 (Reserve), Ohio University 38 and University of Michigan 26.

(Special thanks to Sara Lynch for her help in gathering these results and to Oakland University graduate Lauren Kramer for pointing out that Cortney Glass and Katie Krauss attend Oakland and not Ohio University - Editor)