When this photo was taken Black Hawk College Head Coach Donna Ervin (on left), advanced western rider Brooke Byers, Assistant Coach Jeff Greaves (second on right) and novice western rider Stephanie Geiger were hours away from the start of the 2009 IHSA Nationals Western Team Competition. As the day progressed Geiger (on right) gave Black Hawk the early lead with a first while Byers was second to maintain the lead through the first third of the competition.

FINAL CLASS DETERMINES WHICH OF FOUR SCHOOLS EARNS 2009 IHSA NATIONALS WESTERN TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

MURFREESBORO, TN - If you read our stories on the 2009 Individual Western Classes and the 2009 Individual AQHA Trophy division you have heard us ramble on and on about how great the University of Findlay is every year at Nationals and that Ohio State has the most championships ever and how they are the best if Findlay isn't. For many it gets old after awhile, unless you ride for those two schools in which case it is another good day of current events shared with the masses.

Ohio State entered the '09 team competition as the defending champion, as the '08 Buckeyes were 27-26 winners over Findlay at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center nearly 12 months earlier. The win made it nine western team national titles (one shared with Texas A & M in '02) since '91 Nationals hosted by Hollins. This meant that Ohio State was National Champion half the time, missing the title on nine occasions.

Three of those years when the title evaded Columbus were in 2001, 2005 and 2007, when the Findlay Oilers captured outright titles. Two seasons ago at the Big E in West Springfield, Massachusetts the Oilers won by a 38-18 margin over the Buckeyes, placing first in five of the six team classes to set the record for widest margin of victory at an IHSA Nationals show.

With Ohio State having won in both '06 and '08 an odd year/even year trend has developed, meaning that if the trend continued Findlay would prevail. However this would be to assume that these two schools would exclusively win western team titles, not taking into account that since both had two wins over four years that someone else may receive their turn at the top instead.

If a team other than Ohio State or Findlay was to win then the odds favored someone winning the title for the first time. Of the other seven schools to survive 2009 Semifinals only two could claim prior National Championships in their program's history. West Texas A & M shared the title with Texas A & M in 2003 (a show also held in the Tennessee Miller Coliseum, site of 2009 Nationals) while Michigan State won in both 1989 and 1990, sharing the title with Western Kentucky University in the latter (strange but true statistic: None of the schools to win the western team National Championship from 1979 - when western was officially recognized by the IHSA - and 1988 fielded a full team at 2009 Nationals - Editor).

From Glenwood, Utah, West Texas A & M senior Jordan Mitchell (on left) secured more than half of the Buffaloes' team points with a first in the open reining division. Coached by Amanda Love (on right, who as an undergraduate rode for two of the schools in the '09 Western Team Competition) saw West Texas A & M tie for fifth overall.

Each of the other five teams to survive the various Semifinals had taken a full team to IHSA Nationals before, with three returnees from the '08 competition. West Virginia University survived the semifinal held in Findlay, Ohio, the Mountaineers one of two teams to survive a tight four-way race for second place going into the final class (West Virginia finished second to host Findlay, with the Oilers shining at home 35-20 over the Mountaineers). St. Andrews Presbyterian College was the Reserve Champion at the Semifinal in Morehead, Kentucky, advancing to Nationals for the second season in a row and third time in four seasons. The High Point team at the Morehead Semifinal was Oregon State University, a 28-25 winner over the Knights. Oregon State has basically owned Zone 8, Region 4 this decade, taking all eight western region titles since the region was formed while advancing a full team to Nationals every season starting in 2006.

Berry College became the first Zone 5 school since Middle Tennessee State in '07 to take a full western team to Nationals after emerging with West Virginia from the Findlay semifinal. Katie Atwood's fourth in team beginner western gave the Vikings a come-from-behind third place finish by one point. In similar fashion Brooke Byers of Black Hawk College was second in team advanced western at the Morehead semifinal to advance her school to Nationals late in the day by a one point margin over first-time Zone 6, Region 2 Region Champion University of Cincinnati. While Black Hawk had survived 2007 Semifinals, Berry survived a semi for the first time this season, making their first IHSA Nationals appearance with a full western team since being shut out in 2005. The Vikings would fair much better this time.

Ohio State (which won the Canyon, Texas Semifinal 30-23 over Michigan State while host West Texas A & M was third with 22) returned two riders from the 2008 team competition. Senior Keith Ceddia, who had competed in team open reining at each of the previous two national shows, was entered in both team open divisions. Buckeye teammate Hilary Bedford, who won team novice horsemanship at '08 Nationals, was now their team advanced western horsemanship rider. In similar fashion Findlay had three returnees from their near-miss at the LAEC, with defending advanced western horsemanship champion Adam D'Agostino still competing in the division along with Oiler teammates Katie Morehead in open western and Ryan Sims in open reining. Sims was in fact the only Findlay rider to compete in the '09 team competition and the '07 38 point romp which included a blue ribbon in novice western for the Pella, Iowa resident. While 2007-08 had been considered a mild rebuilding year for the Oilers the 2008-09 Findlay team was more experienced, with two seniors, three sophomores and a freshman riding across six divisions.

He won the same class two years in a row! Findlay senior Adam D'Agostino (on right, with Head Coach Cindy Morehead) put his team on the scoreboard with a first in Advanced Western Horsemanship, the second team class of '09 Nationals and the same division he won on May 9, 2008. This was quite big as the Oilers did not earn any points in two of the first three team classes!

While West Texas A & M could claim riders making their 'team class' debut at Nationals in each of the six divisions other '08 holdovers could claim two divisions with a returnee from the '08 Nationals team competition. West Virginia's Renae Burks competed in team open reining both seasons while teammate Lisa Chaplin moved up to team open western after having shown team advanced at the LAEC (where both placed fifth, though Burks earned her two points in open western horsemanship that time). St. Andrews Presbyterian College had only one rider back from the '08 team classes but Kelsey Moody would ride twice, representing the Knights in both open divisions (Moody was the '08 champion in team open western). Michigan State junior Charlene Kolodziej (pronouced 'Kol-oh-jay') was second in team novice horsemanship at the LAEC and now represented the Spartans in advanced. Teammate Stephanie Murray was a returnee in team open western. Oregon State's Hayley McGuire placed third in team intermediate while teammate Kaci Sintek was fifth in team novice in '08. Both would compete at '09 Nationals in the exact same divisions (with improved results). Though she did not compete at '08 Nationals, Beaver teammate Sara Gibson posted lofty numbers at both '06 Nationals in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and at the Big E a year later. The senior from Oregon City, Oregon was second in team open western in '07 while also earning the reserve championship in advanced western at Harrisburg.

But would past experience or prior blue ribbons at a Nationals show mean anything this time? The western portion of IHSA Nationals began on the second day of competition, with the individual AQHA Trophy horsemanship phases being the fifth and seventh classes of the day, respectively. The first western team class followed section B of individual AQHA, with Novice Western Horsemanship giving everyone a chance to get on the board. Riders in novice were asked by Judges Debra Jones Wright and Allen Mitchels to walk, jog and lope before lining up to perform the pattern one at a time. In under an hour the placings were ready for Justin Ochs, who was announcing at an IHSA Nationals show for the first time, to read off from sixth place down to first. St. Andrews was the first school to be assured of scoring, as Shannon Leggett was sixth for the Knights. In what was her second ride of the day Amy Mitchem of West Texas A & M was fifth, this after having placed out of the ribbons in team intermediate over fences for the Buffaloes hunter seat team which was also qualified. Fourth place went to Ohio State freshman Whitney Marietti while Sintek improved on her fifth nearly a year earlier in the division with a third. Molly White of Michigan State received the Reserve Championship. A sophomore from Spring Lake, Michigan, White repeated teammate Kolodziej's placing in the division at the LAEC, putting the Spartans halfway to their ten-point total earned in '08. Winning the class was Black Hawk College sophomore Stephanie Geiger. From Milan, Illinois, Geiger was making her IHSA Nationals debut. With Black Hawk being a two-year school it remains to be seen if Geiger will turn up at another IHSA National show. If it does turn out to be one-and-done for Geiger it was an impressive one, giving Black Hawk the early lead.

Somewhat surprisingly Findlay did not pick up any points in the division, the first time that this has happened to an Oiler western team at Nationals since 2004 (Findlay scored at least a point in every class at '05, '07 and '08 Nationals. Prior to the first season of Semifinals Findlay was eliminated at 2006 Zone 6 Zones, this in part because a rider forgot to wear a numberback in one class resulting in forfiture of points in the division). Though he finished below sixth Findlay sophomore Spencer Zimmerman would go on to win the Versatility award. Not always presented at Nationals, to win the Versatility award a rider must compete at Nationals in at least two western classes and one hunter seat class, or two hunter seat classes and one western class. Zimmerman did all of his riding in less than three consecutive hours, starting with team novice western. Zimmerman would ride in the individual walk-trot division which followed, placing eighth and would follow his lone hunter seat ride with a first in individual intermediate western horsemanship.

It would be up to D'Agostino to start a new streak of 'earning points in every team class' for the Oilers. The senior from Syracuse, New York was Findlay's entry in the only other western team class held on Friday, April 24th, the advanced western division. As was the case earlier in the day, riders walked, jogged and lopped before going through their pattern one by one. Eventually Ochs announced the results, which showed Kolodziej in sixth to keep the Spartans firmly in the race at the time. Fifth went to Kayla Hay of St. Andrews Presbyterian College while Bedford received a fourth in her next-to-last undergraduate IHSA ride (Bedford would earn third place in individual novice western two days later). Haley Marsh of Oregon State equaled teammate Sintek's ribbon with a third. Black Hawk was suddenly well into first place, as Brooke Byers was the Reserve Champion. A sophomore from Wyanet, Illinois, Byers raised Black Hawk's total to 12 points, four more than their nearest competitor. Findlay was suddenly five behind, as D'Agostino repeated as champion in the division a second consecutive season. Through one third of the western team competition it was Black Hawk 12, Oregon State 8, Findlay 7, Ohio State and Michigan State 6 with four others at three points or less.

She performed her pattern just fine, and thus broke her team's pattern of third place ribbons! Oregon State's Hayley McGuire (center, with her parents) was second in team intermediate western horsemanship, moving the Beavers to within four points of first place heading into the final team class on Sunday afternoon.

It was well after lunch time on April 25th when the first western team class held on the third day of IHSA Nationals took place. Following the final four hunter seat classes of 2009, the presentation of scholarship awards, the annual Parade of Teams, a warm-up period for western horses and the individual open reining division it was finally time for team open reining. In total contrast to the other five western divisions riders in reining classes were not asked to walk, jog or lope but rather to perform a specific reining pattern involving spins and slide-stops. Unlike the past five IHSA Nationals shows the combined judge's scores for each rider where not read aloud following each ride (though riders in hunter seat jumping classes did hear their score announced, no scores were announced for any western riders at 2009 Nationals). After all nine rides had been completed, sixth place went to Burks, who had placed third in individual open reining earlier in the day. Though Moody had finished out of the ribbons individually, the sophomore from Woodstock, Georgia was fifth here. 2009 individual open reining champion Ceddia raised Ohio State's total to nine points with a fourth while Black Hawk stayed ahead via a third awarded to sophomore Travis Born. Berry College would not be shut out at '09 Nationals, as sophomore Allie Jones was the Reserve Champion. Though she initially learned how to ride english growing up in Cambridge, England, Jones has completly converted to the western disciplines. West Texas A & M was suddenly in the race as Jordan Mitchell won the division for the Buffaloes. A senior from Glenwood, Utah it would be the final undergraduate ride for Mitchell, who had placed sixth in individual open western versus four of the riders in this team class. Through three classes it was Black Hawk 16, Ohio State 9, West Texas A & M 9, Oregon State 8, Findlay 7 (with Sims surprisingly not into the ribbons), Michigan State 6, Berry 5, St. Andrews 5 and West Virginia 1. Could Findlay earn goose eggs in two divisions and still rally to win?

The presentation of hunter seat awards immediately followed the team open reining, with alumni western horsemanship and individual open western horsemanship after that. The final division of the day was Team Beginner Western Horsemanship (we at Campus Equestrian will have to check the record books to find the last time a team beginner class of any kind completed the itinerary on a given day of IHSA Nationals - Editor). Riders walked and jogged before performing their pattern, and as usual Ochs announced the placings from sixth back to first. Shannon Kiniry of West Texas A & M was sixth, which would keep the Buffaloes within a first of reaching the top for the time being. Fifth went to Kimberly Simonsen of St. Andrews Presbyterian College, giving the Knights fifths in three straight classes. Fourth went to Kathryn Atwood of Berry College, raising the Vikings' total to eight points and sixth place for the moment. While St. Andrews seemed to be hogging pink ribbons Oregon State dominated the yellows, as Kelsey Leonard became the third Beaver in four classes to place third. The much-feared Ohio schools earned the top two ribbons. Melissa Vannest, a sophomore from Bethesda, Ohio broke a streak of white ribbons for the Buckeyes. Vannest's red ribbon kept Ohio State in second place while Findlay kept their all-or-nothing streak intact as Heather Kiesewetter won the beginner western. A freshman from Covington, Ohio, Kieswetter moved the Oilers within two points of the top spot in spite of the previous missed opportunities. As Kieswetter was announced the winner at 8:02PM Central time the score was Black Hawk 16, Findlay 14, Ohio State 14, Oregon State 12, West Texas A & M 10, Berry College 8, St. Andrews Presbyterian College 7, Michigan State 6 and West Virginia 1.

Through five team classes Ohio State was in the lead. Sophomore Courtney Noonan (on right, with Coach Debbie Griffith) won the Buckeye's lone blue ribbon with a first in intermediate western horsemanship on April 26th to put Ohio state ahead at the time.

Sunday, April 26th would be the final day of IHSA Nationals with the first of two team classes being the intermediate western horsemanship. The second of six classes of any kind held during the Sunday session, sixth place went to Heather Vanderbilt of West Texas A & M, raising the Buff's total to 11. Jessica Nguyen of Berry College was fifth to take the Vikings into double figures with 10. Megan Stiles snapped St. Andrews' string of fifths with a fourth, also giving the Knights 10 points (strangely St. Andrews would be the only team to score points in all six divisions but would finish behind four schools when the final results were tallied). University of Findlay freshman Beverly Chagnon was third, finally giving the Oilers something other than a first or no ribbon at all. Findlay was thus at 18 points while Oregon State stayed close with 17. McGuire, from Wilsonville, Oregon, improved on her third in the division a year earlier by earning the reserve championship this time. Ohio State won their first blue ribbon of the competition to take the lead, as Courtney Noonan won her IHSA Nationals debut. A sophomore from Willoughby, Ohio, Noonan gave the Buckeyes 21 points to lead Findlay by three, Oregon State by four, Black Hawk by five, West Texas A & M by ten, both Berry and St. Andrews by 11, Michigan State by 15 and West Virginia by 20. Could the Buckeyes win consecutive National Championships for the first time since 1996 and 1997?

It was nearly 2:30 in the afternoon when the final nine riders entered the ring for Team Open Western Horsemanship. Four of the nine entries had time in the seat earlier in the day, as Ceddia, Morehead, Jones and Gibson rode in the reining phase of the Individual AQHA Trophy division. While Gibson and Jones had finished out of the top ten Ceddia was third overall while Morehead was second, the latter just missing out on her second consecutive Individual AQHA Trophy. Save for Jones each of these riders came from schools with a mathematical chance to win. Black Hawk, though out of the ribbons for two consecutive classes, remained in the hunt for their first National Championship.

Riders in team open western walked, jogged and lopped prior to lining up to perform the pattern. When the division was completed and riders were excused Ceddia was heard apologizing to his team. The consensus was that Ceddia made an error within the pattern which could result in no additional points for the Buckeyes (This writer was saddened in that Ceddia has had a great career in the ring riding for the Buckeyes, having won individual open reining only a day earlier. He deserved to go out on a better note in the editor's opinion - Editor)

Katelyn "Katie" Morehead (center) won the final class of 2009 IHSA Nationals, the team open western horsemanship division. With the win Findlay captured their fourth western team national championship and third in five years. The margin was close however, with Ohio State and Oregon State sharing reserve champion honors while finishing behind the Oilers 25-21.

Nevertheless until the results were in, anything was possible. After a considerable amount of time Ochs announced the results. Sixth place went to Born who had been the most recent Black Hawk rider to earn points when he was third in open reining a day earlier. With the green ribbon Black Hawk finished the competition with 17 points, their best-ever IHSA Nationals showing. Fifth went to Rachel Olson of West Texas A & M, raising the Buffaloes' total to 13 points. Jones was fourth, giving Berry College 13 as well (eight of which were earned by Jones herself). Gibson, who had finished out of the ribbons in team open reining, received the third-place ribbon. This gave Oregon State 21 points and a tie for first with Ohio State if only temporarily. Like Black Hawk, the Beaver's 21 points were a new school record for an IHSA National show. St. Andrews' run of pink ribbons seemed a distant memory as Moody was the Reserve National Champion. Moody raised the Knight's total to 15, their exact same total as in 2008.

Though four riders remained in the ring it was apparent which of the four was going to receive the blue ribbon. The University of Findlay had the largest cheering section of any western team at '09 Nationals (though Ohio State was close in number), and the Oiler faithful let out a big cheer for Morehead when she was announced as the winner of team open western. In two seasons the sophomore from Findlay, Ohio has a first and a third in team open western, a fourth in individual open reining, a Reserve Championship in the individual AQHA Trophy and a National Championship in the individual AQHA Trophy. Following the announcement that Morehead won the division she was asked to re-mount the horse she rode for a photo in the winner's circle. Morehead's free-spirited ways (not unlike her Mother Cindy, who is Head Coach of the Findlay western team) and her ability to appear as if she is having fun while riding did not go unnoticed by those in authority. While posing for photos on the horse it is believed that Judge Wright congratulated Morehead while saying, "When I Grow Up I want to be just like you!"

A short time later each of the nine teams assembled on the floor of the Tennessee Miller Coliseum for the presentation of team awards. Because the IHSA does not break ties at the team level at National shows West Virginia received seventh place and Michigan State sixth place. Fifth went to both Berry and West Texas A & M while St. Andrews was fourth by themselves. Black Hawk headed back to Illinois with the yellow ribbon while a pair of schools known as 'OSU' earned 21 points for co-Reserve Champion honors. The University of Findlay, with 25 points in four divisions, captured their fourth western National Championship since 2001 and their third in five seasons. However since Findlay wins only on the odd-numbered years it makes sense that Ohio State will win next year, doesn't it? The IHSA will hold shows throughout 2009-2010 just to be on the safe side.

---Steve Maxwell

The 2009 IHSA Nationals Western Team Class-by-Class Results. The first two classes listed were held Friday, April 24th, the third and fourth classes were held Saturday, April 25th and the final two classes were held Sunday, April 26th. The judges for all 2009 IHSA Nationals western classes were Debra Jones Wright and Allen Mitchels:

AQHA Novice Western Horsemanship: 1. Stephanie Geiger, Black Hawk College. 2. Molly White, Michigan State University. 3. Kaci Sintek, Oregon State University. 4. Whitney Marietti, Ohio State University. 5. Amy Mitchem, West Texas A & M University. 6. Shannon Leggett, St. Andrews Presbyterian College.

AQHA Advanced Western Horsemanship: 1. Adam D'Agostino, University of Findlay. 2. Brooke Byers, Black Hawk College. 3. Haley Marsh, Oregon State University. 4. Hilary Bedford, Ohio State University. 5. Kayla Hay, St. Andrews Presbyterian College. 6. Charlene Kolodziej, Michigan State University.

AQHA Open Reining: 1. Jordan Mitchell, West Texas A & M University. 2. Allie Jones, Berry College. 3. Travis Born, Black Hawk College. 4. Keith Ceddia, Ohio State University. 5. Kelsey Moody, St. Andrews Presbyterian College. 6. Renae Burks, West Virginia University.

AQHA Beginner Western Horsemanship: 1. Heather Kiesewetter, University of Findlay. 2. Melissa Vannest, Ohio State University. 3. Kelsey Leonard, Oregon State University. 4. Kathryn Atwood, Berry College. 5. Kimberly Simonsen, St. Andrews Presbyterian College. 6. Shannon Kiniry, West Texas A & M University.

AQHA Intermediate Western Horsemanship: 1. Courtney Noonan, Ohio State University. 2. Hayley McGuire, Oregon State University. 3. Beverly Chagnon, University of Findlay. 4. Megan Stiles, St. Andrews Presbyterian College. 5. Jessica Nguyen, Berry College. 6. Heather Vanderbilt, West Texas A & M University.

AQHA Open Western Horsemanship: 1. Katie Morehead, University of Findlay. 2. Kelsey Moody, St. Andrews Presbyterian College. 3. Sara Gibson, Oregon State University. 4. Allie Jones, Berry College. 5. Rachel Olson, West Texas A & M University. 6. Travis Born, Black Hawk College.

2009 IHSA Nationals Western Team Totals: