Campus Equestrian: Zone 6, Region 1 Home Page

IHSA ZONE 6 - REGION 1

What's this? The Bowling Green State western coach posing with a University of Findlay rider after that rider won a class at Nationals? Hayley Mertz of the Oilers is seen here on "Andy," who is also a Findlay horse that was brought to 2025 IHSA Nationals. Mertz, who also calls Findlay, Ohio her hometown, won the individual reining class at Nationals last May 3rd to close out her junior year. If you turn the clock back a few years Mertz rode with Katie Morehead (on left) from fifth through twelfth grade which is why the former Oiler rider (and 2008 IHSA National Champion in the individual western high point rider competition) and current BGSU head coach is in the photo.

Seen here at the March 2nd Lake Erie College show, Melany Duenas Lopez of Albion College was another Region 1 rider who competed at 2025 IHSA Nationals. From Dallas, Texas Duenas Lopez was second in individual introductory equitation at Zone 6 Zones on April 5th to join teammates Carli Kerns and Phoebe Martin as hunter seat qualifiers.

While Morehead coaches the BGSU western team Patty Saunders (on right) has the honor of coaching the Bowling Green State University hunter seaters including Alexis Bashforth (on left). From Columbus, Ohio Bashforth finished the 2024-25 season with hopes of pointing out of both limit flat and intermediate fences in 2025-26.

Several Region 1 coaches are former IHSA riders. Findlay coaches Spencer Zimmerman (western) and Brittany Friesner (hunter seat) both rode for their alma matters as undergraduates. Aubrey Fait (on right) competed for St. Mary of the Woods College but coaches Case Western Reserve University today. On the left is Katherine Berkner of the Spartans, a junior (at the time) from Hokessin, Delaware who was second in limit flat when this photo was taken at that same Lake Erie show on March 2nd.

Kent State University had three riders entered at the March 2nd Lake Erie show (which was the 2024-25 regular season finale). One of the three is Kayla Lembo (on left), a senior from Aurora, Ohio who was also the team president. Seen here with Golden Flashes head coach Tammy Cagno, Lembo was fourth in limit flat that day.

From Arvada, Colorado, Samantha Pierce of Lake Erie College is seen here at 2025 IHSA Nationals prior to competing in the individual intermediate flat. Pierce had placed second in the division at Zones to advance through to Nationals At Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, North Carolina on May 2nd. Pierce closed out her junior year by placing ninth in the division at Nationals that day.

Seen here with head coach Sarah Dwyer, Rylee Cass of Lake Erie College (on right) qualified for 2025 Zones in limit flat. From Rochester, New York, Cass concluded her senior year with the Storm with a fourth in the division in Oxford, Ohio on April 5th.

When this photo was taken at the March 2nd Lake Erie show many of the coaches brought horses and schooled them including Oberlin College hunter seat coach Nichole Archer (on left). Archer is seen here with Alexandra "Lex" Ervin of the Yeowomen. At the time a sophomore from New York City, Ervin was sixth in a class of nine limit over fences riders that day.

Thiel College had only one hunter seat rider entered at the March 2nd Lake Erie Show and she is Emily Martin (on right). Seen here with hunter seat coach Rhonda Pearce the senior from Greenville, Pennsylvania was third in novice equitation that day to score all four of Thiel's points.

From North Ridgeville, Ohio, Christopher Krupka of the University of Akron (on left) poses with head coach Alyssa Huffman at Lake Erie on March 2nd. "I'm just an eventer," he explained after placing third in individual introductory equitation that day to qualify for Regionals. A month later Krupka concluded his junior year with a fourth in the division at Zones hosted by Miami University of Ohio on April 5th.

This photo dates from 2023 IHSA Nationals at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, during which University of Findlay hunter seat coach Brittany Friesner (on left) posed with Marianna George of the Oilers. George was a most consistant jumper that weekend, placing seventh in individual intermediate over fences on May 4th and again seventh in team open over fences two days later. Findlay hunter seat teams have won every region title but one since the current version of Zone 6, Region 1 was created in mid-2010. 2023 Nationals was the Oiler's most recent trip to the year-end event with a full hunter seat team.

Madeline Shafer of the University of Toledo is seen here before placing fourth in individual intermediate on the flat at the March 2nd Lake Erie show. From Monroe, Michigan Shafer would conclude her junior year by placing seventh in individual limit fences at Zones hosted by Miami of Ohio on April 5th.

Sidney Hawk of the University of Findlay (on right) competed in the final class held on day one of 2025 IHSA Nationals. A junior from Massillon, Ohio at the time, Hawk was tenth in team open reining to help the Oilers place fourth overall in the western team competition. Former Findlay rider Spencer Zimmerman (on left) has been the head coach of his alma matter since the fall of 2017. In that time Findlay has fielded two western national championship teams and captured seven of a possible seven western region titles.

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The Zone 6, Region 1 Smorgasbord

Schools which competed in Zone 6, Region 1 during the 2024-2025 school year: Albion College, Bowling Green State University, Case Western Reserve University, Kent State University, Lake Erie College, Oberlin College, Thiel College, University of Akron, University of Findlay and University of Toledo.

Fall 2025 Show Schedule for Zone 6, Region 1

Saturday, September 20 University of Findlay (Host) at the University of Findlay Equine Animal Science Center, Findlay, OH 9:00AM 2 WESTERN ONLY

Saturday, October 25 University of Findlay (Host) at the James L. Child Jr. Equestrian Center (on the East Campus), Findlay, OH 10:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Sunday, October 26 University of Findlay (Host) at the James L. Child Jr. Equestrian Center (on the East Campus), Findlay, OH 10:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Saturday, November 8 Lake Erie College (Host) at Lake Erie College George M. Humphrey Equestrian Center, Concord, OH 10:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Sunday, November 9 Lake Erie College (Host) at Lake Erie College George M. Humphrey Equestrian Center, Concord, OH 10:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Saturday, November 22 University of Findlay (Host) at the University of Findlay Equine Animal Science Center, Findlay, OH 9:00AM 2 WESTERN ONLY

Sunday, November 23 University of Findlay (Host) at the University of Findlay Equine Animal Science Center, Findlay, OH 9:00AM WESTERN ONLY

Saturday, December 6 University of Findlay (Host) at the University of Findlay Equine Animal Science Center, Findlay, OH 9:00AM 2 WESTERN ONLY

Albion College, which had been a member of Zone 6, Region 4 2007-2022, will still show Western in Zone 6, Region 4. Show Schedule subject to change.

Recent Zone 6, Region 1 Team Champions (NOTE: Several schools from Zone 6, Region 3 were moved into Zone 6, Region 1 before the start of the 2010-11 season. Also several schools were moved from Zone 6, Region 1 into Zone 6, Region 2 before the start of the 2010-11 season. Please visit the Zone 6, Region 2 and Zone 6, Region 3 pages for other previous Region Champions)

Hunter Seat:

1997 - Miami University of Ohio
1998 - Miami University of Ohio
1999 - Miami University of Ohio
2000 - Miami University of Ohio
2001 - Miami University of Ohio
2002 - Ohio University (2001-02
IHSA Hunter Seat National Champions)
2003 - Ohio University
2004 - Ohio University
2005 - Ohio State University
2006 - Ohio State University
2007 - Ohio University
2008 - Ohio University
2009 - Ohio University
2010 - Ohio University
2011 - University of Findlay
2012 - University of Findlay
2013 - University of Findlay
2014 - University of Findlay
2015 - University of Findlay
2016 - University of Findlay
2017 - University of Findlay
2018 - University of Findlay
2019 - University of Findlay
2020 - Lake Erie College
2022 - University of Findlay
2023 - University of Findlay
2024 - University of Findlay
2025 - University of Findlay

Western:

1997 - Ohio State University (1996-97
IHSA Western National Champions)
1998 - Ohio State University
1999 - Ohio State University (1998-99
IHSA Western National Champions)
2000 - Ohio State University
2001 - Ohio State University
2002 - Ohio State University (2001-02
IHSA Western National Co-Champions)
2003 - Ohio State University
2004 - Ohio State University
2005 - Ohio State University
2006 - Ohio State University (2005-06
IHSA Western National Champions)
2007 - Ohio State University
2008 - Ohio State University (2007-08
IHSA Western National Champions)
2009 - Ohio State University
2010 - Ohio State University
2011 - University of Findlay
2012 - University of Findlay
2013 - University of Findlay
2014 - University of Findlay
2015 - University of Findlay
2016 - University of Findlay
2017 - University of Findlay
2018 - University of Findlay (2017-18
IHSA Western National Champions)
2019 - University of Findlay (2018-19
IHSA Western National Champions)
2020 - University of Findlay
2022 - University of Findlay
2023 - University of Findlay
2024 - University of Findlay
2025 - University of Findlay

Regional Qualifiers

Open Level Rider Standings

Team Standings

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