Campus Equestrian: Zone 6, Region 4

IHSA ZONE 6 - REGION 4

Eight Western Michgan University riders qualfied for 2024 Hunter Seat Regionals but only Veronica Smith (pictured) qualified twice. The junior from Crystal Lake, Illnois pointed out of open flat and intermediate fences. The Broncos were the Region 4 reserve high point team for the 2023-24 season.

Sarah Hohensee of Oakland University (pictured) was one of many Region 4 riders who sat up close to the action in the Willowbrooke Farm indoor at the January 22, 2023 University of Michigan show when this photo was taken. The senior from Macomb, Michigan was one of two Oakland riders to qualify for Regionals this season, pointing out of novice equitation.

Seen here between her parents at that same January 2023 University of Michigan show is Elena Tabacaru of Grand Valley State University. From Commerce Township, Michigan, Tabacaru finished fourth in the Region 4 hunter seat open rider standings while qualifying for 2024 Regionals in open fences. The Lakers finished fourth overall in the region on the hunter seat side and fifth on the western side.

If you ride in Zone 6, Region 4 and this background does not look familiar do not adjust your phone or laptop. It is because Isabel Porter of the University of Michigan (pictured) is a transfer from Lehigh University, and this photo of Porter is from 2023 Zone 3, Region 4 Regionals at Keystone Horse Center in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. While Porter's 2022-23 season ended with a third in limit fences that day, the junior from Mill Valley, California faired better this season in Zone 6, Region 4. Porter won her intermediate flat class at Regionals on February 24th to secure a ride in the same division at Zone 6 Zones in Westerville, Ohio on April 6th. The Wolverines finished third in the Region 4 hunter seat team standings, only one point behind Western Michigan.

If you think you saw this photo of Colette Bockrath of Michigan State University (on left) and Spartans hunter seat coach Lauren Tucker previously on this site then you are correct. We are re-using it because Bockrath is the region's top hunter seat open rider, finishing ten points ahead of WMU's Smith for the honor. The junior from Rochester, Michigan will compete at Zones in the Cacchione Cup competition while the Spartans will field a full hunter seat team there for the sixth time since the spring of 2017.

From Manchester, Michigan, Carli Kerns of Albion College (on right) won the only individual western class held on the third day of 2023 IHSA Nationals in Lexington, Kentucky. Seen here with Britons western coach Adam D'Agostino, Kerns closed out her sophomore year by winning the individual Level II Western Horsemanship class at AllTech Arena on May 6th. This would be the only time over the four-day event that a Region 4 rider earned a blue ribbon.

A year after Albion College sent a full western team to IHSA Nationals for the first time Adrian College upended Albion for the Zone 6, Region 4 Western Region Title. It would come to pass that the Bulldogs would also advance a full western team to Nationals for the first time in program history, and no Adrian rider would be as busy at 2023 Nationals as Lori Girrbach (on left, with her Mother). From Tipton, Michigan, Girrbach rode in four classes. While she was out of the ribbons in team open reining Girrbach was third in individual open western horsemanship, fifth in team open western horsemanship and fourth in the individual high point open rider competition which determines the top IHSA western rider for the season.

Only one Region 4 hunter seat rider advanced through Zones to 2023 IHSA Nationals. The top three in the Cacchione Cup division at Zones advance through to Nationals. Lauren LaClair of Oakland University (on right, with head coach Amy Latsch) was third in the division to reach Lexington and the Cacchione class which determines the top IHSA hunter seat rider for the year. If you are wondering how LaClair and Girrbach earned the right to compete in these top open divisions the criteria is simple. The hunter seat rider with the most combined open flat and fences points for the season within a given region represents that region at Zones in the Cacchione class. The western rider with the most combined open reining and rail points for the season within a given region goes directly to Nationals to represent that region in the individual high point open rider class.

There were two Region 4 western riders in the individual level II western class at 2023 IHSA Nationals last May 6th. Though Kerns of Albion won Annelise Bedell of Saginaw Valley State University had the distinction of beating Kerns at the Florida Semifinal on March 18th. From Niles, Michigan, Bedell (on right) poses with head coach Michelle Entorf at AllTech Arena in Lexington roughly seven weeks after winning the blue ribbon in Level II at Semifinals (Kerns was second at the Semifinal).

While Kerns and Bedell competed in individual level II Hayley Whelan of Adrian College competed in Team Level II Western earlier in the day on May 6th. From Tecumseh, Michigan, Whelan (on right) is seen here with Bulldogs co-coach Troy Prime, who was coaching a full western team at an IHSA Nationals event for the first time. Whelan closed out her senior year with a seventh in team Level II.

Do you think Emily Brooks of Albion College (on left) knows she made IHSA history at 2023 Nationals? It would be easy to understand if no one told her, for few would notice the unique place in history she holds outright for the moment. Earlier we mentioned that Oakland's Lauren LaClair was the only Region 4 hunter seat rider to compete at 2023 IHSA Nationals. But Brooks of Albion was tenth in individual introductory equitation at Nationals on May 5th so she was clearly entered. But there is a catch: Prior to the start of the 2022-23 season Albion's hunter seat team was moved from Zone 6, Region 4 to Zone 6, Region 1 to balance out rider numbers. The Western team remained in Region 4. From Wyandotte, Michigan, Brooks reached 2023 Nationals individually in both individual introductory equitation and beginner western horsemanship, placing seventh in the latter at Nationals on May 7th. So western coach Adam D'Agostino (on right) can say for the moment that his intro rider is the only rider in IHSA history to compete at an IHSA Nationals event representing two different regions and placing in the top ten from each.

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The Zone 6, Region 4 Smorgasbord

Schools competing in Zone 6, Region 4 during the 2023-2024 school year: Adrian College, Central Michigan University, Ferris State University, Grand Valley State University, Hillsdale College, Kalamazoo College, Michigan State University, Oakland University, Saginaw Valley State University, University of Michigan, Wayne State University and Western Michigan University.

Winter/Spring 2024 Show Schedule for Zone 6, Region 4:

Saturday, January 20 University of Michigan (Host) at Willowbroke Farm, Plymouth, MI 10:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Sunday, January 21 University of Michigan (Host) at Willowbroke Farm, Plymouth, MI 10:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Sunday, January 28 Michigan State University (Host) on campus at the Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education, Lansing, MI 9:00AM 2 WESTERN ONLY

Saturday, February 3 Oakland University/Wayne State University (Co-Hosts) at Fox Pointe Equestrian Center, Ira Township, MI 10:30AM ENGLISH ONLY

Saturday, February 10 Albion College (Host) at the Nancy G. Held Equestrian Center, Albion, MI 11:00AM WESTERN ONLY

Sunday, February 11 Albion College (Host) at the Nancy G. Held Equestrian Center, Albion, MI 9:00AM WESTERN ONLY

Saturday, February 24 Zone 6, Region 4 Hunter Seat Regionals at Fox Pointe Equestrian Center, Ira Township, MI Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Saturday, March 2 Zone 6, Region 4 Western Regionals at the Midland County Fairgrounds, Midland, MI Time TBA WESTERN ONLY

Saturday, March 23 WESTERN SEMIFINALS - DAY 1 at the Nancy G. Held Equestrian Center, Albion, MI Time TBA WESTERN ONLY

Sunday, March 24 WESTERN SEMIFINALS - DAY 2 at the Nancy G. Held Equestrian Center, Albion, MI Time TBA WESTERN ONLY

Saturday, April 6 ZONE 6 ZONES Hosted by Otterbein University at the Austin E. Knowlton Center for Equine Science, Westerville, OH Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Friday through Sunday, May 3 - 5 IHSA NATIONALS at Tryon International Equestrian Center, Mill Spring, NC Time each day TBA ENGLISH AND WESTERN

Albion College, officially a member of Zone 6, Region 1 for Hunter Seat, competes in Region 4 for Western. Show Schedule subject to change.

Recent Region 4 Team Champions (Region 4 formed from part of Zone 6, Region 3 prior to the 2007-08 season)

Hunter Seat:

2008 - University of Michigan
2009 - Michigan State University
2010 - Michigan State University
2011 - University of Michigan
2012 - Grand Valley State University
2013 - Albion College
2014 - Albion College
2015 - Western Michigan University
2016 - Western Michigan University
2017 - Michigan State University
2018 - Michigan State University
2019 - Michigan State University
2020 - Michigan State University
2022 - Michigan State University
2023 - Western Michigan University
2024 - Michigan State University

Western:

2008 - Michigan State University
2009 - Michigan State University
2010 - Grand Valley State University
2011 - Grand Valley State University
2012 - Michigan State University
2013 - Grand Valley State University
2014 - Albion College
2015 - Grand Valley State University
2016 - Grand Valley State University
2017 - Grand Valley State University
2018 - Grand Valley State University
2019 - Albion College
2020 - Albion College
2022 - Albion College
2023 - Adrian College
2024 - Albion College

Regional Qualifiers

Open Level Rider Standings

Team Standings

ZONE 6 NEIGHBORS

Region 1 Homepage

Region 2 Homepage

Region 3 Homepage