Campus Equestrian: Zone 6, Region 4

IHSA ZONE 6 - REGION 4

In 2025-26 Albion College captured their third straight Region 4 Western Region Title and sixth in the past seven seasons. The Britons also sent a full western team to IHSA Nationals where they captured seventh place with 26.5 points. Western coach Nikki McColley (on right) is seen here with Madison Weedon, who was the busiest Briton at '26 Nationals. From Paw Paw, Michigan, Weedon kicked off the three day weekend with a third in individual ranch riding on May 1st; was sixth in individual open horsemanship two classes later and finally fourth in team open horsemanship in the final class of the day on May 3rd to close out her senior year.

In 2025-26 Michigan State University captured their ninth Region 4 English Region Title since 2009. Head coach Lauren Tucker (on left) is seen here at 2026 IHSA Nationals on May 1st with Maddi Siwik, a Spartan freshman from Rochester, New York who was second in individual limit on the flat at Zone 6 Zones on March 28th to advance to Nationals. Riders need 36 points in a specific division just to qualify for Regionals. Region 4 held only seven regular season hunter seat shows this season which means Siwik scored at least 36 of a possible 49 points in the limit flat which is not an easy thing to do.

Campus Equestrian nomrally mentions the first and last names of each rider at IHSA Nationals as listed in the Nationals program. However when we met Gopher Warwick of Adrian College (on right, with Western coach Jody Prime) he was still in high school, attending a show with his parents to see his older brother Robert ride for Albion at 2022 Nationals. While he has been listed in IHSA show programs for four seasons by his birth name of Christopher he and his parents will tell you everyone knows him as Gopher. The youngest of the two sons of David and Brenda Warwick was fourth in the individual high point open rider division at the Murray, Kentucky Semifinal on March 22nd to continue his senior year on to Nationals where this photo was taken.

Seen here at the Region 4 hunter seat season opener at Cedar Lodge Stables in Lawrence, Michigan last October 25th, Aliva Johnson of Michigan State University was the only English open rider in the region to compete at Zone 6 Zones at Willowbroke Farm in Plymouth, Michigan on March 28th. The senior from Clarkston, Michigan represented Region 4 at Zones in the Cacchione Cup classes while also entered in both of the individual open classes and the team open over fences division. Johnson's best ribbon at Zones was a third in team open over fences.

If you watched the Western classes at 2026 IHSA Nationals you might know that Alyssa McPhersen of Albion College was third in individual rookie western horsemanship on May 2nd. But this photo of McPhersen with a similar yellow ribbon was taken at 2025 IHSA Nationals, after the then-freshman from Ithaca, Michigan was third in team rookie western horsemanship on May 4th of that year. McPhersen briefly had Albion in the lead at 2026 IHSA Nationals, winning the team level I western class on May 1st which was also the first of the seven western team classes held at '26 Nationals.

While the Spartans' Johnson was the Region 4 high point hunter seat rider in 2025-26 Madison LaPine of the University of Michigan had the honor the previous season. On opening day fall 2025 when Kalamazoo College hosted on October 25th LaPine had the chance to wear her new official IHSA jacket. What LaPine is pointing to says "IHSA Zone 6, Region 4 High Point Rider 2024-25." Shortly after this photo was taken the senior from Tallahassee, Florida won the first class of the show, taking the blue ribbon in open fences.

While LaPine won the first class on October 25th at Cedar Lodge the tenth class went to Lauren Chesla of Michigan State. Seen here between her parents, the senior from Marquette, Michigan was a blue ribbon winner in limit flat. Earlier in the day Chesla was second in limit fences, and as a result was part of a three-way ride-off for high point rider. (Editor's note: The first seven photos and captions on this page were written on August 8, 2026 while the following seven photos date from late 2025. The remaining captions were written in late 2025 save for the Oakland caption which was written in February of 2026.)

In the second class of the day at the season opener hosted by Kalamazoo College on October 25th Serabi Francis of the University of Michigan (pictured) became the first Zone 6, Region 4 hunter seat rider to qualify for Regionals in 2025-26. A senior from Bangor, Pennsylvania, Francis won the lone section of intermediate fences (a class made up of ten riders) to point out of the division. The Wolverines scored 31 points that day for reserve high point team honors.

If you went to Western Michigan University over the past 20 years and competed on their equestrian team you were most definitely coached by a member of the Stewart family. Rob Stewart (not pictured) has been the head coach of the Broncos for the past 20 seasons, and in 2025-26 you can expect to see his daughter Emily (on right) coaching the team at IHSA shows. Both Emily and her sister Katie have been members of the WMU team as well as the show coach over the past ten seasons. On the left is Sophia Simoni, a senior from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan who placed third in intermediate flat for the Broncos on October 25th. Western Michigan has captured three Region 4 Region Titles over the past eleven seasons, advancing a full hunter seat team to Zones in 2015, 2016 and 2023.

Grand Valley State University finished third with 26 points on October 25th. Lakers head coach Angie Barnes (on left) is seen here with Isabella Walker, who placed third in limit fences that day. A junior from Commerce Township, Michigan, Walker thought she was on pace to qualify for Regionals over fences during the third show.

Oakland University head coach Aimee Latsch (on left) is seen here with Allison Branscum of the Golden Grizzlies. During the October 25th Kalamazoo show the junior from Lansing, Michigan said she was a few points away from qualifying for Regionals in novice equitation. Branscum went on to qualify in the division while Oakland was high point team at the February 7th show they co-hosted with Wayne State.

Latsch also coaches Wayne State University. When Kalamazoo hosted the season opener two members of the Warriors were entered, with one of them being Izzy Okumura. A sophomore from Northville, Michigan, Okumura (pronounced "Oak-ah-more-ah") shows off the Wayne State team jacket before placing second in limit fences that day. Okumura is qualified for Regionals in both limit divisions.

Three members of the Central Michigan University team attended the October 25th Kalamazoo show with two competing. Mel Stoner (on left), a sophomore from Grand Rapids, Michigan was sixth in novice equitation while Meghan Bonney (on right), a sophomore also from Grand Rapids won the lone section of pre-novice ahead of nine other riders. Bonney is the only returning rider from CMU's 2024-25 season. In the middle is Lillian Bishop of the Chippewas, who did not compete on the 25th but certainly helped get everyone ready for their classes.

Michigan State University head coach Lauren Tucker (on left) has led the Spartan's hunter seat team to six region titles in the past eight seasons as well as Region 4's only full hunter seat team to advance to an IHSA Nationals event (in 2017). Tucker is seen here with Miranda Kelly, a junior from Chicago, Illinois who needed only one more point following the 10/25 Kalamazoo show to qualify for Regionals in limit fences. The Spartans came from behind to win 34-31 over the Wolverines, helped by winning five of the nine flat classes on October 25th.

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The Zone 6, Region 4 Smorgasbord

Schools which competed in Zone 6, Region 4 during the 2025-2026 school year: Adrian College, Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University; Ferris State University, Grand Valley State University, Hillsdale College, Kalamazoo College, Michigan State University, Oakland University, Saginaw Valley State University, Siena Heights University, University of Michigan, Wayne State University and Western Michigan University.

Winter/Spring 2026 Show Schedule for Zone 6, Region 4:

Saturday, January 24 University of Michigan (Host) at Willowbroke Farm, Plymouth, MI 10:30AM ENGLISH ONLY

Sunday, January 25 University of Michigan (Host) at Willowbroke Farm, Plymouth, MI 10:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Sunday, January 25 Michigan State University (Host) on campus at the Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education, Lansing, MI 9:00AM 2 WESTERN ONLY

Saturday, February 7 Oakland University/Wayne State University (Co-Hosts) at Fox Pointe Equestrian Center, Fair Haven, MI 11:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Saturday, February 14 Albion College (Host) at the Nancy G. Held Equestrian Center, Albion, MI 9:00AM WESTERN ONLY

Sunday, February 15 Albion College (Host) at the Nancy G. Held Equestrian Center, Albion, MI 9:00AM WESTERN ONLY

Saturday, February 28 Zone 6, Region 4 Hunter Seat Regionals at Willowbroke Farm, Plymouth, MI Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Saturday, March 7 Zone 6, Region 4 Western Regionals at Midland County Fairgrounds, Midland, MI Time TBA WESTERN ONLY

Saturday, March 21 WESTERN SEMIFINALS - DAY 1 Hosted by Murray State University at the William "Bill" Cherry Ag Exposition Center, Murray, KY Time TBA WESTERN ONLY

Sunday, March 22 WESTERN SEMIFINALS - DAY 2 Hosted by Murray State University at the William "Bill" Cherry Ag Exposition Center, Murray, KY Time TBA WESTERN ONLY

Saturday, March 28 ZONE 6 ZONES at Willowbroke Farm, Plymouth, MI 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

Additional Show Dates to come. 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
2025 - University of Michigan
2026 - 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
2025 - Albion College
2026 - Albion College

Regional Qualifiers

Open Level Rider Standings

Team Standings

ZONE 6 NEIGHBORS

Region 1 Homepage

Region 2 Homepage

Region 3 Homepage