Kyla Makhloghi of Mount Holyoke College (on horse) won an individual class, a team class and came in second in the Cacchione Cup all in less than 24 hours at 2005 IHSA Nationals in Sunbury, Ohio May 6th and 7th. Zone 1 riders could claim two of the eight individual hunter seat blue ribbons, but their neighbors to the west faired slightly better.

ZONE 2 SNARES FOUR HUNTER SEAT INDIVIDUAL BLUE RIBBONS

Sunbury, OH - There are eight individual hunter seat classes held at IHSA Nationals. Ranging from Beginner Walk-Trot-Canter to Open Fences, each individual class is made up of eighteen riders, all of whom managed to place in the top two (or in some cases, the top three) at Regionals and then follow that ride up with a first or second at Zones. In some cases, a school with a large program and a lengthy riding history may qualify four or five riders to compete in the individual hunter seat divisions. For many others, a National qualifier is a rare joy, with some schools lucky if they qualify someone once in a decade.

In theory 144 different undergraduate hunter seat riders could qualify individually, though someone always seems to qualify in more than one division. Nine riders could make that claim in 2004-05, with two of these nine capitalizing by winning a blue ribbon their second time out.

2005 IHSA Nationals took place at Eden Park Equestrian Complex in Sunbury, Ohio. For the second season in a row Nationals was spread out over the course of four days, with opening day (May 5th) made up purely of hunter seat divisions, days two and three made up of a combination of hunter seat and stock seat divisions, and day four (May 8th) made up purely of stock seat. With each passing year the National show seems to have gotten longer and longer, with the Friday and Saturday schedules running past 9:00PM in '02, '03 and '04.

To the surprise of many, 2005 Nationals would run much faster than any National show since perhaps 1998 (which ironically was the first three-day National show). The all-english opening day schedule of eleven Individual, Team and Cacchione Cup classes started one minute earlier than in 2004, and ended 39 minutes earlier. This trend would continue every day bar none, with riders and spectators alike able to get back to their hotels in broad daylight. Some in attendance felt the show ran more efficiently. Others felt the ring was not dragged as often as the previous three seasons, reducing down time.

Whatever the cause may have been, the hunter seat portion of the show flew by in a hurry. Heather Hurst of Hollins had the distinction of being the first rider in the ring to start 2005 IHSA Nationals, passing through the in-gate at 8:50AM on Thursday morning. Hurst was first in the order of go over individual intermediate fences, and would ultimately fair well in the ribbons (this marked the sixth year in a row that an intermediate fences division started IHSA Nationals. From 2000-03 the show started with team intermediate fences, with individual intermediate opening last year's show - Editor).

Intermediate fences, like almost every hunter seat division, was completed in under an hour's time. The class was tested, with four riders called back. All riders who competed at 2005 Nationals received participation ribbons upon registering for the show, so the next goal would be to receive a ribbon for tenth place or above. Megan Bowers of the University of Connecticut had the honor of being the first rider announced over the public address system, receiving a tenth. Ashley DiBongrazio was the first of three Centenary College riders to participate on opening day, and received ninth for her effort. Zone 6 Zones champion Miami of Ohio had five riders spread out across the eight individual classes, with Sarah Zichi earning the first of the red hawk ribbons with an eighth. UCLA's Sarah Phaklides, who had placed second in individual intermediate flat a year ago, was seventh over the fences this go-round. Lauren Brown was the first of three Berry College riders to participate in the hunter seat divisions, and placed sixth. Though Cornell Coach Chris Mitchell missed Zone 2 Zones to be with the other Cornell Coach (wife Martha had a baby that very day), his Mother Mary Jane Mitchell filled in (she coached Marymount College throughout the 1990's) and guided three big red riders to Nationals, including senior Gillian Pech, who placed fifth here. Karen Dennehy was one of the four riders tested, and the Sweet Briar senior finished her IHSA era with a fourth. Hurst was third while University of Vermont senior Rachel Bertsch earned the reserve ribbon. Bertsch was one of the nine riders who qualified twice individually, and would ride again on Saturday in the individual intermediate on the flat.

Purdue junior Cameo Parrish (on horse) won the first class of 2005 IHSA Nationals, the individual intermediate over fences. Boilermaker Head Coach Jerry Steinmetz (right) encourages others to take a picture of his winning rider. By the end of the show, one of Jerry's horses would win an award too!

Readers who saw this story prior to June 25th would have read that, following the class, Purdue junior Cameo Parrish had apparently left her cell phone on en route to the winner's circle. Not true! Parrish, the first rider from Zone 9 to win a hunter seat individual class at Nationals since the Zone was created in mid-2002, was actually handed Purdue Head Coach Jerry Steinmetz's phone (teammate Krista Steinmetz, who is also Coach Steinmetz's daughter, had called to wish Parrish congratulations), which explains why she was on a cell phone yet was also mounted on her draw just outside the winner's circle (The Campus Equestrian editor would like to apologize to the 2005 individual intermediate over fences champion for our inaccurate statements and wish to clarify that at no time did Parrish have a cell phone in her possession while competing). Purdue Head Coach Jerry Steinmetz was elated with the outcome, and told the junior from Naperville, Illinois that although "you didn't give a chance on the rollback to fence G you nailed your distances."

Following team novice fences, the individual open over fences took place. After everyone had their turn (no refusals in any divisions up to this point) three riders were tested. When it was over tenth place went to Miami of Ohio sophomore Jennifer Hutson, who was one of eleven riders in the class who coincidentally would compete for the Cacchione Cup over the next two days. Ninth place went to Kyla Makhloghi of Mount Holyoke, who would ride several more times at 2005 Nationals and improve mightily on this placing. The University of Kentucky's Diana Glenney may have finished third in the Zone 6, Region 2 open rider standings behind Hutson and wildcat teammate Katie Maston, but she won the division at Zone 6 Zones and was two places better than Hutson here. Stacey Helgren of the University of Wisconsin at Madison was seventh while Erika Jewell from defending National Champion Hunter Seat Team Virginia Intermont College was sixth. Surprisingly, only two Virginia Intermont riders qualified for Nationals on an individual basis, though it should be noted they were already leading in team points as Kristina Macey was victorious in team novice fences less than an hour earlier. Texas A & M senior Stephanie Glass would get several chances at a blue ribbon, as the aggie would ride in two individual classes, two team classes and the Cacchione Cup Competition. Champion of this division at Zone 7 Zones, Glass's fifth here would start a trend where she finished in the ribbons at 2005 Nationals every time. The rider in fourth place had the distinction of riding for three teams in two full seasons. Paige Hortman spent the fall of 2003 at Delaware Valley College, then took courses at Utah Valley State College throughout the calendar year 2004, and then transferred again, this time to Oklahoma State for the Spring 2005 semester. Along the way she was the Zone 3, Region 2 Cacchione representative last season (placing tenth), an english and western regional qualifier in 2004-05, second to Glass at Zone 7 Zones and the fourth-best open over fences rider in the country this season. Washington & Lee junior Caitlin Lane was one of the three riders tested, and was the first to hear Bradley announce her name, earning third place. Jordan Siegel of Savannah College of Art & Design had her best outing of the entire show, earning the reserve ribbon. Both Siegel and Jewell have a chance to join 2004 University of San Diego graduate Kate De Kraay as four-time IHSA Nationals Cacchione Cup Riders if both return to the division next season. Siegel's resume at Nationals now shows a first and a second in individual open flat, a second and a third in individual open over fences, and third in the 2003 Cacchione Cup Competition. Siegel did see one streak broken on April 9th, when she did not make the top two at Zone 5 Zones in individual open flat. This is the only time in three seasons Siegel has not qualified for an individual open level hunter seat division at IHSA Nationals.

Just as a midwesterner won the intermediate fences, another would win open. However this winner goes to school in the Northeast. Skidmore sophomore Ashley Woodhouse was awarded the individual open over fences championship, but the Minneapolis, Minnesota resident would be heard from again in a big way before the hunter seat classes were completed.

Individual novice fences followed, with at least six riders who were the lone representatives of their respective schools to qualify for Nationals. Unlike the open and intermediate fences divisions, there was no further testing following each rider's jumping round. Tenth place went to Amanda Phillips of James Madison, who was the lone rider from the Harrisonburg, Virginia school to qualify for Nationals this season. Theresa DeLucca of the University of Delaware was ninth. DeLucca was the only hunter seat rider from the Newark, Delaware school to reach Nationals, though stock seat rider Ryan Pepper did qualify in advanced western horsemanship and coincidentally placed ninth in her division. Colorado State had a large contingent of riders at Nationals, but when Lindsey Bradshaw of the rams placed eighth some wondered if they would see the school ever place again. Early in the spring the administration at Colorado State decided to eliminate the equestrian team following the 2004-05 season. The equine science program will remain but for reasons that are not clear the restructuring of the program will allow the school to pursue other areas of the curriculum but sadly not with an equestrian team. As it would turn out, Bradshaw was not the last ram to earn a ribbon above the participation level. Bradshaw and Lindsay Barton of Miami of Ohio had something in common: Both would ride a second time in individual novice flat. Barton placed seventh while Berry College senior Sarah Bosko earned what would be the final individual hunter seat ribbon of the show for the vikings with a sixth. Fresno State qualified for both the english and western team competitions. However Leyla Mundy was the only bulldog hunter seat rider to qualify individually. The senior from Santa Barbara, California placed fifth in what would be her next-to-last ride as an undergraduate. Cornell sophomore Laura Acker outdid teammate Pech by placing a spot higher here. Nora Harris of Virginia Intermont was third but would improve on the placing when competing in team novice flat later in the day. The reserve rider had the unusual distinction of residing in the same town where she goes to college. Georgia Southern sophomore Delia Neville is one of five eagle riders to come from Statesboro (sophomore Jenna Allen, who was the only other Georgia Southern 2005 hunter seat qualifer, ironically is also from Statesboro). Neville's reserve ribbon is the highest (or at least tied for highest) placing ever for a Georgia Southern rider at IHSA Nationals.

For the second division in a row the blue ribbon went to a rider from a Zone 2 school. Centenary College sophomore Jennifer Januzis won the division, helping the cyclones tie an IHSA record in the process. If you checked the record books prior to 2005 Nationals you would find that every individual hunter seat division offered at IHSA Nationals (including alumni) could claim at least one Centenary rider as the National Champion, except novice fences! The Bayonne, New Jersey resident gave Centenary at least one individual champion in every division, something that only Saint Lawrence University had accomplished up to this point (several schools including Mount Holyoke and Virginia Intermont are one division shy of equaling the number at the undergraduate level). Centenary has a shot at an even more prestigious record in 2005-06. The cyclones were Zone 2, Region 1 high point hunter seat team for the sixteenth season in a row, as was Colorado State in Zone 7, Region 1. Both schools tied the State University of New York (now referred to as Stony Brook University) for most consecutive IHSA Hunter Seat Region Titles, a feat the seawolves had accomplished between the 1979-80 and 1994-95 seasons. With Colorado State not expected to field a hunter seat team in 2005-06, only a dozen or so teams in Zone 2, Region 1 will have a chance to keep the cyclones from setting a new all-time consecutive region title streak next season.

Several hours later the individual novice flat took place, sandwiched between both flat heats for the Cacchione Cup. The flat classes would follow a pattern where riders would walk, trot and canter in one direction, then reverse and repeat these steps. At some point the riders would be asked to line up and eight individuals would be excused. Then more walking, trotting and cantering would take place. As a result of the elimination of eight riders, the top ten would be lined up to receive their ribbons, with the last rider in the ring aware that she (or he) would be the champion. Tenth place went to UCLA's Melissa Mueller, who was one of three bruin riders to qualify individually. Zone 8, Region 4 had only one hunter seat individual national qualifier last season; Ali Hull of the University of Washington was the fourth rider in four classes to compete from the region this season, and the first to make the top ten with a ninth. Oklahoma State freshman Michelle Woolschlager was eighth while Kelsey Gilmore of College of Charleston was seventh. Though Caitlin Lane tends to qualify for Nationals on a regular basis, Washington & Lee had a second Nationals qualifier in Natalia Maxwell, who won the division at Zone 4 Zones April 8th and finished sixth today. Kane Ramsey of the University of Mary Washington had placed second to Maxwell at Zones but bested her by a placing here. Up to this point riders from Zone 2, Region 3 were top five or better individually. Skidmore sophomore Courtney Clark kept this streak going with a fourth. Prior to 2004 Nationals Yale University had not advanced a rider to the Championship show in over a decade. Not only did Yale have a rider (who rode twice) at 2004 Nationals, the bulldogs had two riders at 2005 Nationals, each of which placed inside the top three. Yale junior Elizabeth Gerber was third while reserve went to Rebecca 'Becky' Osinga of Mount Ida College. A senior from Spring Valley, New York, Osinga was the only qualifier from a Mount Ida Team that came within ten points of becoming Zone 1, Region 2 high point team for the first time (Osinga was the only Zone 1, Region 2 individual qualifer other than Bertsch at the National show. This Region averaged 4.67 points per class, tops in the country if only for three divisions!).

She had placed seventh over novice fences (and had finished out of the ribbons in team intermediate fences). Lindsay Barton's third ride of the day was her best at 2005 Nationals. The Miami of Ohio sophomore from Wilmette, Illinois took the blue in novice flat. Though one might get the impression that Barton was the third midwestener to place first in an individual class it should be taken with a grain of salt, as Barton has lived in several eastern states (as well as four places in Illinois) over the past 20 years.

The final individual class of day one was advanced walk-trot-canter. Many of the riders that reach Nationals in this division and in walk-trot come from teams that may not have been high point for the year in their given region. Only five of the eighteen riders this season could also claim their school had a full hunter seat team in attendance. However a quality program is a quality program, and four of the five schools who did have a full team in attendance saw their riders nail down placings inside the top seven in this division.

Tenth place was awarded to Tara Davies of Kutztown. The golden bears did not win their region this season but did so last year and had two more riders qualified to ride later in the show. Ninth went to Amy Shepherd, who was the lone Midway College hunter seat rider to reach Nationals. University of Maryland senior Katie Lawery was eighth in her final undergraduate ride while Ashlean McKenna, who had ridden in the team walk-trot-canter last season, was seventh for Texas A & M. Kelly Balk was the third and final Centenary College rider at 2005 Nationals, placing sixth. Though Centenary was Zone 2, Region 1 high point team in 2004-05, the cyclones were eliminated at Zone 2 Zones. Fifth went to Marie Hilliard of Mount Holyoke College, who had earned the exact same placing for the lyons four classes earlier in team novice flat. The rider in fourth place was perhaps the most successful non-open level rider at IHSA Nationals over the past four seasons. Oklahoma State's April Peck could claim to be riding at Nationals for the sixth time in four seasons when competing today. The senior from Coweta, Oklahoma had placed second in team beginner western in 2002, sixth in team walk-trot and fourth in individual beginner western in 2003, first in both team novice western and individual intermediate western in 2004 and fourth in individual advanced walk-trot-canter today. Peck, who only once in four years failed to survive Zones in a given individual division (third in individual walk-trot at 2004 Zone 7 Zones) would miss out on a ribbon three days later in individual novice western, so the fourth was her final IHSA undergraduate ribbon, and her best showing in a hunter seat class at IHSA Nationals. Like Gerber earlier in the day, Gypsy Moore of Yale earned a third, the sophomore from Oakland, California being the fourth of six Ivy League riders who would place fifth or higher in some sort of hunter seat class at 2005 Nationals. Reserve went to Ashley Gallo, a University of Findlay sophomore from Des Plaines, Illinois who had finished second in team advanced walk-trot-canter at 2004 Nationals.

One of the hazzards of digital cameras is dust particles sometimes show up in the picture. Behind several dust particles is Kate Fegan of Skidmore College, who was one of four Zone 2 riders to win an individual class at 2005 Nationals. The thoroughbred sophomore from Ionia, New York won the individual walk-trot-canter division.

Time in the seat may have been beneficial to some on this day, for Katherine 'Kate' Fegan of Skidmore had placed out of the ribbons in team novice flat earlier, then went on to win this division outright. The sophomore from Ionia, New York was the second individual champion in a row to improve on an earlier placing. After one day of competition Zone 2 riders could claim three of the five individual blue ribbons, with Skidmore sophomores holding two of them.

Day two of IHSA Nationals was made up of twelve classes, the most of any of the four days. However only the eighth class was individual hunter seat. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the individual walk-trot division is that if Mike Viscusi of Saint Andrews Presbyterian College and Sarah 'Addie' McKinney of University of Virginia were not freshman (their year of graduation is unknown - Editor) then none of the eighteen participants were first-year students. In fact at least thirteen walk-trot entries positively rode within the IHSA during the 2003-04 season. What this tells us is that most first-year walk-trot riders (who had virtually no riding experience before enrolling) need more than a season to master the gait if they want to make it through both Regionals and Zones. Most seasons you can find at least one walk-trot rider in every region who is new to the sport and goes on to have a phenomenal regular season. Then when Regionals arrive many of these riders underperform and miss out on Zones. It appears the riders who start slowly fair best when left to develop over two seasons. Strange through it may sound there has been a movement to remove the walk-trot division from 'official' class status, which would mean that the lowest level that would count towards the post-season would be Advanced Walk-Trot-Canter. Some schools with large programs have been known to struggle trying to find a walk-trotter, which can be embarassing if you have an elite team but no one in the beginner division. Other schools have an abundance of beginners, in most cases due to the club nature and 'do-it-yourself' attitude that prevails at the majority of schools with IHSA teams.

In 2005 the division was most definitely official, and tenth place went to Katherine 'Katie' Humphreys of Findlay, one of at least seven sophomores in the class. Humphreys placed sixth at Nationals last season in the team walk-trot division. Ninth was awarded to Viscusi while eighth went to Kathryn Wanner, the lone member of Zone 8, Region 2 reserve high point team University of California at San Diego to reach Nationals. McKinney was seventh while Kim Foley of Stonehill (who rode for the chieftains in the team competition two seasons ago when they won the National Championship) was sixth. Oklahoma State senior Laryn Burns earned a fifth in her final IHSA undergraduate ride while Ashley Boiano of Ohio University was fourth. Boiano was one of only two undergraduate hunter seat riders from Zone 6, Region 1 to survive Zones and compete in an individual class at Nationals. Cornell sophomore Rita Mizrahi gave the Ivy League its' third yellow ribbon in six classes with a third (Coach Chris Mitchell was in attendance at all Nationals classes, and was in fact back at the office when Cornell placed fourth at the Ivy League Invitational on April 16th). Penn State sophomore Rebecca 'Becky' Daily was second, earning the highest individual undergraduate hunter seat ribbon for any Zone 3 school since Allison Bond of Bucknell won individual walk-trot in 2000 (if the proposed Zone 3 realignment goes through both Penn State and Bucknell would be in the same region once again come fall of '05).

A couple of alumni had done it, but not since Jamie Gerardi won the individual open flat in 1989 had a University of Connecticut undergraduate won a class at Nationals. University of Connecticut junior Caroline Gottschalk (right, with huskies Head Coach Janice Callahan) put an end to that streak with a win in individual walk-trot on May 6th.

Up to this point the contingent from the University of Connecticut was not in the best of spirits. The huskies, making their first appearance as a team at Nationals since 1992, were one of only two hunter seat teams without a point in the team competition at that moment. Though it was only an individual class, Caroline Gottschalk certainly brought the huskies some attention. The junior from New Haven, Connecticut won the division, which caused the UConn faithful to cheer as loudly as any school with a full hunter seat team in attendance did all weekend. Head Coach Janice Callahan was the first to great Gottschalk out of the ring, very happy that the huskies had their first undergraduate individual national champion since Jamie Gerardi won individual open fences sixteen years earlier.

By the time the next individual class was entering the ring, UConn had scored a point in the team competition, Virginia Intermont had repeated as hunter seat National Champions, the Cacchione Cup had gone to Ashley Woodhouse and the Parade of Teams had already taken place. It was 12:05PM on a Saturday afternoon in Sunbury when the individual intermediate on the flat got underway, with no less than four riders with a similar sounding first name destined to be in the top ten. One of these riders would also be the first to receive a re-ride during the National show. Catherine Woglom of Murray State initially drew a horse named 'Pablum,' who apparently was off a bit once inside the ring. Racers Head Coach Sue Robinson first asked the re-ride table if someone could keep an eye on Woglom's draw, then returned moments later to ask for a re-ride (people on walkie-talkies in the judge's booth knew which horse the re-ride table was talking about the minute they were asked to 'keep an eye'). In total contrast to all requests for re-rides requested up to this point, the stewards immediately pulled the horse and got a new one for Woglom. Though the class essentially had to be run twice, Esau and Ashe must have known what they were looking for, as the class was pinned exactly 30 minutes after it had started. Tenth place went to Katherine Klepper of the University of Mary Washington. Few in Zone 4, Region 1 probably knew her first name is Katherine, as she has always been known in Regular Season programs as "K.D. Klepper." Clemson senior Ashley Kinsey had placed fourth in individual novice fences at 2004 Nationals but went out with a ninth place ribbon here. Hannah Stonefield of Saint Lawrence had placed fourth in team intermediate fences a day earlier but settled for eighth here. The saints finished in a tie for fifth overall in the 2005 team competition, scoring a healthy twelve points. With her re-ride Woglum took seventh while Cathrine Tauscher (no 'e' between the 'h' and the 'r') earned the next-to-last ribbon of the season for 2005 Reserve National Champion Team Mount Holyoke College with a sixth. The lyons scored 30 team points, putting them four behind Virginia Intermont but fourteen ahead of third place Miami of Ohio. Maire Baird of Oklahoma State earned the final hunter seat ribbon of the season and her final undergraduate ribbon for the cowgirls with a fifth. From Cincinnati, Ohio, Baird was one of eighteen seniors on the 2004-05 combined english/western Oklahoma State roster (the official Oklahoma State website had the complete roster at 63 riders but omitted Hortman, probably because she transferred in mid-season - Editor). While she could not walk from her dorm to Eden Park, the rider who placed fourth likely had the shortest drive to the show. Though Ohio State is in the heart of Columbus, Otterbein College is slightly to the north (and in a different region!). Sasha Hill was the lone Otterbein rider to compete at 2005 Nationals, and the junior was high into the ribbons with a fourth. Bertsch was the only rider to qualify in both individual intermediate divisions this season, placing one spot below her over fences effort with a third. The fourth and final rider with a name that sounds like Katherine or Cathrine was Saint Andrews Presbyterian College senior Katherine DeLucas. DeLucas, referred to in the 2004 Nationals program as 'Katie,' was third in individual novice flat last season and one place higher this time around.

On April 9th she became the first Stevens Institute rider ever to qualify for IHSA Nationals. On May 7th she became the first Stevens Institute rider ever to win a class at IHSA Nationals! Kerri Rettig rode 'Mikado' (voted best hunter seat horse at 2005 Nationals) to victory in the individual intermediate on the flat. Stevens Head Coach Patti Zwaan is on the far left.

Before the intermediate flat had even begun, Stevens Institute of Technology Head Coach Patti Zwaan and freshman intermediate rider Kerri Rettig had been among the first into the holding area to find Rettig's draw. When this writer saw the two with Purdue Coach Steinmetz it could only mean one thing: That Rettig had drawn 'Mikado,' who had seldom had an off ride and was underneath several winners in the team competition. This writer explained to Steinmetz that Stevens Institute is on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River, with a perfect view of midtown Manhattan across the water, and that Rettig was the first 'duck' rider to qualify for Nationals in the three-year (technically five-year) history of the Stevens equestrian program. When DeLucas and Rettig were the only riders left in the ring and DeLucas was placed second, Steinmetz was one of many to let out a big cheer. Rettig, from Vernon, New Jersey, who four weeks earlier became the first Stevens rider to win a class at Zones was now the first Stevens rider to win a class at Nationals. Following individual open flat, Mikado edged out the likes of 'Juliette' and others to be voted hunter seat 'Horse of the Show.' Steinmetz was instructed to take Mikado on a lead line for a victory lap around the ring, which was not a bad idea considering the Kentucky Derby would be on television only a few hours later. It was unclear whether the applause during the victory lap was for Mikado, Steinmetz, or both! In any event it was certainly a good show for the Purdue Coach, who could claim the first-ever Zone 9 hunter seat individual class winner in Parrish and the best horse from right out of the stalls of his own Foxton Farm in Romney, Indiana (Note: Zone 9 was formed prior to the 2002-03 season out of parts of Zones 5, 6 and 7. The most recent rider to win a hunter seat individual class at Nationals from a team currently located in Zone 9 was Alicia Eby, who also rode for Purdue and won individual novice fences in 1996).

Though eleven stock seat classes still remained, the final hunter seat division of the 2004-05 season started at 12:40PM and - despite being open level - was judged, lined up and placed in only 25 minutes! Five of the riders had been entered in Thursday's individual open fences, while four riders had competed in the same division at 2004 Nationals. Tenth place went to Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo's Renae Beggs, a junior who had placed ninth at 2003 Nationals in individual intermediate flat and rode in the Cacchione Cup Competition this season. It was the third time in this division for Carleton College junior Lauren Flexon, who placed eighth in '03, fifth last season and ninth this time around. University of the South senior Katharine Wilkinson had shown in some capacity at each of the four IHSA Nationals that took place while she went to school in Sewanee, placing eighth her final time out with the tigers. Penn State's Jennifer Betts had been out of the ribbons in the team competition and the Cacchione Cup, but the freshman from Denver, Colorado got on the board here with a seventh. Sixth place was sort of an emotional experience for those in the know, as Alex Ansteth of Colorado State earned what for now stands to be the last-ever Colorado State IHSA ribbon. The question was posed to several ram team members if they thought there would be a movement to start a club team, like the University of Georgia students did when that school tried to go NCAA-only. Few had thoughts one way or the other, but it would not suprise too many people that, given the size of the school, the number of students enrolled who will be involved with equine science and the do-it-yourself attitude that got the entire IHSA started in the first place, there may someday be a Colorado State equestrian team entered in a future IHSA show. The only question at the moment is 'when?'

The next two positions went to riders who must be used to placing next to each other in the post-season. Washington & Lee's Caitlin Lane was first at 2004 Zone 4 Zones in the individual open flat (and we think so again in '05 but we are still trying to prove it - Editor). Second went to then-freshman Jozi Snowberger of Elon University, who often misses Zone 4, Region 3 shows held on weekdays but still does well enough on weekends to earn 28 points and go all the way to Nationals. Last season Snowberger finished third in individual open flat, one place ahead of Lane. This time Snowberger again got the best of the W & L junior, placing fourth while Lane was fifth. Considering the tremendous open-level talent in Zone 4, the ability of Snowberger and Lane to win out the last two post-seasons over people like Erika Jewell shows how good both riders are. Without the daunting presence of 2004 Texas A & M graduate and former teammate Meredith Houx dominating the open divisions, Stephanie Glass stepped into the Zone 7, Region 2 spotlight, having a good regular and post-season. Glasses' scorecard at 2005 Nationals was memorable, with a fifth in individual open fences, a fifth in team open on the flat, a third in team open over fences, eighth place in the Cacchione Cup Competition, and third in her final undergraduate ride here. Michigan State's Ashley Delzer was one of two riders who was tested at the canter (without stirrups) at the end of the division. She was asked to line up before the other rider being tested.

That last rider to be called into the middle was actually on the rail for almost the length of the ring before she too was instructed to walk and line up. That last rider had already made her mark on the show, having won team open flat, having placed second in team open fences, having placed second in the Cacchione Cup and having placed ninth in individual open fences way back when. She had even placed sixth last season in individual open flat, and was best in the field this time. From Putney, Vermont, Mount Holyoke junior Kyla Makhloghi was the final IHSA hunter seat champion of the 2004-05 season, first in individual open flat. If one wanted to use the term "They stole the show" to describe several riders at 2005 Nationals, the list of thieves would start with Stock Seat rider Jake Bowman, a senior at Findlay who won two western individual divisions, finished second in two team classes and won the AQHA Trophy (the stock seat equivalent of the Cacchione Cup). Then Makhloghi and Woodhouse would be mentioned for their placings. Though Woodhouse became only the second Skidmore rider after Lindsay Phibbs to ever win the Cacchione Cup, the all-around placings of Makhloghi were slightly better. Good news for both is that neither graduate, so both could be back to wreck havoc with the rest of the IHSA in May of 2006.

---Steve Maxwell

The Hunter Seat Individual Class-by-Class Results. The first five classes listed were held Thursday, May 5th, the sixth class was held Friday, May 6th, and the final two were held Saturday, May 7th. The judges for all hunter seat classes were Linda Esau and Sue Ashe:

Individual intermediate equitation over fences: 1. Cameo Parrish, Purdue University. 2. Rachel Bertsch, University of Vermont. 3. Heather Hurst, Hollins University. 4. Karen Dennehy, Sweet Briar College. 5. Gillian Pech, Cornell University. 6. Lauren Brown, Berry College. 7. Sarah Phaklides, University of California at Los Angeles. 8. Sarah Zichi, Miami University of Ohio. 9. Ashley DiBongrazio, Centenary College. 10. Megan Bowers, University of Connecticut.

Individual open equitation over fences: 1. Ashley Woodhouse, Skidmore College. 2. Jordan Siegel, Savannah College of Art & Design. 3. Caitlin Lane, Washington & Lee University. 4. Paige Hortman, Oklahoma State University. 5. Stephanie Glass, Texas A & M University. 6. Erika Jewell, Virginia Intermont College. 7. Stacey Helgren, University of Wisconsin at Madison. 8. Diana Glenney, University of Kentucky. 9. Kyla Makhloghi, Mount Holyoke College. 10. Jennifer Hutson, Miami University of Ohio.

Individual novice equitation over fences: 1. Jennifer Januzis, Centenary College. 2. Delia Neville, Georgia Southern University. 3. Nora Harris, Virginia Intermont College. 4. Laura Acker, Cornell University. 5. Leyla Mundy, Fresno State. 6. Sarah Bosko, Berry College. 7. Lindsay Barton, Miami University of Ohio. 8. Lindsey Bradshaw, Colorado State University. 9. Theresa DeLucca, University of Delaware. 10. Amanda Phillips, James Madison University.

Individual novice equitation on the flat: 1. Lindsay Barton, Miami University of Ohio. 2. Becky Osinga, Mount Ida College. 3. Elizabeth Gerber, Yale University. 4. Courtney Clark, Skidmore College. 5. Kane Ramsey, University of Mary Washington. 6. Natalia Maxwell, Washington & Lee University. 7. Kelsey Gilmore, College of Charleston. 8. Michelle Woolschlager, Oklahoma State University. 9. Ali Hull, University of Washington. 10. Melissa Mueller, University of California at Los Angeles.

Individual walk-trot-canter equitation: 1. Kate Fegan, Skidmore College. 2. Ashley Gallo, University of Findlay. 3. Gypsy Moore, Yale University. 4. April Peck, Oklahoma State University. 5. Marie Hilliard, Mount Holyoke College. 6. Kelly Balk, Centenary College. 7. Ashlean McKenna, Texas A & M University. 8. Katie Lawery, University of Maryland. 9. Amy Shepherd, Midway College. 10. Tara Davies, Kutztown University.

Individual walk-trot equitation: 1. Caroline Gottschalk, University of Connecticut. 2. Becky Daly, Penn State University (State College). 3. Rita Mizrahi, Cornell University. 4. Ashley Boiano, Ohio University. 5. Laryn Burns, Oklahoma State University. 6. Kim Foley, Stonehill College. 7. Sarah McKinney, University of Virginia. 8. Kathryn Wanner, University of California at San Diego. 9. Mike Viscusi, Saint Andrews Presbyterian College. 10. Katie Humphreys, University of Findlay.

Individual intermediate equitation on the flat: 1. Kerri Rettig, Stevens Institute of Technology. 2. Katie DeLucas, Saint Andrews Presbyterian College. 3. Rachel Bertsch, University of Vermont. 4. Sasha Hill, Otterbein College. 5. Marie Baird, Oklahoma State University. 6. Cathrine Tauscher, Mount Holyoke College. 7. Catherine Woglom, Murray State University. 8. Hannah Stonefield, Saint Lawrence University. 9. Ashley Kinsey, Clemson University. 10. K.D. Klepper, University of Mary Washington.

Individual open equitation on the flat: 1. Kyla Makhloghi, Mount Holyoke College. 2. Ashley Delzer, Michigan State University. 3, Stephanie Glass, Texas A & M University. 4. Jozi Snowberger, Elon University. 5. Caitlin Lane, Washington & Lee University. 6. Alex Ansteth, Colorado State University. 7. Jennifer Betts, Penn State University (State College). 8. Katharine Wilkinson, University of the South. 9. Lauren Flexon, Carleton College. 10. Renae Beggs, Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo.