Western Equestrian has Great Regular Season Send Off

The Alfred State western equestrian team has completed its regular season with a great send off!  The team was the high point team for the morning show and reserve high point Team for the afternoon show. 

Team Captain, Haleigh Hurd, was the reserve high point rider for both shows, qualified for Regionals and has earned a trip to compete at semifinals at West Texas A&M in March.

The team will be well represented at Regionals.  In addition to Hurd, nine other riders have earned the points needed to move on.  In the beginner horsemanship division, Amber Laibe, Hannah Schaus, Erika Sutherland and John Thompson have qualified.  Intermediate riders who qualified are Jessica Bongard, Morgan Hynes, Rachel McNeal and Rachel VonHagn.  Hannah Brizzee qualified for novice and Haleigh Hurd will be riding open reining. 

Many impressive rides were given by team members including Hurd who got a 1^st and 2^nd in open reining, Alyssa Beardsley who had a strong pattern to earn a 3^rd and 4^th in advanced horsemanship and Hannah Brizzee walked away with a 1^st in Advanced.  Rachel VonHagn won her novice horsemanship.  In a large and competitive intermediate 2 division, Kirsten Reynolds earned 1^st in both shows, Sarah Czelusta another 1^st, Rachel McNeal a 2^nd and Mackenzie Caletka a 3^rd.  For intemediate 1, the morning show resulted in the Alfred State riders taking 1^st (Amber Laibe), 2^nd (John Thompson) and 3^rd (Hannah Schaus) and Erika Sutherland took 2^nd in the afternoon show.  Newcomers to the team, Katelyn Lawson placed 1^st and 2^nd in beginner and Willow Voegtlin in her first ever show received a 2^nd in beginner. 

The Alfred State Western Team is led by Team Captains Mary LaPlante and Haleigh Hurd and coached by Rose Stayer-Ruffner. The Regional Show is February 26^th at Alfred University and the top 2 riders in each division will move on to semi-finals which will be March 25^th and 26^th in Texas.  Riders who advance to semi-finals who place in the top 4 will move on to Finals which will be held May 4^th through the 7^th in Lexington, Kentucky. 

The Team would love to have the support of Alfred State students and faculty at the Regional show at the end of the month!