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| Alfred State’s Kirstin Reynolds (diagnostic medical sonography, Cuba) rides in one the western equestrian team’s final shows of the regular season earlier this month. Photo courtesy of Mandy Reynolds. |
The Alfred State western equestrian team finished its regular season on a high note recently, earning top spots in its final two shows, and sending many of its riders off to the regionals.
In its last regular-season action of the year, the group was deemed the High Point Team (first place) for its morning show and the Reserve High Point Team (second place) for the afternoon show. Team captain Haleigh Hurd (accounting, Greenwood) was the Reserve High Point Rider for both shows, qualified for regionals, and earned a trip to compete at the semifinals at West Texas A&M in March.
The team, led by Hurd and fellow team captain Mary LaPlante (agricultural business, Angola), and coached by Rose Stayer-Ruffner, will be well represented at regionals, which will be held 9 a.m. Feb. 26 at the Bromeley-Daggett Equestrian Center, 5174 Lake Road, Alfred Station.
Victoria Bolton, who has been instrumental in forming and guiding the team since its inception, said, “The team members are very dedicated and have worked very hard honing their riding skills under the guidance of Rose. The riders accumulate points by placing in their classes at the eight regular season shows. To have 10 riders qualify for the regional show is very impressive.”
In addition to Hurd, nine other riders have earned the points needed to move on. In the Beginner Horsemanship division, are Amber Laibe (veterinary technology, Vestal), Hannah Schaus (culinary arts: baking, production and management, Arcade), Erika Sutherland (veterinary technology, Dundee) and John Thompson (human services, Hornell). Intermediate riders who qualified are Jessica Bongard (architecture, Webster), Morgan Hynes (veterinary technology, Retsof), Rachel McNeal (radiologic technology, Elmira), and Rachel Von Hagn (nursing, Bath). Hannah Brizzee (agricultural business, Canisteo) qualified for Novice and Hurd will be riding Open Reining.
Many impressive rides were given by team members, including Hurd who took a first and second in Open Reining, Alyssa Beardsley (architectural technology, Silver Springs) who had a strong pattern to earn a third and fourth in Advanced Horsemanship, and Brizzee, who walked away with a first in Advanced. Von Hagn won her Novice Horsemanship.
In a large and competitive Intermediate 2 division, Kirstin Reynolds (diagnostic medical sonography, Cuba) earned first in both shows, Sarah Czelusta (welding technology, Bliss) another first, McNeal a second, and Mackenzie Caletka (veterinary technology, Apalachin) a third. For Intemediate 1, the morning show resulted in the Alfred State riders taking first (Laibe), second (Thompson) and third (Schaus), and Sutherland took second in the afternoon show. A couple of newcomers to the team also performed well, as Katelynn Lawson (agricultural business, Savannah) placed first and second in Beginner and Willow Voegtlen (agricultural technology, Columbia Cross Roads, PA), in her first-ever show, received a second in Beginner.
The team would love to have the support of Alfred State students, employees, and community members at the regional show Sunday. The top two riders in each division in the regional show will move on to semifinals, which will be March 25-26 in Texas. Riders who advance to semifinals who place in the top four will move on to finals, which will be held May 4-7 in Lexington, KY.