West Lafayette, Ind. After a nail biting finish the Kansas State equestrian team won the English Zone Championship by a narrow margin at Purdue University today and are now qualified for the IHSA National show May 4-7 in Pennsylvania.

The Wildcats finished as the High Point team with 47 points edging out Indiana University which finished with 43 points and the University of Wisconsin finishing in third with 38 points.

Advancement to Nationals in the individual competition required a first or second placing in each class. K-State had ten riders in ten classes advance to Nationals today including, Gentry Horigan in Team Intermediate Fences, Stephanie Bell in Individual Novice Fences, Macie Ayers in Team Novice Fences, Dresden Sommer in Team Intermediate Flat, Stephanie Bell in Team Novice Flat, Lianna Bodlack in Individual Walk Trot, Kristen Morrell in  Team Walk Trot, Lindsay Cook in Individual Walk Trot Canter, Nicole Harkness in Team Walk Trot Canter and Whitney Snyder in Team Open Flat.

“It really came down to the last class today,” head coach Teresa Slough said. “We were behind after the fences class and rode well on the flat to pull out a victory. We were able to bring home the win and I am very happy about it.”

K-State’s next action will be April 20-22 at the Varsity Equestrian National Championship in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  

English Show Results

Team Open Fences: 3rd- Leslie Yates

Individual Intermediate Fences: 5th- Summer Hamil

Team Intermediate Fences: 2nd- Gentry Horigan

Individual Novice Fences: 2nd- Stephanie Bell, 5th- Megan Westberg

Team Novice Fences: 2nd- Macie Ayers

Cacchione Class: 3rd- Casey Finnell

Individual Intermediate Flat: 3rd- Jenae Grossart, 4th- Tiffany Bowles

Team Intermediate Flat: 1st- Dresden Sommer

Individual Novice Flat: 5th- Megan Westberg, 6th- Juliann Todd

Team Novice Flat: 1st- Stephanie Bell

Individual Walk Trot: 1st- Lianna Bodlack, 4th- Erin Bodlack

Team Walk Trot: 2nd- Kristin Morrell

Individual Walk Trot Canter: 1st- Lindsay Cook

Team Walk Trot Canter: Nicole Harkness

Team Open Flat: 1st- Whitney Snyder