WACO, Texas The Kansas State equestrian team advanced both the Western and Hunter Seat squads to the second round of the Varsity Equestrian National Championships on Thursday. The fifth-seeded Western team cruised to an 8-0 defeat of 12-seeded Tennessee-Martin, while the Hunter Seat team tied Tennessee-Martin, 4-4, but advanced after earning the tiebreaker, 890-845.

Four Wildcat riders picked up wins for K-State in the reining section, including senior Tara Hallan and junior Kaylee Stout. Sophomore Alecia Zimbelman led the Wildcats in the reining category as she defeated Hannah Derks, 143-137. With the win, Zimbelman advanced her overall record to 10-4-1 with three MVP honors for the year. Junior Morgan Campbell upended Stephanie Sanders, 136-0, en route to a victory.

In the horsemanship category, the Wildcats were paced by senior Alyssa Freeman, who rode past Stephanie Sanders, 140.5-138, to improve her record in horsemanship to 13-3 with one MVP award on the season. Senior Jana Lechtenberg also advanced her overall record to 10-6 by defeating Kendra Leake, 145-138.5. Juniors Laura Browne and Mikaela Sundgren helped advance the Wildcats to the second day of the championships by earning victories as well.

In Hunter Seat competition, the only Wildcat rider registering a win over fences was junior Kendall Marvin, who rode past Brittany Kasparack, 151-140. Marvin now owns six victories on the season for K-State.

Senior Whitney Snyder guided the Wildcats on the flat by defeating Hilary Mason, 156-136. Snyder advanced her overall record to 19-10-1 with five MVP honors for the year. Other riders helping K-State past the Skyhawks were seniors Paige Kovari and Leslie Yates.

K-State's western squad then went on to begin second round action against No. 4 seeded Oklahoma State Thursday. K-State's horsemanship squad was defeated by the Cowgirls, 4-0, but the reining team will square off on Friday to complete the second round of competition.

The Wildcat's Hunter Seat squad also faced off against top-seeded Auburn, and battled to a 2-2 tie over fences. K-State's flat squad will go head-to-head with the Tiger's on Friday to complete second round action.

Final results from the first round of competition are as follows.

Western competition

Kansas State vs Tennessee-Martin

Reining:

Morgan Campbell 136 vs Stephanie Sanders 0

Tara Hallan 135.5 vs Lauren Eichstadt 125.5

Alecia Zimbelman 143 vs Hannah Derks 137

Kaylee Stout 132 vs Kendra Leake 0

Horsemanship:

Laura Browne 141.5 vs Sally Armstrong 0

Mikaela Sundgren 145.5 vs Hannah Derks 137.5

Jana Lechtenberg 145 vs Kendra Leake 138.5

Alyssa Freeman 140.5 vs Stephanie Sanders 138

Total: KSU 8 UTM 0

Hunter Seat competition

Kansas State vs Tennessee-Martin

Equitation over Fences:

Kendall Marvin 151 vs Brittany Kasparack 140

Jen Rawle 144 vs Madeline Brown 145

Whitney Snyder 154 vs Michelle Thompson 156

Leslie Yates 145 vs Carline Cramer 150

Equitation on the Flat:

Paige Kovari 114 vs Kelsey Abell 100

Whitney Snyder 156 vs Hilary Mason 136

Dresden Sommer 123 vs Caroline Cramer 132

Leslie Yates 161 vs Michelle Thompson 126

Total: KSU 4 UTM 4

    Tiebreaker: KSU 890 UTM 845

2009 VENC Schedule

(All times other than daily start times are estimations)

COLISEUM ARENA (Western Events)

Friday:
8:30 am           Reining (Brackets E, F)
11:00 am         Horsemanship (Brackets G, H)  
1:00 pm           Reining (Brackets I, J, AA, BB)  
3:15 pm           Reining (Brackets K, L, CC, DD)  
6:00 pm           Horsemanship (Brackets I, J, K, L, AA, BB, CC, DD)  

Saturday:
8:30 am           Horsemanship (Brackets M, N, EE, FF)
10:30 am         Reining (Brackets M, N, EE, FF)
12:30 pm         AWARDS CEREMONY FOR BOTH DISCIPLINES and CHAMPIONSHIP  ROUND STARTING LINEUPS (TEAM and INDIVIDUAL)
2:30 pm           HORSEMANSHIP CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND (TEAM and INDIVIDUAL)
4:30 pm           REINING CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND (TEAM and INDIVIDUAL)
5:30 pm           CROWNING OF CHAMPIONS CEREMONY (OVERALL TEAMS, BOTH DISCIPLINES AND INDIVIDUALS)

DODGE ARENA (Equitation Over Fences Events)

Friday:
10:30 am         Fences (Brackets G, H)  
5:30 pm           Fences (Brackets I, J, K, L, AA, BB, CC, DD)  

Saturday:
8:30 am           Fences (Brackets M, N, EE, FF)
3:30 pm           FENCES CHAMPIONSHIP ROUNDS (TEAM and INDIVIDUAL)
5:30 pm           ***   COLISEUM ARENA   *** CROWNING OF CHAMPIONS CEREMONY (OVERALL TEAMS, BOTH DISCIPLINES AND INDIVIDUALS)

PAVILION ARENA (Equitation on the Flat Events)

Friday:
8:30 am           Flat (Brackets E, F)  
12:30 pm         Flat (Brackets I, J, AA, BB)
3:00 pm           Flat (Brackets K, L, CC, DD)

Saturday:
10:30 am         Flat (Brackets M, N, EE, FF)  
12:30 pm         AWARDS CEREMONY FOR BOTH DISCIPLINES and CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND STARTING LINEUPS (TEAM and INDIVIDUAL)
1:30 pm           FLAT CHAMPIONSHIP ROUNDS (TEAM and INDIVIDUAL)
5:30 pm           ***   COLISEUM ARENA   *** CROWNING OF CHAMPIONS CEREMONY (OVERALL TEAMS, BOTH DISCIPLINES AND INDIVIDUALS)

-kstatesports.com-