April 30, 2003

The Kansas State English and Western equestrian teams are preparing for the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association National Competition this weekend at the Tennessee Miller Coliseum in Murfreesboro, Tenn. The competition runs May 2-4 and is being hosted by Middle Tennessee State. K-State will be represented by four individual along with both teams. This is the first time K-State has qualified an English or Western team for nationals.

Sophomore Allison Woodworth won the Cacchione Cup by earning the most points in Zone 9, Region 2 as an individual English rider and will be competing at nationals for the USAE/Cacchione Cup. Senior Amanda Gigot won the American Quarter Horse Association High-Point Rider award by earning the most points in Zone 9, Region 2 as an individual Western rider and will compete at nationals for the National AQHA High-Point Rider honor. Both riders will compete in two events with one event on Friday and the other on Saturday. The riders will then wait until Sunday at the awards ceremony to find out their placings.

The English team qualified as a team for nationals by finishing first at the Zone 9 competition. The team includes Natalie Bennett (intermediate flat), Anne Brammeier (walk/trot), Lauren Demmel (intermediate fences), Jenae Grossart (novice flat), Summer Hamil (novice fences), Natalie Poholsky (walk/trot/canter) and Woodworth (open fences and open flat).

The Western team finished first at regionals qualifying as a team for nationals. The team includes Lauren Allen (intermediate), Gigot (open reining), Katrina Myers (beginner), Erin Peery (open horsemanship) and Kristin Tanney (advanced). The different classes for the team competitions will take place Friday through Sunday.

Two Western individuals and two English individuals will also compete at nationals. Junior Brandi Vogel will be going after her second IHSA National Championship. She will be riding Friday in the open reining class. Sophomore Elaine Cobb will compete in intermediate horsemanship Friday. On the English side, juniors Jessica Gittleman and Julie Hufft will compete Sunday in the walk/trot/canter class.

This is also the first year K-State has had either a AQHA or USAE/Cacchoine Cup rider compete at nationals. All three years equestrian has been a varsity sport at K-State, it has qualified at least three individuals for nationals.

Results will be available at www.k-statesports.com at the end of each day. Results and the full schedule of events can also be found at www.ihsa.com

-ksu-