IHSA Hunt Seat Teams Bound For Nationals
Roger Williams University nabbed the top team prize for Zone 1 with 38 points, The reserve champion Sacred Heart University team was a close second with 37 points. Photo by Allison Scott
The Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) held eight Zone Finals March 30-April 7. The eight Zone hunter seat competitions produced across the country were qualifying events for the 2019 IHSA National Championship to be showcased at the New York State Fair Expo Center in Syracuse, New York May 2-5.
From each Zone Finals, the top two teams and the top two individual riders from each division all qualified to compete at the highlight of the IHSA season. Each Zone Final also held a qualifying class for the USEF/Cacchione Cup. The IHSA National Championship Show determines the team, individual and alumni champions in both hunter seat and Western. The event also features the coveted USEF/Cacchione Cup and the AQHA Western High Point Rider national final.
“We are all looking forward to seeing new and familiar faces at a beautiful venue in Syracuse for Nationals,” said Bob Cacchione, IHSA founder and executive director of the IHSA.
The eight-time national champion Skidmore College team won the Zone 2 championship and the reserve champion St Lawrence University team will also vie for the team national championship in Syracuse. Photo by Claire Carpenter
In Zone 3, Delaware Valley University earned the championship and will join reserve champion Penn State University for team competition at IHSA Nationals. Photo by Melinda Pazel
With 44 team points, Emory & Henry were victors in the Zone 4 championship. Sweet Briar took the reserve championship with 37 points and will join the team competition in Syracuse.
Photo courtesy of Heather Richardson
The Savannah College of Art & Design team won the Zone 5 Championship with 51 points. The Zone 5 finals were held Saturday, March 30 at Auburn University. The Louisiana State University team will also make the trip to IHSA Nationals after earning the reserve championship after a three-way tie-breaker with Vanderbilt University and the University of Alabama. Photo courtesy of Savannah College of Art & Design
With 47 team points, Miami University of Ohio won the Zone 6 championship. The reserve champion Otterbein University team, with 38 points will also travel to Syracuse for team competition at IHSA Nationals. Photo by Beth Frey
Purdue University, with 44 points, won the Zone 7 championship. West Texas A&M earned 34 points and reserve champion honors and will compete in join the teams in Syracuse. Photo by Laura Lucas
Stanford University took the Zone 8 championship with 51 points and will join reserve champion the University of Southern California for team competition at IHSA Nationals. Photo courtesy of Stanford University
“At Nationals, all the teams will start from square-one,” Cacchione said. “The national team championship is fair game for any of the qualified teams.”
