The Stanford University equestrian team poses with their high point team ribbons following the conclusion of Zone 8 Zones on April 8th. The host Cardinal have now won Zone 8 Zones outright for seven consecutive seasons (photo courtesy Carrie Hertel).

2012 ZONE 8 ZONES RESULTS

While the host school had one of their best Zones performances ever, the race for second place within the 2012 Zone 8 Zones team competition developed into a good one.

After having trailed Oregon State University by four points through the first day of Zones competition, the University of Colorado at Boulder rallied over the final four team classes. The Buffaloes shaved at least one point off the Beavers' lead until both were tied through seven divisions. In the eighth and final team class Emily Block placed third in walk-trot-canter, one ribbon higher than Oregon State and enough to send the Buffaloes back to Nationals by a slim 32-31 margin.

The Stanford Cardinal won the contest with 52 points, the most points scored by any high point team at one of the eight Zone Championships held across the country this season. Open rider Claire Margolis won twice as the hosts won six of the eight team classes while placing second in two others. Stanford was one of six IHSA teams over the past two weekends to both host a semifinal and field a full hunter seat team in it as well. Five of those six teams (including the Cardinal) won their Zones contest outright.

Region 2 faired the best individually with five undergraduate riders making the top two in individual classes (three from the University of Southern California). Region 2 was also the only Region within the Zone to hold alumni classes at enough shows for alumni riders to make both Zones and Nationals. Region 5 will have four individual rides at Nationals, with two each for University of Colorado at Boulder teammates Kaley Silipo (both open divisions) and Whitney Wickes (both intermediate divisions). Regions 1 and 3 will have three individuals each (including the first Rocky Mountain College hunter seat rider since 2006). Kathryn Sargent of Oregon State was second in the final class of 2012 Zones, the individual walk-trot. With her second Sargent became the only Region 4 rider other than teammate and Cacchione Cup qualifier Abigail Zanone to advance to Nationals and the only Region 4 rider to do so through the Zones process.

You go first! University of Montana Western open rider Amanda Gelderman and her draw clear one of the jumps at Zone 8 Zones over the April 7th/8th weekend. Gelderman won the first class of the weekend, which was the individual open over fences (photo courtesy Vanessa Bartsch).

The Class-by-Class results of 2012 Zone 8 Zones, held in Stanford, California, listed in the order in which they were held. The first nine classes listed were held on Saturday, April 7th, 2012 while the final nine classes were held on Sunday, April 8th. The top two riders in each individual class and the top two hunter seat teams in the team competition advanced to IHSA Nationals May 3rd through 6th in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Individual Open Equitation Over Fences: 1. Amanda Gelderman, University of Montana Western. 2. Kaley Silipo, University of Colorado at Boulder. 3. Camille Pease, University of California at Los Angeles. 4. Claire Margolis, Stanford University. 5. Kara Toye, Central Washington University. 6. Christina Willis, Utah State University. 7. Katie Hurrell, University of Wyoming.

Team Intermediate Equitation Over Fences: 1. Alison Smith, Stanford University. 2. Tyler McClure, University of Southern California. 3. Soraya Issa, Oregon State University. 4. Karly Hobbs, University of Colorado at Boulder. 5. Linda Sieverkropp, University of Montana Western.

Individual Novice Equitation Over Fences: 1. Justine Thomas, Stanford University. 2. Mackenzie Gibbs, University of San Diego. 3. Caitlin Hedigan, Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo. 4. Tyler McClure, University of Southern California. 5. Sarah Ehlers, University of Nebraska at Omaha. 6. Katie Bass, Oregon State University. 7. Mikayla Schroeder, Carroll College. 8. Amber McNally, Rocky Mountain College. 9. Sarah Emma Graham, Colorado College. 10. Soraya Issa, Oregon State University.

Individual Open Equitation On The Flat: 1. Kaley Silipo, University of Colorado at Boulder. 2. Zoie Nagelhout, University of Southern California. 3. Camille Pease, University of California at Los Angeles. 4. Claire Margolis, Stanford University. 5. Chelsea Brady, Colby Community College. 6. Amanda Gelderman, University of Montana Western. 7. Abigail Zanone, Oregon State University.

Team Intermediate Equitation On The Flat: 1. Karly Hobbs, University of Colorado at Boulder. 2. Justine Thomas, Stanford University. 3. Soraya Issa, Oregon State University. 4. Tyler McClure, University of Southern California. 5. Bryne Kilgore, University of Montana Western.

Individual Novice Equitation On The Flat: 1. Megan Forgie, University of California at Santa Cruz. 2. Linnea Warlick, Rocky Mountain College. 3. Soraya Issa, Oregon State University. 4. Maddy Sessions, Stanford University. 5. Jacy Humphries, Claremont College. 6. Natalie Brnilovich, Arizona State University. 7. Kelsey Merriam, Rocky Mountain College. 8. Emily Hamilton, Laramie County Community College. 9. Ari Gino, University of Colorado at Boulder. 10. Hope Thompson, Western Washington University.

Team Novice Equitation On The Flat: 1. Erin Gray, Stanford University. 2. Lauren Jones, Oregon State University. 3. George Lawson, University of Montana Western. 4. Alex Luizzi, University of Southern California. 5. Paige Gordon, University of Colorado at Boulder.

Individual Walk-Trot-Canter Equitation On The Flat: 1. Rachel Taylor, Cal Poly - Pomona. 2. Erica Keenan, Stanford University. 3. Ardin Hoyt, Western Washington University. 4. Savannah Isely, Colby Community College. 5. Katie French Mattila, University of Wyoming. 6. Lauren James, Oregon State University. 7. Kayd Uecker, University of Montana. 8. Stephanie McEntee, University of Montana. 9. Amelia Roland, University of California at Davis. 10. Alex Luizzi, University of Southern California.

Team Walk-Trot Equitation On The Flat: 1. Justine York, Oregon State University. 2. Wei Ling Heng, Stanford University. 3. Caitlin Safchik, University of Colorado at Boulder. 4. Sophie Xu, University of Southern California. 5. Kathleen Anderson, University of Montana Western.

Ah yes the electrified surface at the Stanford Red Barn! The University of Colorado at Boulder riders are sent shooting in the air by another 21st century technological breakthrough. Or it could just be that the Buffaloes were happy to be going to IHSA Nationals with a full hunter seat team for a second consecutive season (photo courtesy Carrie Hertel).

Team Open Equitation Over Fences: 1. Claire Margolis, Stanford University. 2. Amanda Gelderman, University of Montana Western. 3. Kaley Silipo, University of Colorado at Boulder. 4. Katy Sherman, University of Southern California. 5. Abigail Zanone, Oregon State University.

Individual Intermediate Equitation Over Fences: 1. Whitney Wickes, University of Colorado at Boulder. 2. Aleece Christiansen, College of Southern Idaho. 3. Erin Bea Sanders, University of Wyoming. 4. Kim Pickel, University of Nevada at Reno. 5. Lauren Taymor, University of Southern California. 6. Rachel Kolb, Stanford University. 7. Caitlin Halliwell, University of Montana Western. 8. Chloe Stice, Central Washington University. 9. Alexa Mercurio, Western Washington University. 10. Sarah Simpson, University of California at San Diego.

Team Novice Equitation Over Fences: 1. Morgan Abbett, Stanford University. 2. Drew Weber, University of Colorado at Boulder. 3. Ashley Mathers, Oregon State University. 4. Alex Luizzi, University of Southern California. 5. Chelan Taylor, University of Montana Western.

Alumni Equitation Over Fences: 1. Stephanie Olsen, Cal Poly - Pomona. 2. Julia Turner, University of Southern California.

Team Open Equitation On The Flat: 1. Claire Margolis, Stanford University. 2. Zoie Nagelhout, University of Southern California. 3. Amanda Gelderman, University of Montana Western. 4. Jenica Northrup, University of Colorado at Boulder. 5. Abigail Zanone, Oregon State University.

Individual Intermediate Equitation On The Flat: 1. Whitney Wickes, University of Colorado at Boulder. 2. Lauren Taymor, University of Southern California. 3. Linda Sieverkropp, University of Montana Western. 4. Rachel Kolb, Stanford University. 5. Erin Bea Sanders, University of Wyoming. 6. Kelly Taylor, University of Southern California. 7. Meredith Burton, Rocky Mountain College. 8. Allyson Burkholder, University of California at Santa Cruz. 9. Laura Chipman, University of Washington.

Alumni Equitation On The Flat: 1. Julia Turner, University of Southern California. 2. Lauren Alexander, Cal Poly - Pomona.

Team Walk-Trot-Canter Equitation On The Flat: 1. Sarah Jacobson, Stanford University. 2. Alison Pugh, University of Montana Western. 3. Emily Block, University of Colorado at Boulder. 4. Kyra DeHart, Oregon State University. 5. Kristen Descombes, University of Southern California.

Individual Walk-Trot Equitation On The Flat: 1. Kristen Descombes, University of Southern California. 2. Kathryn Sargent, Oregon State University. 3. Lauren DeGeorge, University of Colorado at Boulder. 4. Katherine Kurth, University of Nebraska at Lincoln. 5. Joelle Fregeau, University of California at Davis. 6. Ashley Owen, College of Southern Idaho.

Final Hunter Seat Team Totals, with the top two teams advancing to IHSA Nationals: Stanford University (2012 Zone 8 Zones Champion) 52; University of Colorado at Boulder (Reserve) 32; Oregon State University 31; University of Southern California 27 and University of Montana Western 26.

(Special Thanks to Vanessa Bartsch and Carrie Hertel for forwarding us these results - Editor)