Zone 2, Region 4 can boast the largest group of alumni riders anywhere in the IHSA through the Fall 2007 shows. So far no less than 19 riders have entered at least one of the seven Zone 2, Region 4 competitions. Region 4 riders with degrees from at least seven different schools posed for this picture on November 11th.

WHO ARE THE ALUMNI REPS?

The IHSA has been around for over 40 years, and since 1970 when the late Hugh Cassidy requested the IHSA create an alumni division so he and others could still compete in IHSA competitions the alumni divisions have thrived in many parts of the country. When alumni started in the early 1970's there were no alumni reps (and no Region or Zone Presidents, as the IHSA was still one big, Northeastern region at that time) but at some point in the 1980's it was devised that each region's alumni should elect someone to be in charge for purposes such as keeping alumni points, making certain alumni entry fees are received and other paperwork issues. Thus the alumni rep was born.

Because IHSA rules stipulate that only those who competed in at least one IHSA show as an undergraduate may compete as an alumni, nearly all the IHSA alumni reps are also currently IHSA alumni riders. In some cases a non-competing Head Coach may take the title of alumni rep. When this happens it is often because alumni divisions have not been held in that particular region for awhile and alumni riders must first sign up and compete before they start to handle the behind-the-scenes alumni-related details in that region for themselves. So far in 2007-08 the IHSA boasts only two non-riding Alumni Reps. One is legendary alumni champion and current Drew University Assistant Coach Sandra Sayre, who won five alumni classes at IHSA Nationals between 1998 and 2006. Sayre did enter a few shows during the 2006-07 season but has opted to stick with Coaching duties this season, with several former Drew riders (including 2007 Alumni on the flat champion Kristine Kennedy) receiving her advice before entering the ring. The other is Johnson & Wales Head Coach Dirk Fogg. It is not clear at the moment as to why Fogg, who is also Zone 1, Region 1 Region President, has the alumni rep title but indeed he does.

From left to right are Autumn Greenberg, Amanda Bon-Keen, Angela Netoskie and Audra Ravo, each of whom ride alumni in Zone 2, Region 3. As Angela Stone, Netoskie was an undergraduate at Pace University in the early 1990's and today she is the alumni rep for her region.

All of the other alumni reps are in fact currently showing either english or western in their respective regions or intend to do so once enough riders sign up in their particular discipline. Several are former IHSA Nationals competitors, including Miami of Ohio graduate Megan Palmer, who won the individual open flat in 2004 while placing second in the Cacchione Cup Competition in 2003. Another former Nationals qualifier is College of Southern Idaho graduate Meghan Sederholm. While Sederholm is the alumni rep in Zone 8, Region 3, where College of Southern Idaho is located, Palmer rides alumni in Zone 9, Region 1, which is not the same region where she showed as an undergraduate. Just as alumni may show in any region once they graduate (though the points only count in one specific region per school year), an individual who rode in a different region may relocate and be elected as the alumni rep in their new suroundings (Palmer is actually from Illinois, so she was over 200 miles from home while attending Miami of Ohio).

At least 15 of the alumni reps graduated from their respective schools this decade. However many of these recent graduates have served as an alumni rep for more than one season. As far as we can tell, the only reps who are new to that title in 2007-08 are recent Penn State graduate Ashley Harris, who has the title in a region which did not have alumni the past two seasons; 2007 Cal State - Fullerton graduate Laura Piper, who is one of many in Southern California who is riding alumni for the first time this season; Former University of Maryland standout Daphne Boogaard, who has ridden off-and-on in Zone 4, Region 1 alumni classes throughout the current decade; Melanie Baker, a former Ohio State rider who was fifth at 2007 Nationals in the alumni reining division; Megan Salazar, who rode for the University of Miami (FL) but now competes in the Upper Midwest, and who like Harris took on the alumni rep title in a region where alumni did not compete last season, and Palmer.

Meghan Sederholm (on right, with College of Southern Idaho Head Coach Julia Rietdorf) competed for the Cacchione Cup at both 2005 and 2006 IHSA Nationals. Today Sederholm is the alumni rep for Zone 8, Region 3, which is running neck-and-neck with Zone 8, Region 1 for the largest contingent of Zone 8 alumni halfway through the season.

But regardless of how long a rep has held the title they are there to make sure all runs smoothly for the alumni riders in their respective regions. They are also extremely important as the 'contact' person if a former IHSA rider suddenly wishes to compete in the alumni divisions. If you are a former IHSA rider who would like to show alumni, please contact one of the reps (within a reasonable distance of your current location) listed at the end of this story.

Not about the reps, but about the rules: Alumni riders are subject to the same point system as undergraduate open-level riders, as an alumni must earn 28 or more points during a given season to qualify for Regionals. Alumni points do not carry over from season-to-season. In some cases the number can be dropped down below 28 points if no one in that region reaches 28. Alumni may ride within any region coast-to-coast that offers the alumni divisions. However riders may only ride in one specific region during a full season, meaning for example that a rider cannot ride in Zone 2, Region 1 one week and Zone 3, Region 4 the next (There was once a case where a rider re-located in the middle of the season and an exception was made - Editor). Riders who have used up all eight semesters of undergraduate elibility may compete in the IHSA Alumni divisions while still an undergraduate. Those who graduate from two-year programs may elect to ride alumni while going for a bachelor's degree. However once you compete in an alumni division you are not eligible to return to the undergraduate divisions. Alumni classes are supposed to be similar to novice english and western divisions. Alumni fences are usually set to the same height as novice fences, with the same course. Riders who competed no higher than advanced walk-trot-canter in english as undergraduates must be evaluated. So far in 2007-08 there are confirmed cases where a rider never showed higher than walk-trot as an undergraduate but following an evaluation were allowed to compete in the alumni divisions. Most but not all regions currently hold alumni classes, and some hold only english or western alumni classes, but not both.

Seen here with Head Coach Eleanor Ellis is former Georgia Southern rider Kristie McEvers (on right), who placed 10th in individual advanced walk-trot-canter at 2006 IHSA Nationals earlier in the day on which this photo was taken. McEvers's is the only alumni rep whose e-mail address we don't have as of 1/10/08. If you know her address please e-mail us so we can add the Zone 5, Region 3 rep to our list!

And like the other IHSA divisions, alumni riders who qualify compete at Regionals in hopes of placing inside the top two. And like everyone who places inside the top two at Regionals their next goal is to survive English Zones (by again placing first or second) or Western Semifinals (must place in the top four). If they accomplish this, then it is on to the IHSA National show, to be held this May at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, California. Some regions still have five shows remaining, technically enough to earn 28 points in one of the alumni divisions and go to the post-season. Don't delay. If the showclothes still fit, contact your nearist alumni rep today!

---Steve Maxwell

The following is a list of the current IHSA Alumni Reps by Region (only Regions currently offering alumni classes are listed; An asterisk * indicates the region is hunter seat only at this time):

ZONE 1, REGION 1*: Dirk Fogg - dirk.fogg@jwu.edu

ZONE 1, REGION 3*: Tracey Van Kempen - Tracey.A.VanKempen@williams.edu

ZONE 1, REGION 4*: Anneke Bartelsman - abthebb106@gmail.com

ZONE 2, REGION 1: Sandra Sayre - sandrasandrajoy@aol.com

ZONE 2, REGION 2: Alicia Fereday Shiland - theshilands@gmail.com

ZONE 2, REGION 3: Angela Netoskie - asncdhjc@nycap.rr.com

ZONE 2, REGION 4*: Valerie Achkhanian - valerieachkhanian@gmail.com

ZONE 3, REGION 1: Ashley Harris - ree.harris@gmail.com

ZONE 3, REGION 2: Jamie Mast - orangeUBU@aol.com

ZONE 3, REGION 3: Laura Hetz - lostPC@aol.com

ZONE 3, REGION 4: Erin Githens - githense@gmail.com

ZONE 4, REGION 1*: Daphne Boogaard - tulippond@aol.com

ZONE 5, REGION 1: Marianne England - wubbie3me@yahoo.com

ZONE 5, REGION 2: Heidi Ray - littlebittyduck@gmail.com

ZONE 5, REGION 3: Kristie McEvers - ??????????????????

ZONE 6, REGION 1: Melanie Baker - baker.756@osu.edu

ZONE 8, REGION 1: Tanya Zilinskas - Zilinskas@yahoo.com

ZONE 8, REGION 2: Laura Piper - hrwhisper@aol.com

ZONE 8, REGION 3: Meghan Sederholm - horsesgalore84@yahoo.com

ZONE 8, REGION 4: Dawn Salazar - dawn_salazar@hotmail.com

ZONE 9, REGION 1: Megan Palmer - mpalmer12345@aol.com

ZONE 9, REGION 2: Jennifer Reed - ihsaalumni@yahoo.com

ZONE 9, REGION 3: Megan Salazar - MSalazar@rwbaird.com