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ALUMNI NUMBERS ON THE RISE With only one IHSA region still waiting for their first show eight weeks into the 2003-04 season, the number of IHSA Alumni riders entered nationwide is up from last season. In the New York Metropolitan area, Zone 2, Region 1 and Zone 3, Region 1 have had to split both hunter seat alumni divisions into two sections. In several other regions, more than eight riders are routinely entered in both flat and fences. Western numbers are a bit harder to confirm, as fewer regions have staged stock seat and most who have can only claim one back-to-back set of shows as of Veterans Day. Perhaps the individual who is happiest about the upturn is new IHSA Alumni Director Karen Sykes. "I am thrilled with the enthusiasm of the alumni riders," says Sykes, "especially those who have stepped up to the additional responsibility of acting as their Region's alumni representative. These folks volunteer extra time to collect dues, shuffle paperwork, process entries for horse shows, fundraise, host horse shows... the list goes on and on." Sykes, who rode at Drew University from 1987-91 under Joan Greenberg and later succeeded her as Head Coach, has ambitious plans for the alumni organization in the near future. "The alumni are formulating a means to bring an Alumni funded scholarship back to the IHSA to benefit undergraduate riders. In addition, the alumni association will host the traditional welcome reception at the National horse show in May, and will also be in charge of trophies and ribbons at the same show." "I am so pleased to have the opportunity to continue growing the alumni association and hope to be able to work with all of the alumni across the country to continue to give back to the IHSA and help make it a stronger organization." 180 alumni riders competed at least once during the entire 2002-03 season. Through less than two months of the new season, Sykes indicates that over 185 have signed up! Perhaps the most recent additions are three alums in Western Massachusetts, where Zone 1, Region 3 was initially thought to have lost alumni classes due to several riders relocating. Their fourth show of the year, hosted by the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, made the region one of at least eighteen nationwide to stage an alumni class this season. Some may not know, but once a rider graduates, that IHSA rider may ride in any region with alumni coast-to-coast, with the only stipulation that he or she must stay in that region for the full season in order for all the points accrued to count towards Regionals. With this in mind, several prominent alumni from last season find themselves in other parts of the country this season. Defending national alumni on the flat champion (and Mount Holyoke graduate) Andrea Bill now shows in Zone 4, Region 1, where through the first two shows she was undefeated in that division. Marianne England, who made the top three in alumni flat, fences, reining and rail in Zone 6, Region 2 last season is now riding alumni in Zone 5, Region 1, ironically the region she rode in as an undergraduate before her alma matter, Midway College, was moved into Zone 6, Region 2 prior to the 2002-03 season. Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo graduate Carly Jay also rides alumni in Zone 5, Region 1. Jay is one of a small number of West Coast riders who find themselves inland in 2003-04. Another trend is that alumni long out of the IHSA are returning, in some cases for the first time since they were undergraduates. Zone 3, Region 4 has two such intriguing stories. Glen Ciripompa, a 1986 William Paterson College graduate, won the alumni over fences at 1988 IHSA Nationals in Laurinburg, NC. Ciripompa spent the late 1980's and early 1990's riding alumni in Zone 2, Region 1, where William Paterson is located. In the mid '90's Ciripompa switched to Zone 3, Region 2, where he rode for two and a half seasons before a bad knee kept him from riding perhaps permenantly it was thought. Fall of 2003 rolls around and Ciripompa is back, earning a first in alumni flat ("I cannot win a flat class to save my life," Ciripompa remarked before the section) and second over alumni fences in his return. The same show marked the return to IHSA riding for Sue Robichaud, who last competed as an undergraduate for Bucks County Community College (PA) in the late 1970's. Robichaud has consistantly been in the ribbons since returning. In Ciripompa's old region, 17 different alumni have shown over the first three competitions, including 1991 Fairleigh Dickinson graduate Dee Rudy, second in alumni flat on October 12th. There is still room for growth. Several regions are still trying to get alumni firmly off the ground, while at least four others (upper New England; Most Virginia and all North Carolina; lower Ohio and Eastern Kentucky) don't offer it at the moment for various reasons. It is hoped that this will all change in the near future, and that all 29 regions will offer alumni on a regular basis. If you rode at least once in an IHSA show as an Undergraduate you are eligible to compete as an alumni rider at an IHSA show. If you are interested in riding alumni, please contact the alumni representative in your area for more information. If no alumni rep is listed please contact Alumni Director Karen Sykes via e-mail at kosykes@msn.com. ---Steve Maxwell 2003-04 IHSA Alumni Reps by Region (Regions currently offering alumni classes; An asterisk * indicates the region is hunter seat only at this time) ZONE 1, REGION 1*: Janice Callahan - jcallaha@canr.uconn.edu ZONE 1, REGION 3*: Sharon Lilien-Zwiebel - slilien-zwiebel@Teament.com ZONE 1, REGION 4*: Stephanie Simmons - ssimmons02@yahoo.com ZONE 2, REGION 1: Sandra Sayre - sandrasandrajoy@aol.com ZONE 2, REGION 2: Shannon Whitney - whitney@gisco.net ZONE 2, REGION 3: Christie Schneckner - cgs6@cornell.edu ZONE 3, REGION 1*: Erin Graham - lehanegraham@hotmail.com ZONE 3, REGION 2: Joanne Coniglio - joannest1194@yahoo.com ZONE 3, REGION 3: Stephanie George - laminadevooh@hotmail.com ZONE 3, REGION 4: Celeste Sisto - cvsisto@yahoo.com ZONE 4, REGION 1: Rae Holbrook - rholbroo@goucher.edu ZONE 5, REGION 1: Marianne England - horsee3me@yahoo.com ZONE 5, REGION 2: Mary Catherine Chewning - mustangkidd@mindspring.com ZONE 5, REGION 3: Ginger Shuman - redgin7@aol.com ZONE 6, REGION 1: Maria Paxton - Paxton.40@osu.edu ZONE 6, REGION 2: Marianne England - horsee3me@yahoo.com (alumni not offered here so far in 2003-04) ZONE 7, REGION 1: Tracie Caller - tcaller@yahoo.com ZONE 7, REGION 2: Kinsey McClure - nrhatrainer2B@hotmail.com ZONE 8, REGION 1: Katie Douglas - redked@aol.com ZONE 8, REGION 2: Tanya Zilinskas - zilinskas@yahoo.com ZONE 8, REGION 3: Melissa Daly - mdaly@wso.williams.edu ZONE 8, REGION 4: To Be Determined; Contact Karen Sykes at kosykes@msn.com ZONE 9, REGION 1: To Be Determined; Contact Karen Sykes at kosykes@msn.com ZONE 9, REGION 2: Robert Guy - personal@sentente.com ZONE 9, REGION 3: To Be Determined; Contact Karen Sykes at kosykes@msn.com
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