Seen here with "Sleepy Cloverdale" (aka Sleepy, the favorite horse at Zone 8, Region 3 Regionals) is Jason Romney of Utah State University. Not only did Romney win both the open reining and rail classes at Region 3 Regionals on February 21st, he is even going directly to Nationals as their individual AQHA Trophy rider (photo courtesy Rebecca Lewis/Utah State University Equestrian Team).

2010 INDIVIDUAL AQHA TROPHY CLASS AT IHSA NATIONALS NEARLY SET

Headed into the March 6th/7th weekend nearly all the slots in the individual AQHA Trophy class at IHSA Nationals have been spoken for. No less than five riders locked up a place in the competition over the February 27th/28th weekend (though we are still trying to find out who won in Zone 5, Region 1).

Carolyn LaRose of Delaware Valley College was way ahead going into the final double western show in Zone 3, Region 2. And while Delaware Valley finished second behind the University of Delaware in the team standings LaRose finished 30 points ahead in the Region 2 AQHA race. This will be LaRose's first trip to IHSA Nationals in any capacity.

Britta Jackson of the University of Louisville hung on in a close Zone 6, Region 2 race. Jackson finished two points ahead of the University of Cincinnati's Kara Hughes. Like LaRose Jackson will be making her IHSA Nationals debut when everyone gathers in Lexington in early May.

Elizabeth Whitman of Oregon State was tenth at 2009 Nationals in the individual open rail class. Now a sophomore, Whitman will represent Zone 8, Region 4 in the AQHA Trophy division after having finished 15 points ahead of Sarah Bessey of Central Washington during the regular season.

And Allie Jones of Berry College is an old pro at this sort of stuff by now. Listed rather formally as 'Alexandra Jones' in each of the past two IHSA Nationals programs, the junior from Cambridge, England will represent Zone 5, Region 2 in the Trophy class for a third consecutive season. Jones likely hopes the third time is the charm as neither of her prior appearances at Nationals in the division produced a top ten placing.

All three of the riders we thought were likely to have clinched earlier in February did in fact win out. One time Purdue rider Allison Kralovansky captured the Zone 9, Region 1 AQHA slot by nine points, this despite not competing in their final two shows. Kralovansky may have been out of eligibility, as she rode for Purdue - and placed fourth at 2006 Nationals in individual novice western - for a season before transfering to St. Mary of the Woods College. Still Kralovansky will be able to compete for the Trophy come May 6th through ninth. Katie Douglas of Florida State will be making her third straight AQHA appearance out of Zone 5, Region 3. Out of the ribbons at '08 Nationals the Seminole senior from Bradenton, Florida was eighth last season in the division. And for the first time since the West Coast was not one big region the Zone 8, Region 2 AQHA rider is not a member of the Cal Poly - Pomona western team. Amanda Brightwell of the University of California at San Diego finished 16 points ahead of Pomona's Catie Pabst for the honor in 2010.

The first weekend in March will settle two more races (unless there is a tie of course). Zone 6, Region 1 will finish their season while Zone 7, Region 2 will do likewise. Only six points separate Alicia Daugherty of Texas Tech from Rachel Olson of West Texas A & M in the latter, while Sarah Phillips of Ohio State leads Alisa Trucco of Ohio University by eight in the former.

--Steve Maxwell

2010 IHSA Nationals Individual AQHA Qualifiers (so far), each of whom will compete for the Individual AQHA Trophy May 6th through 9th in Lexington, Kentucky:

ZONE 2, REGION 1: Randi Cashman, Centenary College

ZONE 2, REGION 2: Jeni Nagel, State University of New York at Oswego

ZONE 2, REGION 3: Jill Featherly, Morrisville State College

ZONE 3, REGION 2: Carolyn LaRose, Delaware Valley College

ZONE 3, REGION 4: ???????????????????????????

ZONE 4, REGION 3: Kelsey Moody, St. Andrews Presbyterian College

ZONE 5, REGION 1: ???????????????????????????

ZONE 5, REGION 2: Allie Jones, Berry College

ZONE 5, REGION 3: Katie Douglas, Florida State University

ZONE 6, REGION 1: ???????????????????????????

ZONE 6, REGION 2: Britta Jackson, University of Louisville

ZONE 6, REGION 3: Katie Morehead, University of Findlay

ZONE 6, REGION 4: Austin Crawley, Michigan State University

ZONE 7, REGION 1: Kim Corradi, University of Nebraska at Lincoln

ZONE 7, REGION 2: ???????????????????????????

ZONE 8, REGION 1: Sabrina Wilson, Stanford University

ZONE 8, REGION 2: Amanda Brightwell, University of California at San Diego

ZONE 8, REGION 3: Jason Romney, Utah State University

ZONE 8, REGION 4: Elizabeth Whitman, Oregon State University

ZONE 9, REGION 1: Allison Kralovansky, St. Mary of the Woods College

ZONE 9, REGION 2: ???????????????????????????

ZONE 9, REGION 3: Amanda Peterson, University of Minnesota - Crookston