They finished sixth at the Winter Tournament of Champions in Fredericksburg, Virginia when this photo was taken on January 28th. Coach Ashley Duda (center) has the St. Andrews University Knights in first place in the Zone 4, Region 3 hunter seat team standings by a very healthy 32 points. The Knights' western team is only ahead by 20 points, making things interesting for at least one team chasing them in the Region 3 western team standings.

WHAT DEFINES A "CLOSE RACE?"

For it being so early in the month of February the IHSA show schedule is quite busy, with ten english shows (make that eleven counting a doubleheader) and two western shows (one really a doubleheader plus Regionals) on Saturday alone.

Considering how many different regions are in action this weekend it is surprising that none of the team races (that we know of - editor) feature a race where the top two teams are separated by fewer than ten points. The closest race that we can account for is in Zone 8, Region 3, where the University of Montana Western holds a ten point lead on the University of Montana going into the one hunter seat twinbill hosted by Utah State this Saturday.

Because Zone 8, Region 3 will still hold two more hunter seat shows prior to Regionals most would agree that, prior to the start of the first show on Saturday, the Montana Western vs. Montana race can still be called "Close."

The same situation holds true in the Zone 6, Region 2 western team race. Ohio State University leads Miami of Ohio by 12 points going into the seventh and eighth shows of the season. The Buckeyes have the IHSA record (and counting) for most consecutive region titles - English or Western - dating back to 1987 for their unsurpased western program. If the Red Hawks close this gap over the weekend everyone will have their eyes on Ohio State when the Buckeyes host the ninth and tenth Region 2 western shows on March 4th to see if history repeats and grants Ohio State a 26th consecutive title or not.

The current Cal Poly - Pomona seniors have never been part of a hunter seat Region Title. The current University of Southern California seniors have been in school for three region titles. However in 2011-12 the Broncos lead the defending champion Trojans by 14 points going into a pair of shows in the San Diego area this weekend. If the weather permits (and Zone 8, Region 2 is no stranger to re-scheduling shows due to rainouts) there will still be three more hunter seat shows after this weekend. This race is still "Close" by our standards.

The Zone 5, Region 3 hunter seat race has to be considered a race. At the last show on November 20th the College of Charleston went from being 35 points out of first to being only 15 points out of first. The Cougars won at home that day with 41 points and now trail defending region champion Savannah College of Art & Design by only 184-169 with two of the remaining four shows at Tropical Park in Southern Florida this weekend. Last Season it was the Bees rallying to upend the Cougars who at one time enjoyed a lead of over 25 points. Can the Cougars return the favor this Spring?

Sweet Briar College gained significant ground at the final two Zone 4, Region 2 shows of the fall and lead Bridgewater College 128-110 going into a Friday afternoon contest at the Randolph College Riding Center. However only four of nine Region 2 shows were held in the fall so after today the season will be half over. This is still a race, but if Sweet Briar can hold serve over three days (the Vixens host on Sunday though Region 2 gets a day off in between) an 18 point lead will have more meaning if only three shows remain.

Is the glass half empty or is the glass half full in Zone 2, Region 5? The US Coast Guard will host the first New England-based IHSA show of 2012 which will also be the sixth of ten Region 5 shows. Sacred Heart University holds a 182-163 lead over the University of Connecticut. The Pioneers are in search of their first-ever Region Title while the defending champion Huskies know that weather permitting the tenth and final Region 5 regular season show is at home on March 10th. With some of the wild point swings this region encountered early in the fall this is clearly still a race.

Martin Community College hosts Zone 4, Region 3 western shows both Saturday and Sunday. North Carolina State trails St. Andrews University 144-124 through six shows. After this weekend two shows will remain. This one would still be considered a race going into the weekend (last season the Wolfpack kept chipping away at the Knights lead before falling late) but if the Knights tread water it probably wouldn't be called a close race again until opening day of next season.

Utah State hosts both English and Western this weekend. On Sunday the host school will hope to close what is a 25 point gap with the University of Montana in the Zone 8, Region 3 Western race. The University of Montana Western is five ahead of Utah State going in so both teams are chasing the Golden Grizzlies. Three western shows will remain after this one so we will classify this region as a close race for now.

The rest of the contests (where we have been kept up-to-date by those who supply us with the totals) feature lop-sided team races. Virginia Intermont College went 4 and 0 during the fall and hosts two shows. Virginia Tech is in second place in Zone 5, Region 4, trailing VI by 34 points. The St. Andrews University hunter seat team is up by 32 points on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with one show remaining after this weekend. And though it isn't a close race by our standards it will produce some history if the numbers hold up. The University of Minnesota - Twin Cities (the main campus of the University of Minnesota system) has never won a hunter seat Region Title. The Golden Gophers host two shows at Stonegate Farm (in Stillwater, Minnesota, not to be confused with Stonegate Farm in Coolville, Ohio which hosts shows for multiple IHSA regions) and enter the weekend leading defending region champion Minnesota - Crookston 147-123. Two shows hosted by Wisconsin - River Falls will remain after this weekend. If the Golden Gophers can stay on top they will likely become the first IHSA program of the 2011-12 season to clinch a spot at Zones or Semifinals for the first time in the history of their program.

Stay warm, bring a sharpie, bring electrical tape in case a zipper on a boot breaks, bring toilet paper and enjoy the shows!

---Steve Maxwell

Friday, February 3rd:

Zone 4, Region 2 Randolph College/Lynchburg College (Co-Hosts) at the Randolph College Riding Center, Lynchburg, VA 2:00PM ENGLISH ONLY

Saturday, February 4th:

Zone 2, Region 5 United States Coast Guard Academy (Host) at Mystic Valley Hunt Club, Gales Ferry, CT 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 3, Regions 3 and 4 Entire Region (Co-Hosts) at AW Performance Horses, Lafayette, NJ 8:30AM 2 WESTERN ONLY

Zone 3, Regions 3 and 4 ZONE 3, REGIONS 3 AND 4 WESTERN REGIONALS at AW Performance Horses, Lafayette, NJ HELD FOLLOWING THE CONCLUSION OF THE FINAL REGULAR SEASON SHOW - WESTERN ONLY

Zone 4, Region 3 St. Andrews University (Host) at St. Andrews Equestrian Center, Laurinburg, NC 10:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 4, Region 3 Martin Community College (Host) at NC Eastern Ag Center, Williamston, NC Time TBA WESTERN ONLY

Zone 5, Region 3 University of Miami (FL) (Host) at Tropical Park, Miami, FL 8:30AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 5, Region 4 Virginia Intermont College (Host) at Virginia Intermont's North Campus, Bristol, VA 11:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 6, Region 1 Lake Erie College (Host) at Lake Erie College George M. Humphrey Equestrian Center, Concord, OH 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 7, Region 3 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities (Host) at Stonegate Farm, Stillwater, MN 1:00PM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 8, Region 1 University of California at Davis (Host) at the University of California at Davis Equestrian Center, Davis, CA Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 8, Region 2 University of San Diego (Host) at Sweetwater Farms, Bonita, CA 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 8, Region 3 Utah State University (Host) at the Equine Education Center Indoor Arena, Wellsville, UT 9:00AM 2 ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 8, Region 5 Colorado College (Host) at MM Equestrian Center, Fountain, CO 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Sunday, February 5th:

Zone 4, Region 2 Sweet Briar College (Host) on campus at the Harriet Rogers Riding Center, Sweet Briar, VA 11:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 4, Region 3 Martin Community College (Host) at NC Eastern Ag Center, Williamston, NC Time TBA WESTERN ONLY

Zone 5, Region 3 Florida Atlantic University and/or Florida International University (Host) at Tropical Park, Miami, FL 8:30AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 5, Region 4 Virginia Intermont College (Host) at Virginia Intermont's North Campus, Bristol, VA 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 6, Region 2 Ohio University - Southern Campus (Host) at the Ohio Horse Park, Franklin Furnace, OH 9:30AM 2 WESTERN ONLY

Zone 7, Region 3 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities (Host) at Stonegate Farm, Stillwater, MN 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 8, Region 2 University of San Diego (Host) at Sweetwater Farms, Bonita, CA 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 8, Region 3 Utah State University (Host) at the Equine Education Center Indoor Arena, Wellsville, UT 9:00AM WESTERN ONLY

Zone 8, Region 5 Colorado College (Host) at MM Equestrian Center, Fountain, CO 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

All times listed are local time. Show Schedule subject to change.