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On day one of 2026 IHSA Nationals we told Maye Stichter
of Dickinson College (on right) and head coach Lindsay
Vulich (on left) that the next time we update our Zone
3, Region 1 page that we would put their photo at the
top of the page. And so here they are, at IHSA
Nationals at Tryon International Equestrian Center in
Mill Spring, North Carolina on May 1st. Stichter was
one of two Dickinson riders showing that day, having
placed second in individual intermediate on the flat at
Zone 3 Zones on April 4th to advance to the year-end
IHSA show. From Fairfield, Connecticut, Stichter
closed out her senior year by placing eighth in the
same division not long after this photo was taken.
Kayleigh Miller of Bucknell University is seen here
waiting for the individual introductory equitation
class at Zone 3 Zones in Long Valley, New Jersey on
April 4th. A sophomore from Rockville Center, New
York, Miller was second in the field of eight to
advance to IHSA Nationals in the division. Miller was
the only Region 1 rider Not from either Penn State
(Main Campus) or Dickinson to qualify for the year-end
IHSA show.
At Zone 3 Zones on April 4th Judge Maria Takacs tested
three of the seven riders entered in the individual
intermediate over fences. Some including this writer
thought one of the riders not tested was the best of
the bunch. It turned out that Takacs was testing for
second place. Daisy Ballantine of Dickinson College
had in fact been saved for first place by Takacs, and
IHSA Founder Bob Cacchione (on right) posed with
Ballantine after she received her blue ribbon. From
Alexandria, Virginia, Ballantine was not done for the
day, claiming another blue ribbon in individual limit on
the flat a few hours later. This made Ballantine the only
Region 1 rider to secure two rides at 2026 Nationals.
It was quite an impressive freshman year for
Ballantine, who helped Dickinson give Penn State (Main
Campus) a run for their money in the Region 1 team
standings. Dickinson was tied with the Nittany Lions
at the winter break (and at that time Dickinson would
have held the tiebreaker) and ultimately finished only
13 points out. Ballantine was tested in the
individual intermediate fences at Nationals, finishing
second. Ballantine was also tenth in individual limit
on the flat on May 1st. Ballantine, Stichter, Miller
and Penn State (Main Campus) teammates Sarah Bowe and
Isabella Quill were the Region 1 hunter seat riders to
show at '26 Nationals. When we updated this page on
August 23rd we added the first five photos to the
other 12 without removing any. The remaining 12
photos and their captions were written and posted in
late 2025, including the last one on the page which is
where you will find Bowe of the Nittany Lions who was
second in individual novice flat at Zones. If you
visit the team standings page you will find a photo of
Quill, who was third at Nationals in individual limit
fences.
Penn State University (Main Campus) was high point
team in Zone 3 for the 2025-26 season. The Nittany
Lions were third at the Findlay, Ohio Semifinal
March 23rd and 24th to advance a full Western team
to IHSA Nationals. The Main Campus (which at Campus
Equestrian we often call "State College") scored 15
points at Nationals with seven of them coming from
Brooke Gochnour (pictured). A junior from New
Enterprize, Pennsylvania, Gochnour was third in team
beginner western horsemanship early in the day on
May 2nd. The Nittany Lions made the top ten at tenth
place to receive team ribbons at the awards ceremony
held at the end of Nationals on May 3rd.
We swear that Rachel Bardsley of Wilson College and
Gochnour did not share the same yellow ribbon!
Though Bardsley rode in the class right after
Gochnour there were plenty of ribbons in all colors
to go around! A junior from Palmyra, Pennsylvania,
Bardsley is seen here after having placed third in
individual level I western horsemanship at Nationals
on May 2nd. Bardsley previously placed third in the
same division at the Findlay, Ohio Semifinal to
qualify for Nationals. Behind only Penn State and
Delaware Valley, Wilson was the clear-cut third
place Western team in Zone 3 for the 2025-26 season.
Seen here between her parents at 2024 IHSA Nationals
(during which she competed in team rookie western
horsemanship) Riley Schreiber of Penn State University
(main campus) is one of ten Nittany Lions to have
qualified for 2026 Regionals in one of the western
divisions. The senior from Kunkeltown, Pennsylvania is
qualified in level I western horsemanship. Penn State
won the three most recent Zone 3 Western Shows to take
a 21 point lead on Delaware Valley into the winter break.
When this photo was taken at the November 12, 2023
Susquehanna/Bucknell show Sage Wolf of Dickinson College
(holding "Andy") took part in a three-way question-off
for high point rider. Wolf had won sections of
intermediate fences and limit flat that day.
Fast-forward to the current season and the junior from
Warrenton, Virginia is third in the Region 1 hunter seat
open rider standings through five shows. Dickinson won
the season opener at the Greer School 42-39 over host
Penn State on October 4th and won both shows at
Brookside Stables in Ringoes, New Jersey November 8th
and 9th to finish the fall in a tie with the Nittany
Lions for overall Region 1 hunter seat high point team
with 180 points each.
Kendi Long of Wilson College (pictured) entered the
season needing one single point in limit flat and
eleven points in limit fences to qualify for
Regionals in both divisions. A fifth for the senior
from Media, Pennsylvania in limit flat on October 4th
checked the first box and at some point Long also
pointed out of limit fences. Long is one of five
Region 1 riders to have qualified for Regionals in
both limit divisions after five shows.
This photo of Candace DelCastillo dates from the
December 2, 2023 Holiday Tournament of Champions
invitational in Long Valley, New Jersey. A senior
from Pleasantville, New York, DelCastillo is
qualified for 2026 Regionals in limit flat. The
2025 Holiday Tournament will again be in Long
Valley, New Jersey with the show taking place on
December 6th. And Penn State along with the other
three defending hunter seat Region Champions from
the other three regions within Zone 3 will also be
part of the field of 15 schools (this means
Delaware Valley University, the University of
Delaware and host Centenary University will join
Penn State - State College or main campus - at the
show).
We don't have the class-by-class results from the
October 5th Penn State show. But we do have them for
the other four fall Region 1 hunter seat shows. And
at each of those four shows Mira Goberman of
Susquehanna University (pictured) won her flat class.
A sophomore from East Granby, Connecticut, Goberman
won her limit flat on October 4th when this photo
was taken. By October 25th when Wilson hosted
Goberman had pointed out of the limits into both
intermediate divisions, and at Wilson (and at both
shows at Brookside in November) Goberman was a
winner in intermediate flat. If there are three
more shows Goberman has to be careful about pointing
up in the flats twice in the same season.
After Dickinson and Penn State with 180 points each
comes Juniata College with 136. One of three Juniata
riders heading to Regionals is Alexa Viands (pictured).
A senior from Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania, Viands is seen
here at the Greer School on October 4th before
placing second in novice equitation to qualify for
Regionals in the division.
We don't have a more recent photo of Samantha Bruhin
of Bucknell University (on right) so we are re-using
this photo of the Bison senior with show coach Katie
Shoop at the October 26, 2024 Wilson show. From
Schwenksville, Pennsylvania Bruhin is qualified for
Regionals in both limit divisions. Bucknell,
Susquehanna and Wilson are all close together in the
team standings, with the Bison at 117 points two in
front of Wilson and five behind Susquehanna.
Here is another photo from November 12, 2023 (when
Brookside was still known as Planeta Stables). This
photo features Allison Clayton of Wilson College
between her parents. This season the senior from
Morgantown, Pennsylvania is qualfied
for Regionals in both limit division.
Head coach Mackenzie Appleman and Lucy Anders of
Susquehanna University pose with "Patron" at that
same fall 2023 show the River Hawks co-hosted with
Bucknell. At that time Anders was new to the limit
divisions, having pointed out of novice at a Wilson
show a few weeks earlier. This season the senior
from Baltimore, Maryland is qualified for Regionals
in limit flat.
Most recently Karly Hosterman of Gettysburg College
(pictured) won a second place ribbon in novice
equitation at the November 9th Susquehanna/Bucknell
show. A sophomore from Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania,
Hosterman is seen here after placing third in the
division at the Greer School on October 4th. We are
still awaiting the Spring Region 1 show schedule but
it is possible Gettysburg will be hosting or
co-hosting one of the shows.
A freshman from Ephrata, Pennsylvania, Katie Reed of
Dickinson College was second in limit fences both days
at Brookside including the November 8th show which
Dickinson hosted. Dickinson won that particular show
by five points with three blue ribbons in total.
Penn State (main campus or State College as we
list them) has the most hunter seat Regional
Qualifiers in Region 1 with six including Sarah
Bowe (pictured). A senior from Paxton, Massachusetts
Bowe is seen here at the Greer School after winning
her novice equitation class on October 4th. Bowe is
one of nine riders across the region to have pointed
out of novice during the fall. |
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 Schools
which competed in Zone 3, Region 1 during the 2025-2026 school
year: Bucknell University, Dickinson College, Gettysburg
College, Juniata College, Penn State University (State
College), Penn State University - Altoona Campus, Susquehanna
University and Wilson College.
Fall
2026 Show Schedule for Zone 3, Region 1:
 Saturday,
October 3 Penn State University (Host) at the Grier
School, Birmingham, PA Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY
Sunday,
October 4 Penn State University (Host) at the Grier
School, Birmingham, PA Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY
 Saturday,
October 10 Wilson College (Host) on campus at the Hawthorne Riding Arena at the Penn Hall
Equestrian Center, Chambersburg, PA Time TBA 2 WESTERN ONLY
Saturday,
October 31 Wilson College (Host) on campus at the Hawthorne Riding Arena at the Penn Hall
Equestrian Center, Chambersburg, PA Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY
Saturday,
November 7 Dickinson College (Host) at Havenshire
Farm, Townsend, DE Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY
Saturday,
November 7 Kutztown University (Host) at the Dream
Park, Logan Township, NJ Time TBA WESTERN ONLY
Saturday,
November 7 University of Delaware (Host) at the Dream
Park, Logan Township, NJ Time TBA WESTERN ONLY - HELD FOLLOWING THE CONCLUSION OF THE KUTZTOWN SHOW
Sunday,
November 8 Susquehanna University (Host) at Havenshire
Farm, Townsend, DE Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY
Saturday,
November 21 Delaware Valley University (Host) at Saddlebrook Equestrian
Center, Schwenksville, PA Time TBA 2 WESTERN ONLY
Schools in each Zone 3 Hunter Seat Region will show Western as part of one big region again in 2026-27. Show Schedule subject to change.
Recent Region 1 Team Champions (The current hunter seat version of Zone 3, Region 1 was created from parts of
Zone 3, Region 2, Zone 3, Region 3 and Zone 3, Region 4 following the 2004-05 season):
Hunter Seat:
2006 - Penn State University (State College)
2007 - Penn State University (State College)
2008 - Penn State University (State College)
2009 - Penn State University (State College)
2010 - Penn State University (State College)
2011 - Penn State University (State College)
2012 - Penn State University (State College)
2013 - Penn State University (State College)
2014 - Penn State University (State College)
2015 - Penn State University (State College)
2016 - Penn State University (State College)
2017 - Penn State University (State College)
2018 - Penn State University (State College)
2019 - Penn State University (State College)
2020 - Penn State University (State College)
2022 - Penn State University (State College)
2023 - Penn State University (State College)
2024 - Penn State University (State College)
2025 - Penn State University (State College)
2026 - Penn State University (State College)
Western:
1999 - Kutztown University
2000 - Kutztown University
2001 - University of Delaware
2002 - Rutgers University
2003 - Bucks County Community College
2004 - Bucks County Community College
2005 - Delaware Valley College
2006 - Delaware Valley College
2007 - Delaware Valley College
2008 - Delaware Valley College
2009 - Washington College
2010 - University of Delaware
2011 - University of Delaware
2012 - University of Delaware
2013 - Delaware Valley College
2014 - Delaware Valley College
2015 - Delaware Valley College
2016 - Delaware Valley University
2017 - Delaware Valley University
2018 - Delaware Valley University
2019 - Penn State University (State College)
2020 - University of Delaware
2022 - Delaware Valley University
2023 - Delaware Valley University
2024 - Penn State University (State College)
2025 - Delaware Valley University
2026 - Penn State University (State College)
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ZONE
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