Campus Equestrian: Zone 5, Region 2 Home Page

IHSA ZONE 5 - REGION 2

For the first time in program history Mississippi State University advanced a full western team to IHSA Nationals. Bulldogs head coach Ashley Glenn (on right) is seen here with Breana Souders, a senior from Ocala, Florida who was seventh in team ranch riding at Nationals on May 2nd. Mississippi State went on to place fourth overall in their first visit to Nationals with a full team, earning 30.5 points to trail only Black Hawk College (third), the University of Findlay (reserve champion) and new national champion West Texas A & M University. Middle Tennessee State University was fifth with 29.5 points, which meant the Bulldogs were in exclusive company. Each of the other top five teams has at least two prior IHSA National Championship banners on their resume.

From Columbiana, Alabama, Willa Akins of Berry College is seen here between rides at Zone 5 Zones in Hardeeville, South Carolina on March 28th. Akins was the only Region 2 rider to compete in both an individual class and team classes at 2026 IHSA Nationals. After placing second in the division at Zones, Akins was sixth in individual open flat at IHSA Nationals on May 1st. Akins closed out her sophomore year with an eighth in team open on the flat on May 3rd, helping the Vikings score 11.5 points over the eight team classes.

The first Region 2 rider to win a class of any kind at 2026 Zone 5 Zones was Jane Podrazhansky of Auburn University (on right). Seen here with Tigers head coach Caroline Becker, the sophomore from Milton, Georgia won the individual intermediate over fences on March 28th. When the same class was held at Nationals on May 1st, Podrazhansky placed fifth in the field of 16. Auburn gave Berry a run for their money in the Region 2 hunter seat team race, eventually finishing only five points behind the Vikings.

Did you know that the Italian word for "Moustache" is "Baffi?" Well it is according to Margaret Baffi of the University of Alabama (pictured) who told us so during Zone 5 Zones. A junior from Baltimore, Maryland, Baffi is seen here with her prizes after winning individual intermediate on the flat at Zones on March 28th. Baffi and Podrazhansky were the only Region 2 hunter seat riders not from Berry to compete at 2026 IHSA Nationals.

Third place in the Region 2 hunter seat team standings went to the University of Georgia. Also known as the Bulldogs, UGA had one rider at 2026 Zone 5 Zones and she is Sophia Santoro (on left). From Charlotte, North Carolina, Santoro is seen here with UGA head coach Kelly Boltz after placing third in individual open on the flat on March 28th to close out her senior year. During her four years the University of Georgia took a full hunter seat team to Zones twice and sent a full team to IHSA Nationals in 2024.

The University of North Georgia also had one rider at 2026 Zones. From Peachtree City, Georgia, Abigail Daniel (on left) poses with Nighthawk head coach Chelsea Cates after placing ninth in the individual introductory equitation division on March 28th to close out her junior year. North Georgia is one of seven Zone 5, Region 2 schools located in the Peach state, which is of course Georgia.

Auburn had five riders entered at 2026 Zone 5 Zones and two of them showed in the same class. We wish we had asked Madison Kerby (on left) and Savannah Stoltman (on right) which of the two had won the individual novice equitation class at Regionals. On March 28th Kerby (a senior from Tampa, Florida) was eighth and Stoltman (a junior from Leawood, Kansas) was third in the individual novice. It was nearly a case of 'Savannah in Savannah' for Stoltman, as Zones was held at the Ronald C. Waranch Equestrian Center which is the home facility for Savannah College of Art & Design. However this facility is just over the bridge from Savannah in the town of Hardeeville, South Carolina, so it was actually 'Savannah in Hardeeville' if that makes sense.

It was not the first time at IHSA Nationals for Natalie Ruha of Mississippi State University (pictured) but it was her first time showing in the western team competition there. The senior from Alabaster, Alabama came through in a big situation at the Murray, Kentucky Semifinal on March 22nd. With the Bulldogs only one point ahead of both Miami University of Ohio and St. Mary of the Woods College 17-16 and sitting in third place Ruha won the final team class, the team open western horsemanship, to assure Mississippi State that they would take a full team to IHSA Nationals for the first time. At Nationals Ruha put the Bulldog's final half point on the scoreboard with a tenth in the same division on May 3rd. Ruha's best ribbon at 2026 IHSA Nationals was in the individual open western horsemanship division, when she improved upon her third place ribbon at Semifinals to place second in the nation in the same division on May 1st.

Click on the map to get information and results from IHSA shows.

Contact Info
editor@campusequestrian.com

FEATURED LINKS

IHSAinc.com

SOCIAL MEDIA

The Zone 5, Region 2 Smorgasbord

Schools which competed in Zone 5, Region 2 during the 2025-2026 school year: Auburn University, Berry College, Emory University, Georgia College & State University, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State University, Mississippi State University, Samford University, University of Alabama, University of Georgia, University of Mississippi and University of North Georgia.

Fall 2026 Show Schedule for Zone 5, Region 2:

Saturday, October 3 University of Georgia (Host) at the University of Georgia Livestock Arena, Athens, GA Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Sunday, October 4 University of Georgia (Host) at the University of Georgia Livestock Arena, Athens, GA Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Saturday, October 24 Berry College (Host) at Gunby Equine Center, Mount Berry, GA Time TBA 2 WESTERN ONLY - ONE SHOW WILL BE RAIL ONLY

Saturday, November 7 Berry College (Host) at Gunby Equine Center, Mount Berry, GA Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Saturday, November 14 Auburn University (Host) at the Auburn University Equestrian Center, Auburn, AL Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Sunday, November 15 University of North Georgia (Host) Site and Time TBA 2 WESTERN ONLY - ONE SHOW WILL BE RAIL ONLY

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

Recent Region 2 Team Champions

Hunter Seat:

1997 - University of Georgia
1998 - University of South Carolina
1999 - Berry College
2000 - Berry College
2001 - University of South Carolina
2002 - Berry College
2003 - Auburn University
2004 - Berry College
2005 - Berry College
2006 - University of Georgia
2007 - Berry College
2008 - Berry College
2009 - Berry College
2010 - Berry College
2011 - Berry College
2012 - Berry College
2013 - Berry College
2014 - Berry College
2015 - Berry College
2016 - Berry College
2017 - Berry College
2018 - Berry College
2019 - University of Alabama
2020 - Berry College
2022 - Berry College
2023 - University of Georgia
2024 - University of Georgia
2025 - Berry College
2026 - Berry College

Western:

1997 - ???????????????????????
1998 - Berry College
1999 - Berry College
2000 - Berry College
2001 - Berry College
2002 - Auburn University
2003 - Auburn University
2004 - Berry College
2005 - Berry College
2006 - Berry College
2007 - Berry College
2008 - Berry College
2009 - Berry College
2010 - Berry College
2011 - Berry College (2010-11
IHSA Western National Champions)
2012 - Berry College
2013 - Berry College
2014 - Berry College
2015 - Berry College (2014-15
IHSA Western National Champions)
2016 - Berry College (2015-16
IHSA Western Co-National Champions)
2017 - Berry College
2018 - Berry College
2019 - Berry College
2020 - Berry College
2022 - Berry College
2023 - Berry College
2024 - Berry College
2025 - Mississippi State University
2026 - Mississippi State University

Regional Qualifiers

Open Level Rider Standings

Team Standings

ZONE 5 NEIGHBORS

Region 1 Homepage

Region 3 Homepage

Region 4 Homepage

Region 5 Homepage