Campus Equestrian: Zone 7, Region 1 home page

IHSA ZONE 7 - REGION 1

Stonegate Farm in Coolville, Ohio has become a popular place to host an IHSA show. In 2024-25 three different IHSA Regions hosted shows there: Zone 2, Region 5 (Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia), Zone 6, Region 2 (Central Ohio, with Ohio University from this region calling the place their home facility) and Zone 7, Region 1, which traveled from Indiana and Illinois to Southeastern Ohio to compete in the heated indoor. On February 22nd Purdue University - coached by Kathryn Kraft (on right) - won by a 36-23 margin over Butler in the first of back-to-backs at Stonegate that weekend. On the left is Hailey Hurst, a Purdue senior from Zionsville, Indiana who had previously qualified for Regionals in intermediate fences.

While Kraft is in her third season as head coach of the Boilermaker's hunter seat team it is the first season as head coach for Sarah Kenderdine of St. Mary of the Woods College (on left). Seen here in the lobby at Stonegate Farm with Kenderdine is Annabelle Luckcuck of the Pomeroys, a sophomore from Fishers, Indiana who is qualified for Regionals in limit fences. While Purdue took back the hunter seat Region Title that St. Mary of the Woods took from them in 2023-24 the Pomeroys claimed Region 1 Western High Point Team Honors in Kenderdine's first season at the helm (Kenderdine was assistant coach last season to Tabatha Taylor, who took over as head coach at West Texas A & M University this season).

The University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign may have had the longest drive to Stonegate but the Fighting Illini were the host school on February 22nd/23rd. Head coach Terri Foreman (on left) and assistant coach Kristina Slaby (herself an Illinois graduate in 2020, on right) are seen here with Lily Kettler, a senior from St. Paul, Minnesota who entered the Stonegate weekend already qualified for Regionals in both intermediate divisions. Region 1 again traveled to Stonegate two weekends later, with Illinois again the official host on a Saturday while hunter seat Regionals were held on Sunday, March 9th.

The February 22nd Illinois show (also called one of the region's "March Madness" shows on the cover of program) was the first since late 2024 for Region 1 hunter seat riders. It is not easy to qualify for the open divisions in only six shows but Pratham Grover of Indiana University (pictured) did just that. A sophomore from Panipat, India Grover reached 28 points in the open fences division prior to the February 22nd to officially qualify for the March 9th post-season show.

One of the reasons Butler University did so well on February 22nd was the riding of Kevin Beall (on right, with head coach Emily Ahlfeld). A sophomore from Midlothian, Illinois, Beall won both of his intermediate classes and eventually claimed high point rider honors for the day. Beall started the season in both limit divisions before qualifying for Regionals in each.

She grew up riding against Kerry Hilgendorf's Lucky Horse IEA team. So when she went to college it was time to ride for Hilgendorf's IHSA team! Lauren Latimer (on right) poses with University of Notre Dame/St. Mary's College head coach Kerry Hilgendorf on February 22nd. The senior and Team President from South Bend, Indiana qualified for Regionals in intermediate fences at the September 21st Indiana University show.

Through six fall hunter seat shows four points separated fourth place from sixth place in the team standings. Butler had 122, Notre Dame/St. Marys had 118 and between them was Ball State University with 119. Gweneth Porod (pictured) was one of six Cardinals to compete on February 22nd. A junior from Jeffersonville, Indiana, Porod was already qualified for Regionals in limit flat.

Katelyn Vanden Brink (on left) and Lydia Grier (on right) hail from different states (Vanden Brink is from Hackettstown, New Jersey while Grier is from Lexington, Kentucky). They are in different graduating classes (Vanden Brink is a sophomore while Grier is a junior). They are going to Regionals in different divisions (Vanden Brink in novice equitation and Grier in limit fences). But the one thing they have in common is they both compete for Taylor University. Taylor put 12 points on the board on February 22nd to finish sixth out of eight teams that day.

St. Mary of the Woods was third that day with 20 points. This kept the Pomeroys in second place overall. Halle Minton (pictured) was second in her intermediate flat to help the cause. A junior from Lynnville, Indiana, Minton qualified for Regionals in limit fences earlier in the season.

Of all the coaches present on February 22nd this writer had previously met all of them save for Indiana Hoosiers coach Kelli Hughes (on left). Hughes had the Hoosiers in third place overall entering the day and after tieing Illinois with 19 points was still in third. On the right is Emma Lowe, a freshman from Zionsville, Indiana who had as good a fall semester over fences as anyone in the entire IHSA. Over six shows Lowe won five limit fences classes and was second once, perhaps putting up as many as 40 points for Indiana in the process.

Though they had the longest drive many University of Illinois parents were on hand to cheer for the Fighting Illini. One of them is Shari Schmidt (on left), whose daughter Ally (on right) placed fifth in both of her intermediate classes (save for novice and intro, all the classes were made up of eight to eleven riders). A junior from Palos Hills, Illinois, Schmidt pointed out of both limit divisions during the fall.

Malachi (on right) attended the February 22nd show to see Sara Albers of Butler University (on left) win what turned out to be her first IHSA blue ribbon in a jumping class. A sophomore from Cleveland, Ohio, Albers pointed out of novice equitation during the fall semester and prevailed in a field of ten riders in the first of three sections of limit fences shortly before this photo was taken.

Many who are not familiar with Zone 7, Region 1 are perhaps unaware that the University of Notre Dame and St. Mary's College of Indiana are two separate schools which under a unique agreement ride as one within IHSA competitions. Another regional qualifier from this combination is Ryley Finch (on right, with coach Hilgendorf), a junior from Crown Point, Indiana who qualified in limit flat at the November 10th St. Mary of the Woods show.

As of the conclusion of the February 22nd show Isabella Houser of Ball State University (pictured) needed two more points in novice equiatation to qualify for Regionals. The senior from Carmel, Indiana was fifth in novice that day to reach 34 points in the division with two shows remaining to hopefully point out. On February 22nd Houser was one of at least four Region 1 riders to claim Carmel, Indiana as their hometown.

And another of the four from Carmel is Lauren Dykes of Taylor University (pictured). The Trojans sophomore is qualified for Regionals in limit fences.

There are so many riders named "Abby" on the Purdue University roster that one of them, Abigail Shelchuk (pictured), goes by Gail when in the company of her teammates. A junior from Cupertino, California, Shelchuk had previously qualified for Regionals in intermediate flat. Shelchuk also informed us that she went to the same high school as 2024 IHSA Nationals Cacchione Cup winner Delani Franklin of Lake Erie College. Monta Vista high school in Cupertino can claim both of these IHSA riders as former pupils. With the Boilermaker's February 22nd win and a one point win the next day the school located in West Lafayette, Indiana mathematically clinched the Region Title with one regular season show still remaining on March 8th.

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The Zone 7, Region 1 Smorgasbord

Schools competing in Zone 7, Region 1 during the 2025-2026 school year: Ball State University, Butler University, Indiana University, Purdue University, St. Mary of the Woods College, Taylor University, University of Illinois (Urbana - Champaign) and University of Notre Dame/St. Mary's College (IN).

Winter/Spring 2026 Show Schedule for Zone 7, Region 1:

Saturday, February 14 Taylor University (Host) at Rope This Ranch, Upland, IN 9:00AM WESTERN ONLY

Sunday, February 15 Taylor University (Host) at Rope This Ranch, Upland, IN 9:00AM WESTERN ONLY

Saturday, February 21 Purdue University (Host) at the Vaughn Equestrian Center at Culver Academy, Culver, IN 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Sunday, February 22 Purdue University (Host) at the Vaughn Equestrian Center at Culver Academy, Culver, IN 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Saturday, February 28 Zone 7, Region 1 Regionals Hosted by St. Mary of the Woods College on campus, Saint Mary of the Woods, IN Time TBA WESTERN FOLLOWED BY ENGLISH

Saturday, March 21 WESTERN SEMIFINALS - DAY 1 Hosted by Murray State University at the William "Bill" Cherry Agricultural Exposition Center, Murray, KY Time TBA WESTERN ONLY

Sunday, March 22 WESTERN SEMIFINALS - DAY 2 Hosted by Murray State University at the William "Bill" Cherry Agricultural Exposition Center, Murray, KY Time TBA WESTERN ONLY

Saturday, March 28 ZONE 7 ZONES Hosted by Texas Tech University at the Texas Tech Equestrian Center, Lubbock, TX Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Friday through Sunday, May 1 - 3 IHSA NATIONALS at Tryon International Equestrian Center, Mill Spring, NC Time each day TBA ENGLISH AND WESTERN

Show Schedule subject to change.

Recent Zone 7, Region 1 Team Champions (most of the region known as Zone 9, Region 1 prior to the 2010-11 season)

Hunter Seat:

2003 - Purdue University
2004 - Purdue University
2005 - University of Notre Dame
2006 - Indiana University
2007 - Purdue University
2008 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2009 - Purdue University
2010 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2011 - Purdue University
2012 - Purdue University
2013 - Purdue University
2014 - Purdue University
2015 - University of Illinois (Urbana - Champaign)
2016 - Purdue University
2017 - Purdue University
2018 - Purdue University
2019 - Purdue University
2020 - Purdue University
2021 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2022 - Purdue University
2023 - Purdue University
2024 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2025 - Purdue University (2024-25
IHSA Hunter Seat National Champions)

Western:

2003 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2004 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2005 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2006 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2007 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2008 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2009 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2010 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2011 - Purdue University
2012 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2013 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2014 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2015 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2016 - Ball State University
2017 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2018 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2019 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2020 - Ball State University
2021 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2022 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2023 - Purdue University
2024 - St. Mary of the Woods College
2025 - St. Mary of the Woods College

Regional Qualifiers

Open Level Rider Standings

Team Standings

ZONE 7 NEIGHBORS

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