Campus Equestrian: Zone 7, Region 4 home page

IHSA ZONE 7 - REGION 4

It seems Black Hawk College is not only a good bet to advance a full western team to IHSA Nationals in the 2020's but also to place in the top five. Elizabeth Ellis (pictured) scored 11 of Black Hawk's 32 points at 2026 IHSA Nationals in Mill Spring, North Carolina. After placing seventh in team level II western horsemanship on May 1st the freshman from Chenoa, Illinois was second in team ranch riding on May 2nd. So far in the '20's Black Hawk has placed fifth (in 2024), fourth (in 2023), third (this season) and first in both 2022 and 2025, not bad for a two-year school!

The University of Wisconsin at Madison won a close race for second at Zone 7 Zones this past March, edging West Texas A & M University 35-33 to send a full hunter seat team to IHSA Nationals for the first time in three years. Badgers head coach Andi Bill (on left) is seen here with Ryan Floyd, who was one of two Wisconsin riders to place fourth in a team class at 2026 Nationals. The junior from Wellesley, Massachusetts added six points in team intermediate over fences while teammate Anna Howie (not pictured) was also fourth in team introductory equitation later in the day on May 2nd.

Black Hawk College head coach Bekah Irish (center) is also a former Black Hawk rider. Irish showed for two seasons at Black Hawk before transfering to the University of Findlay for her junior and senior years. She is seen here with Jayci Halsema (on left) and Gabrielle Olson (on right), who were both waiting to compete in the individual Ranch Riding division at 2026 IHSA Nationals the morning of May 1st. At Semifinals in Findlay, Ohio on March 24th Halsema (a sophomore from Williamsport, Indiana) won the individual ranch while Olson (a sophomore from Viroqua, Wisconsin) was the runner-up. Olson was the busiest Black Hawk rider at 2026 Nationals, placing eighth in team open horsemanship, seventh in team open reining and second in both individual level II western and the individual ranch class. While Irish's most recent alma matter was second in the '26 Nationals team competition while Black Hawk was third, Irish got the better of Findlay when the school from Galva, Illinois won the 2025 IHSA Nationals western team competition.

Wisconsin Badgers head coach Andi Bill (on right) is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College, and not unlike Irish's situation Wisconsin and Mount Holyoke were both entered in the 2026 IHSA Nationals hunter seat team competition. On the left is Ella Stufft of the Badgers, a junior from Highland, Michigan who represented Region 4 in the Cacchione Cup competition as well as both open level team classes at Nationals. Stufft's eighth in team open over fences was her best result over the three day weekend. Stufft helped the Badgers score 14 and a half points, good enough for tenth place and a team ribbon inside the Tryon International Equestrian Center indoor. And for the first time since Bill became head coach in the 2010's the Badgers outscored Mount Holyoke at an IHSA Nationals event.

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The Zone 7, Region 4 Smorgasbord

Schools which competed in Zone 7, Region 4 during the 2025-2026 school year: Augustana College, Ellsworth Community College, Iowa State University, Lake Forest College, Luther College, Marquette University, Northwestern University, Ripon College, University of Wisconsin at LaCrosse, University of Wisconsin at Madison, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee and University of Wisconsin at Platteville.

Winter/Spring 2026 Show Schedule for Zone 7, Region 4:

Saturday, February 21 Black Hawk College (Host) at the Black Hawk College East Campus Ag Arena, Galva, IL 9:00AM 2 WESTERN ONLY

Sunday, February 22 Zone 7, Region 4 Western Regionals Hosted by Black Hawk College at the Black Hawk College East Campus Ag Arena, Galva, IL Time TBA WESTERN ONLY

Saturday, February 28 Northwestern University (Host) at On Course Riding Academy, Grayslake, IL 9:30AM 2 ENGLISH ONLY

Sunday, March 1 Northwestern University (Host) at On Course Riding Academy, Grayslake, IL 9:30AM ENGLISH ONLY

Saturday, March 7 University of Wisconsin at Madison (Host) at the Horse First Farm, Brooklyn, WI 9:30AM 2 ENGLISH ONLY

Sunday, March 8 Zone 7, Region 4 Hunter Seat Regionals at the Horse First Farm, Brooklyn, WI Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Saturday, March 21 WESTERN SEMIFINALS - DAY 1 Hosted by the University of Findlay at the University of Findlay Equine Animal Science Center, Findlay, OH Time TBA WESTERN ONLY

Sunday, March 22 WESTERN SEMIFINALS - DAY 2 Hosted by the University of Findlay at the University of Findlay Equine Animal Science Center, Findlay, OH 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

Black Hawk College, Illinois State University, Northern Illinois University, Southern Illinois University - Carbondale and Western Illinois University are located in Zone 7, Region 5 for hunter seat but in Zone 7, Region 4 for Western. Iowa State University is located in Zone 7, Region 5 for Western. All times listed are Local Time. Show Schedule subject to change.

Recent Region 4 Team Champions (Hunter Seat Zone 7, Region 4 created from parts of Regions 1, 2 and 3 of Zone 9 prior to the start of the 2010-11 season; Western Zone 7, Region 4 created in mid-2016 mostly from Zone 7, Region 5):

Hunter Seat:

2011 - University of Wisconsin - Madison
2012 - University of Wisconsin - Madison
2013 - University of Wisconsin - Madison
2014 - University of Wisconsin - Madison
2015 - University of Wisconsin - Madison
2016 - University of Wisconsin - Madison
2017 - University of Wisconsin - Madison
2018 - University of Wisconsin - Madison
2019 - University of Wisconsin - Madison
2020 - University of Notre Dame/St. Mary's College (IN)
2022 - University of Wisconsin - Madison
2023 - University of Wisconsin - Madison
2024 - University of Wisconsin - Madison
2025 - University of Wisconsin - Madison
2026 - University of Wisconsin - Madison

Western:

2017 - Black Hawk College
2018 - Black Hawk College
2019 - Black Hawk College
2020 - Black Hawk College
2022 - Black Hawk College (2021-22
IHSA Western National Champions)
2023 - Black Hawk College
2024 - Black Hawk College
2025 - Black Hawk College (2024-25
IHSA Western National Champions)
2026 - Black Hawk College

Regional Qualifiers

Open Level Rider Standings

Team Standings

ZONE 7 NEIGHBORS

Region 1 Homepage

Region 2 Homepage

Region 3 Homepage

Region 5 Homepage