She was first at Regionals in both of her open western classes. Katie Forest of Texas A & M did likewise in open reining and rail at Zones, with a second in team open reining as a bonus.

TEXAS A & M HOPES OF A THIRD-STRAIGHT NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP STAY ALIVE

Canyon, TX - In every Zone save for Zone 7, the top western team in each region, and only the top team, advances to Zones. Because Zone 7 has more than 500 stock seat riders, the top three western teams in the Zone get to go to IHSA Nationals. The high point team for the year in Regions 1 and 2 get to go, as does one of the two reserve high point teams. To determine whether it is the team from Region 1 or 2 their is a four-way Zone competition between the top two teams (which advance to Nationals no matter what their score is in the Zones show) and the two reserve teams. The reserve team that places the highest at Zones also advances. Last season West Texas A & M not only got to Nationals as the lucky second place team, the buffs even tied Region 2 opponent Texas A & M for the National Title.

In 2003-04 neither of the A & M's claimed first place in the Region 2 Western Team Standings. Oklahoma State, the 2000 IHSA Stock Seat National Champions, won the region by 19 points over the aggies. Therefore Oklahoma State entered the Zones show assured of a trip to IHSA Nationals. So did the other aggies, New Mexico State. The Region 1 stock seat team race was spectacular, with the aggies edging defending region champion Colorado State by three points during the regular season. It marked the first time in four seasons that New Mexico State had the high point stock seat team for the year in Region 1. The battle for the third entry into the IHSA Nationals Stock Seat Team Competition would be between Colorado State and Texas A & M.

But before the western classes ever started, the hunt seat portion of the Zones show took place on April 3rd. The two-way team competition, with both teams already assured a place at IHSA Nationals in the Hunter Seat Team Competition, started with Tiffany Perelman of the Colorado State rams getting a first over Meredith Houx of Texas A & M in team open fences. However the rams would not win another hunter seat team class after that. Texas A & M won each of the remaining seven hunter seat team classes, winning by a 54-42 margin. Erica Palomo (intermediate) and Kate Smyre (novice) won both of their classes, while Houx won team open flat, not to mention individual open fences.

Texas A & M secured six of Zone Seven's sixteen individual hunter seat rides at Nationals, while Oklahoma State captured four rides, Colorado State and Colorado College two each, and both the University of Colorado and University of Wyoming one apiece. One alumni rider, Shannon Gossman of the University of Findlay was unopposed in both hunter seat divisions, though one other alumni flat rider qualified but did not participate. None of the undergraduate hunter seat riders who advanced did so more than once, which applied to all but one individual stock seat competitor as well.

Six Oklahoma State cowgirls, four Texas A & M aggies (including junior open rider Katie Forest, who won both individual open classes) and one New Mexico State aggie advanced to IHSA Nationals in individual stock seat classes, while New Mexico State graduate Rachel Knight won both western alumni classes. Michelle Schwope from the University of Wyoming was second to Knight in alumni reining while Karen Hodges from Stephen F. Austin was second to Knight in alumni rail. Although 26 schools participated in Zone 7 shows during the 2003-04 season only four schools from Region 1 and three from Region 2 (and that includes Hodges) will be represented at IHSA Nationals come early May. So dominant were Oklahoma State and Texas A & M at Regionals that only two riders from other Region 2 schools made it to Zones in combined english and western (Lena Cottle and Meghan Mackey from West Texas A & M were second and third respectively in intermediate fences on March 28th, with Cottle fourth and Mackey fifth at Zones).

Though Oklahoma State was already assured of advancing to IHSA Nationals in Stock Seat by winning their region, the cowgirls rode like it was do or die in the team competition. AQHA Cup qualifier Kristin Dickerson won team reining to start the proceedings, with Amanda Yancey second to Colorado State's Erika Freiss in team beginner western and Nicole Stec second to none in team intermediate western. When Luann Ulrich won team advanced western, the cowgirls were up 26-19 on Colorado State, while Texas A & M had 17 and New Mexico State (already a stock seat region champion and assured of a trip to Nationals) 14. The battle for first was all but mathematically over, but which non-region-winning team would get the third berth at Nationals?

The newly-created novice division allowed Texas A & M to jump over Colorado State, as Morgan Senac of the Texas A & M aggies won outright. With Colorado State earning a fourth, the aggies were up on the rams by a 24-22 margin with one team class to go.

If you have ever attended a Zones show you know that all results are read in reverse order, with the champion of each class announced last. The last thing you want to hear if you are up by only a point or two is the name of your rider out of the announcer's mouth before the others. Low and behold, Ashley Shiffler of Texas A & M was announced in fourth place. The rams then needed to hear either Crissy Meeks of Oklahoma State or Bryn Wells of New Mexico State to keep their (Stock Seat) season alive. So far their region rivals had not finished above third in the team competition. In third place was Shelly Kippur of Colorado State, which meant that Texas A & M returned to Nationals to try and win a third straight stock seat National Championship. Meeks was second, which gave the cowgirls three firsts and three seconds for 36 points and the Zone Championship, while Bryn Wells became the first and only rider in the team competition for the New Mexico State aggies to place above third. Considering the seasons the cowgirls, the rams, the aggies and the aggies have had to date, IHSA Nationals cannot get here soon enough!

--Story by Steve Maxwell; Results courtesy Chris Harrell/Texas A & M Sports Information Department.

Class results, in the order in which they were held, with the top two in each individual and alumni class advancing to IHSA Nationals in Murfreesboro, Tennessee May 6-9:

Individual open equitation over fences: 1. Meredith Houx, Texas A & M University. 2. Stephanie Glass, Texas A & M University. 3. Alex Ansteth, Colorado State University. 4. Tiffany Perelman, Colorado State University. 5. Andrea Hanson, Texas A & M University. 6. Virginia Osborne, Colorado State University.

Team open equitation over fences: 1. Tiffany Perelman, Colorado State University. 2. Meredith Houx, Texas A & M University.

Individual intermediate equitation over fences: 1. Maureen Reddan, University of Colorado. 2. Bekki Stapleton, Texas A & M University. 3. David Smith, Colorado State University. 4. Lena Cottle, West Texas A & M University. 5. Meghan Mackey, West Texas A & M University. 6. Colby Fredericks, University of Colorado.

Team intermediate equitation over fences: 1. Erica Palomo, Texas A & M University. 2. Lindsay Collins, Colorado State.

Individual novice equitation over fences: 1. Nina Waldron, Colorado State University. 2. Caitlyn Roberts, Oklahoma State University. 3. Ann Marie Reubin, Texas A & M University. 4. Abby Cohen, Colorado State University. 5. Kristin Dickerson, Oklahoma State University. 6. Margaret Boehmer, Colorado State University.

Team novice equitation over fences: 1. Katie Smyre, Texas A & M University. 2. Lindsey Bradshaw, Colorado State University.

Individual intermediate equitation on the flat: 1. Emily Harison, Oklahoma State University. 2. Danielle Baker, Colorado State University. 3. Maureen Reddan, University of Colorado. 4. Samantha Day, Colorado State University. 5. Emily Eastman, Texas A & M University. 6. Mandy McNally, Oklahoma State University.

Team novice equitation on the flat: 1. Katie Smyre, Texas A & M University. 2. Andrea Mink, Colorado State University.

Individual open equitation on the flat: 1. Lindsay Parker, Oklahoma State University. 2. Beth von Brecht, Texas A & M University. 3. Alex Ansteth, Colorado State University. 4. Lindsey Gillette, Colorado College. 5. Meredith Houx, Texas A & M University. 6. Stephanie Smythe, University of Colorado.

Team intermediate equitation on the flat: 1. Erica Palomo, Texas A & M University. 2. Kristina Leatherman, Colorado State University.

Individual novice equitation on the flat: 1. Roxy Rogers, Colorado College. 2. Ann Marie Reubin, Texas A & M University. 3. Maggie Engels, Oklahoma State University. 4. Keir Brookes, Colorado State University. 5. Sierra Gordon, Colorado State University. 6. Melissa Loontjer, Texas A & M University.

Team open equitation on the flat: 1. Meredith Houx, Texas A & M University. 2. Alex Ansteth, Colorado State University.

Team walk-trot equitation: 1. Jennifer Jones, Texas A & M University. 2. Robert Zamorano, Colorado State University.

Individual walk-trot equitation: 1. Jenny D’Abadie, Texas A & M University. 2. Kellyanne Coors, Colorado College. 3. Heather Kihara, Colorado State University.

Team walk-trot-canter equitation: 1. Ashlean McKenna, Texas A & M University. 2. Casy LaPlante, Colorado State University.

Individual walk-trot-canter equitation: 1. Erin Hale, Oklahoma State University. 2. Amy Goodson, University of Wyoming. 3. Andrea Mink, Colorado State. 4. Katie Smyre, Texas A & M University. 5. Jennifer Stearns, Oklahoma State University. 6. Jill Marcoux, University of Colorado.

Individual open reining: 1. Katie Forest, Texas A & M University. 2. Kristin Dickerson, Oklahoma State University. 3. Kelli Younger, New Mexico State University. 4. Kayce Wagner, Colorado State University. 5. Bryn Wells, New Mexico State University. 6. Casie Lisabeth, Texas A & M University.

Alumni reining: 1. Rachel Knight, New Mexico State University. 2. Michelle Schwope, University of Wyoming. 3. Lindsay Hansen, New Mexico State University.

Team open reining: 1. Kristin Dickerson, Oklahoma State University. 2. Katie Forest, Texas A & M University. 3. Kelly Younger, New Mexico State University. 4. Kayce Wagner, Colorado State University.

Individual advanced western horsemanship: 1. Lindsay Childress, Oklahoma State University. 2. Erin Hale, Oklahoma State University. 3. Kari Randle, Laramie County Community College. 4. Danielle Baker, Colorado State University. 5. Meggan Hathaway, University of Colorado. 6. Jessica Tate, Texas A & M University.

Individual novice western horsemanship: 1. Mandy McNally, Oklahoma State University. 2. Kelly Johnson, Texas A & M University. 3. Elizabeth Cecil, New Mexico State University. 4. Nicole Wettstein, Colorado State University. 5. Courtney Gregory, Texas A & M University.

Individual open western horsemanship: 1. Katie Forest, Texas A & M University. 2. Crissy Meeks, Oklahoma State University. 3. Meghan Hankammer, Colorado State University. 4. Bryn Wells, New Mexico State University. 5. Kristin Dickerson, Oklahoma State University. 6. Shelly Kippur, Colorado State University.

Team beginner western horsemanship: 1. Erika Freiss, Colorado State University. 2. Amanda Yancey, Oklahoma State University. 3. Terri Beaudoin, Texas A & M University. 4. Neal Stolz, New Mexico State University.

Team intermediate western horsemanship: 1. Nicole Stec, Oklahoma State University. 2. Claire Adian, Texas A & M University. 3. Yoshiki Itahashi, Colorado State University. 4. Tessa Cathey, New Mexico State University.

Individual beginner western horsemanship: 1. Jennifer Jones, Texas A & M University. 2. Lani Jurena, Texas A & M University. 3. Jennifer Travis, New Mexico State University. 4. Bobbi Edwards, University of Wyoming. 5. Tessa Cathey, New Mexico State University. 6. Jessica Pruitt, Oklahoma State University.

Team advanced western horsemanship: 1. Luann Ulrich, Oklahoma State University. 2. Amy Ratzloff, Colorado State University. 3. Elizabeth Cecil, New Mexico State University. 4. Debbie Ramirez, Texas A & M University.

Individual intermediate western horsemanship: 1. April Peck, Oklahoma State University. 2. Elizabeth Knight, New Mexico State University. 3. Erin Fusting, Colorado State University. 4. Mary Newell, Texas A & M University. 5. Michelle Warner, Laramie County Community College. 6. Cheryl Adamson, Oklahoma State University.

Team novice western horsemanship: 1. Morgan Senac, Texas A & M University. 2. April Peck, Oklahoma State University. 3. Michelle Ratcliff, New Mexico State University. 4. Tyler Krause, Colorado State University.

Alumni western horsemanship: 1. Rachel Knight, New Mexico State University. 2. Karen Hodges, Stephen F. Austin University. 3. Lindsay Hansen, New Mexico State University. 4. Kinsey McClure, Texas Tech.

Team open western horsemanship: 1. Bryn Wells, New Mexico State University. 2. Crissy Meeks, Oklahoma State University. 3. Shelly Kippur, Colorado State University. 4. Ashley Shiffler, Texas A & M University.

Hunter Seat Team Totals: 1. Texas A & M University 54. 2. Colorado State University 42.

Stock Seat Team Totals: 1. Oklahoma State University 36. 2. Texas A & M University 27. 3. Colorado State University 26. 4. New Mexico State University 25.