Ohio State's Keith Ceddia (pictured) won both individual open classes at the Cazenovia, New York Semifinal. Keith was not the only member of the Ceddia family to advance to IHSA Nationals, as former Ohio State great Ryan Ceddia won the alumni reining class.

OHIO STATE WINS COMFORTABLY IN UPSTATE NEW YORK

CAZENOVIA, NY – When the regions and sites were announced for 2008 IHSA Western Semifinals late last year fans of these competitions immediately wanted to know where riders from Zone 6, Region 1 and Zone 6, Region 3 would be going. Each of these regions has traditionally been won by one of the two most powerful western programs in IHSA history. In Zone 6, Region 3 the University of Findlay has prevailed every year this decade while in Zone 6, Region 1 it is Ohio State, now having won their region every year since 1987!

The Semifinals concept is actually the creation of Ohio State Head Coach Ollie Griffith, who in two seasons with the format has seen his Ohio State Buckeyes win their respective semifinal show both times. Though the Buckeyes were trailing early, first place went their way in three of the final four team classes, and their final margin of victory was a healthy 34-23 over a pair of runner-ups.

Team winners for the Buckeyes were Sarah Phillips (advanced western), Lyndsay Nezbeth (beginner western) and Megan Ritchie (open western). Though senior and Zone 6, Region 1 individual AQHA Trophy qualifier Keith Ceddia was second in team reining he faired better in the individual classes, winning both open rail and open reining. Though Keith Ceddia was the only Ohio State rider to win an undergraduate class, his older brother Ryan was first in alumni reining. Yet another Ohio State alumni rider, Liz Gombash, won the alumni western horsemanship division. Save for the very first class of the semifinal (which was individual intermediate western) Ohio State had at least one rider in the top six in all the divisions, and at least one in the top four on 12 of 14 ocassions including the alumni divisions.

While it was business as usual for the Buckeyes several of the other schools pulled a major upset. St. Mary of the Woods College recently won their sixth consecutive Zone 9, Region 1 western Team Championship and had not been eliminated at any post-season show on the way to Nationals over the previous five seasons. Although Allison Kralovansky was a winner in team open reining St. Mary of the Woods would eventually finish a point behind both Alfred University and West Virginia University, each of which scored 23 points to tie for reserve. Neither the Saxons or the Mountaineers have ever taken a full western team to Nationals, so both will be doing so for the first time.

Ashley Clutter earned the best team ribbon of the day for West Virginia, a first in novice western. Teffany Mahalchick was second to Nezbeth in team beginner, the only other 'top two' team ribbon for the Mountainers. West Virginia also had an individual winner, as Lauren Farrell won the individual advanced western division. Open rider Renae Burks also reached Nationals on an individual basis, placing third in individual open reining.

The effort of Alfred and Zone 2, Region 2 deserves the most attention. While the University of Findlay was busy qualifying seven individual rides on behalf of Zone 6, Region 3 while competing in the Canyon, Texas semifinal Alfred, Cazenovia, Syracuse and the State University of New York at Oswego combined to earn eight top four individual undergraduate placings over the weekend. Zone 2, Region 2 is also the only region to claim four different schools sending undergraduate western riders to 2008 Nationals. Cazenovia's individual AQHA Trophy qualifier Perry DiCiccio was second to Keith Ceddia in both individual open divisions while Wildcats teammate Jennifer Keefe won individual beginner western. Megan Moehling was fourth in individual novice to round out the Cazenovia hopefuls who need flights to Southern California to continue their seasons. This writer cannot help but think of S.U.N.Y. - Oswego Coaches Jill and Dan Bergstresser and their dog Rusty when writing that Shelly Youmans of Oswego won the individual novice western outright. Syracuse also advanced one rider, as Mabel Gutliph was second to Farrell in individual advanced.

The busiest of all the Alfred riders was Katie Mix, who placed third in individual open western, fourth in individual open reining, fourth in team open reining and second in team open western, the last of which moved Alfred into a tie for reserve. The Saxon's lone blue ribbon of the day came in the first team class, as the intermediate western division went to Alfred's Kelsey Coggiola. Kristen Kovatch placed third in team advanced western, giving the Saxons three riders with top three placings in the team competition.

Though St. Mary of the Woods was edged out in the team competition, Brittany Eyer (second in individual beginner western), Ashley Brunner (fourth in individual intermediate western) and Kralovansky (fourth in individual open western) all surivived semi's on an individual basis.

While Ohio State riders won the top alumni awards, a pair of California University of Pennsylvania riders punched their ticket to - eh- California of California! Kaley Riel (who as Kaley Jones competed in the novice fences division as an undergraduate at 2007 Nationals) was second in both alumni western divisions while her former teammate Sarah Wells was fourth in those same classes. A pair of Zone 6, Region 1 riders took the yellow ribbons, as Ohio University graduate Rebecca Dingus was third in alumni western while University of Akron alum Michael Pancoe finished between Riel and Wells in alumni reining.

--Steve Maxwell

(More Cazenovia: Zone 6, Region 1 will be well represented at Nationals as Katherine Hodakievic of Lake Erie College won the individual intermediate western to start the show. Ohio University's Meghan Masterson was third in individual novice western...One year ago Zone 8, Region 2 was completely shut out of the top four at the Pomona, California semifinal, with not one of their western semifinal qualifiers advancing to Nationals at the time. Though Zone 8, Region 2 had to travel the furthest of any region competing in Cazenovia, three riders survived this time. Krystina Snyder (third in individual intermediate), Cindy Barnes (third in advanced western) and Alice Gifford (second in individual novice) all ride for Cal Poly - Pomona and each will get to ride much closer to their campus for Nationals...Congratulations to Amber Palmer of Berry College for doing what no one else in Zone 5, Region 2 was able to do. Palmer survived Region 2 western regionals and semifinals, thanks to a third in individual beginner western. Viking teammate Allie Jones will be the only other Zone 5, Region 2 western rider at Nationals, representing her region in the individual AQHA Trophy division...Zone 3 has four different regions for hunter seat. However three of them combine into one big region for western. This region has the odd name Zone 3, Region 1/3/4. Joanna Mongelluzo of Bethany College placed second to Hodakievic in individual intermediate, giving Region 1/3/4 their only non-Mountaineer rider to qualify through this Semifinal. Both Bethany and West Virginia are located in the state of West Virginia not to mention Zone 3, Region 3 for hunter seat. Regions 1 and 4 of Zone 3 technically did not advance a western rider though Susquehanna University in Region 1 can claim the individual AQHA Trophy representative in Sarah Welteroth...Not one school which showed at the Cazenovia Semifinal can claim two top four placings in any undergraduate individual class - Editor)

Class-by-Class Results from IHSA Semifinals in Cazenovia, New York on March 29th and 30th, 2008. Riders who placed fourth or higher in the individual classes advanced to IHSA Nationals May 8th through 11th in Burbank, California:

Individual Intermediate Western Horsemanship: 1. Katherine Hodakievic, Lake Erie College. 2. Joanna Mongelluzo, Bethany College. 3. Krystina Snyder, Cal Poly - Pomona. 4. Ashley Bruner, St. Mary of the Woods College. 5. Ashley Shadden, Cal Poly - Pomona. 6. Diana Gonzalez, State University of New York at Oswego. 7. Samantha Frielich, State University of New York at Oswego. 8. Samantha Dumm, St. Mary of the Woods College.

Team Intermediate Western Horsemanship: 1. Kelsey Coggiola, Alfred University. 2. Sarah Kniesly, St. Mary of the Woods College. 3. Kellan Miller, West Virginia University. 4. Danielle Nichter, Ohio State University. 5. Chelsey Argo, Berry College. 6. Krista Whitney, Cal Poly - Pomona.

Individual Open Western Horsemanship: 1. Keith Ceddia, Ohio State University. 2. Perry DiCiccio, Cazenovia College. 3. Katie Mix, Alfred University. 4. Allison Kralovansky, St. Mary of the Woods College. 5. Christa Fransen, Judson College. 6. Charlynn Turner, St. Mary of the Woods College. 7. Allie Jones, Berry College. 8. Meghan Ritchie, Ohio State University.

Individual Beginner Western Horsemanship: 1. Jennifer Keefe, Cazenovia College. 2. Brittany Eyer, St. Mary of the Woods College. 3. Amber Palmer, Berry College. 4. Danielle Nichter, Ohio State University. 5. Emily Hawkinson, Ball State University. 6. Kellan Miller, West Virginia University. 7. Meghan Bullock, Bloomsburg University. 8. Leah Keegan, University of California at San Diego.

Team Novice Western Horsemanship: 1. Ashley Clutter, West Virginia University. 2. Hilary Bedford, Ohio State University. 3. Ashley Shadden, Cal Poly - Pomona. 4. Jenny Groen, Alfred University. 5. Morgyn Purdy, St. Mary of the Woods College. 6. Jennifer Hamrick, Berry College.

Individual Open Reining: 1. Keith Ceddia, Ohio State University. 2. Perry DiCiccio, Cazenovia College. 3. Renae Burks, West Virginia University. 4. Katie Mix, Alfred University. 5. Allie Jones, Berry College. 6. Joy Coppock, Judson College. 7. Allison Kralovansky, St. Mary of the Woods College. 8. Ashley Fuchs, University of Akron.

Team Advanced Western Horsemanship: 1. Sarah Phillips, Ohio State University. 2. Kacy Hurlburt, Berry College. 3. Kristen Kovatch, Alfred University. 4. Brittany Gambill, St. Mary of the Woods College. 5. Danielle DeMel, Cal Poly - Pomona. 6. Lisa Chaplin, West Virginia University.

Team Beginner Western Horsemanship: 1. Lyndsay Nezbeth, Ohio State University. 2. Teffany Mahalchick, West Virginia University. 3. Kendel Bell, Cal Poly - Pomona. 4. Abigail Paul, St. Mary of the Woods College. 5. Elissa Ferguson, Berry College. 6. Natalie Gilbert, Alfred University.

Team Open Reining: 1. Allison Kralovansky, St. Mary of the Woods College. 2. Keith Ceddia, Ohio State University. 3. Katie Stricklin, Cal Poly - Pomona. 4. Katie Mix, Alfred University. 5. Renae Burks, West Virginia University. 6. Allie Jones, Berry College.

Alumni Reining: 1. Ryan Ceddia, Ohio State University. 2. Kaley Riel, California University of Pennsylvania. 3. Michael Pancoe, University of Akron. 4. Sarah Wells, California University of Pennsylvania.

Individual Advanced Western Horsemanship: 1. Lauren Farrell, West Virginia University. 2. Mabel Gutliph, Syracuse University. 3. Cindy Barnes, Cal Poly - Pomona. 4. Miranda Stalling, Ohio State University. 5. Hailey Quirk, Cal Poly - Pomona. 6. Haley Chapele, Berry College. 7. Lauren Cline, Purdue University. 8. Dana Grupe, St. Mary of the Woods College.

Alumni Western Horsemanship: 1. Liz Gombash, Ohio State University. 2. Kaley Riel, California University of Pennsylvania. 3. Rebecca Dingus, Ohio University. 4. Sarah Wells, California University of Pennsylvania.

Individual Novice Western Horsemanship: 1. Shelly Youmans, State University of New York at Oswego. 2. Alice Gifford, Cal Poly - Pomona. 3. Meghan Masterson, Ohio University. 4. Megan Moehling, Cazenovia College. 5. Brittany Gambill, St. Mary of the Woods. 6. Anna Griffin, Ohio State University. 7. Calantha Bandy, St. Mary of the Woods University. 8. Jessica Robinson, Kutztown University.

Team Open Western Horsemanship: 1. Meghan Ritchie, Ohio State University. 2. Katie Mix, Alfred University. 3. Renae Burks, West Virginia University. 4. Katie Stricklin, Cal Poly - Pomona. 5. Charlynn Turner, St. Mary of the Woods College. 6. Allie Jones, Berry College.

Final Western Team Totals, with the top three teams advancing to IHSA Nationals May 8th through 11th in Burbank, California: Ohio State University (High Point Team) 34; Alfred University (TIE-Reserve) 23; West Virginia University (TIE-Reserve) 23; St. Mary of the Woods College 22; Cal Poly - Pomona 18 and Berry College 12.

(Special thanks to Katie Tank-Day for her help in gathering these results - Editor)