Community members are invited to join students, faculty, staff and alumni of The University of Findlay to greet the returning western equestrian team, which won the national championship in Tennessee on Sunday.
The western equestrian team won the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) championship with a come-from-behind win in Murfreesboro, Tenn. The Oilers accumulated 25 points, topping Oregon State and The Ohio State University, both with 21.
The Oilers’ arrival is tentatively scheduled for 6:45 p.m. today on the front loop, between the College First Church of God and Croy Gymnasium.
“The University of Findlay has a proud history of excellence in equestrian competition. We are proud to welcome the western equestrian team members as they bring home another championship,” said David Emsweller, vice president for student services at the University.
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Members of UF's western equestrian team and coaches pose
with trophies after winning the national championship Sunday.
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The western equestrian team came from behind
on the final day of competition to win the 2009 Intercollegiate Horse Show Association National Championship
with 25 points, led by
Katie Morehead, who won Open Western Horsemanship to give Findlay the national title.
She also won the same event in individual competition and placed
second for the High Point rider Award. Morehead tied Jennifer Nagel of
New
York State with 211 points, but lost out on first in a tiebreaker.
In addition, Heather Kiesewetter won the Beginner Western Horsemanship (Team), Adam D’Agostino was victorious in the Advanced Western Horsemanship (Team), Heather Allenby won the Novice Western Horsemanship (Individual), Spencer Zimmerman captured first in the Intermediate Western Horsemanship (Individual) and Kimberly Deane was first in the Advanced Western Horsemanship (Individual).
In the Intermediate Western Horsemanship (Team), Beverly Chagnon
earned third place while Lilly Flynn was second in the Beginner
Horsemanship (Individual).
Team Standings
1. Findlay - 25
2. Oregon State - 21
2. Ohio State - 21
4. Black Hawk - 17
5. St. Andrews Presbyterian - 15
6. West Texas A&M - 13
6. Berry - 13
8. Michigan State - 6
9. West Virginia - 1
UF’s western equestrian team is one of the finest teams in the nation. UF also won the IHSA national championship in 2007 and 2005, and the team had the High Point Rider for four straight years, from 2005 through 2008: Jake Bowman, Travis Womer, Trevor Dare and Katie Morehead, who also won the Open Western Horsemanship title in Murfreesboro.
Both the western and English teams won national championships in 2001 — making UF the only team to have won dual national championships the same year.
Photographs are available upon request. For more information or with media inquiries regarding the welcome at UF, please contact Suzanne English at 419-306-7552 or Dave Buck at 419-434-4727.
