Findlay, Ohio, May 5, 2003 — The University of Findlay’s English and western equestrian teams enjoyed great success at the 2003 Intercollegiate Horse Show Association national championship May 2-4 at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

The English equestrian team earned the reserve champion spot at the competition. Team riders Sara Ballinger, a senior from Marion, Ohio, placed first in the open fences class; Coagi Maten, a senior from Williamsburg, Mich., placed first in the intermediate on the flat class; and Mara Keith, a freshman from Florence, Mass., placed first in the novice fences class. Junior Sarah Brandle of Springfield, Ohio, placed fifth in the walk-trot-canter team class.

The western equestrian riders had several individual champions. Amanda Bergman, a sophomore from Marengo, Ill., place first in the individual open western horsemanship class; Natalie Litwiller, a senior from Grants Pass, Oregon, placed first in the individual open reining horsemanship class; and Corey Hartman, a senior from Arlington, Ohio, placed first in the individual beginner walk-trot class. Sophomore Sarah Umburger of Cranberry Township, Pa., placed third in the individual beginner walk-trot class.