The University of Findlay’s equestrian teams competed in the 2008 Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) National Competition May 8-10 in Los Angeles, Calif., each earning second place.

The western equestrian team placed second with 26 points, one short of The Ohio State University’s team. The English equestrian team finished tied for second with Skidmore College with 18 points. UF’s English team was runner-up to the University of Kentucky.

Katie Morehead, a member of the western equestrian team, competed in the second and final class of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) High Point Western Reining phase and was the second highest in the Rail phase in this class. After all the rides, her score of 141.5 combined with her score in the Rail phase, earned her National AQHA Western High Point Rider honors. This is the fourth year UF has ridden away with the honor as previous winners include: Jake Bowman (2005), Travis Womer (2006) and Trevor Dare (2007).

She also took home a third-place honor in the Team Open Horsemanship Class.

Ryan Sims captured a first-place finish in the Individual Open Western Horsemanship Class while Ryan Carte placed fourth in the Team Beginner Western Horsemanship Class and Heather Allenby placed sixth in the Team Novice Western Horsemanship Class. Andrea Shaffer placed sixth in Individual Advanced Western Horsemanship.

For the English team, Natassia Hovey placed second in the Team Intermediate Hunter Seat Equitation class while Lindsay Baker was fifth in the Team Novice Hunter Seat Equitation.

Matt Piccolo received an Honorable Mention in the Team Open Equitation over Fences, Stephanie Springer received an Honorable Mention in the Team Walk/Trot/ Canter class and Rebecca Baumel received an Honorable Mention in the Team Open Hunter Seat Equitation class.