Dear Colleagues, friends and Equestrian team Alumni. This weekend the UMW Equestrian team and I attended two English(Hunt Seat) IHSA Horse Shows as well as the Regional Championship Horse show hosted by UM-Missoula. After a very long year, and ten competitions the UMW ET WON the Regional Championship in Hunt Seat Equitation (English riding discipline). It is indeed a historic event since no other equestrian team has won the TWO coveted regional championship titles at the same time. I am extremely proud of my assistant coach for the English discipline Ms. Amanda Gelderman from Seattle, WA who is solely responsible for this VICTORY especially because it is her first year as a coach. Also, Amanda qualified as the best rider to represent the REGION to the National Horse Show in order to represent us in the very prestigious CACCHIONE CUP! the following rider qualified to the semi-finals in San Fransisco April 9-12:

TEAM PARTICIPANTS:

1. Samantha Essig-Walk Trot

2. Kindle McCauley-Walk,Trot,Canter

3. Linda Sieverkropp-Novice Flat and Jumping

4. Kristen Bredl-Intermediate Flat and Jumping

5. Amanda Gelderman-Open Flat and Jumping

Individual Qualifiers:

1. Kindle McCauley-Walk and Trot 

2. Kristen Bredl-Novice Flat

3. Amanda Stephenson-Intermediate Flat.

4. Kristen Gfroerer-Intermediate Jumping

5. Amanda Gelderman-Open Flat and Jumping.

I am extremely proud of our equestrian athletes. I know that between now and the semi finals they have a lot of training ahead of them Thank you for your support. John