Tiffin University Debut
at Hunt Seat and Western Regional Finals
Success
Eric Pettigrew qualified for the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association National Semifinals in Western Beginner Horsemanship. The competition will be held at West Texas A&M in Canyon, Texas March 20-22.
“Eric has worked hard for this. Even before the team was officially established he started going to watch competitions. He has been attending extra practices to improve his skill and ability and earned this accomplishment,” said Head Coach Julie Vogel.
Six of eight equestrian athletes placed in their competition. “We
had two sophomore riders, Elizabeth Buskey and Alison Ditman, qualify
and ride in both Hunt Seat and Western. This is a very unique accomplishment.
Eighty–Eight riders competed in the competition and only two other
riders qualified in Hunt and Western. We also have a freshman, Melissa
Cassidy, qualify for Regionals after 8 competitions and a Junior, Kaitlin
Foster, qualify in two divisions for Regionals. Most athletes require
more than 8 competitions to earn 35 points and rarely does someone qualify
for two divisions. These athletes have worked hard this
year and we are so proud of them. Our Hunt Seat Team and
our Western Team worked on specific strategies to improve their performances
and their competition results reflected their hard work. The Equestrian
team is only two years old and we have been competing against teams
that have been established for years. Our region is large and
very strong. Last year's Western National Championship winner
was Ohio State University, a team we compete against in our Region,”
said Coach Vogel.
Western Regional Competition
The Regional Competition was
held at Lake Erie College in Concord, Ohio. Riders had to qualify
for the competition by earning 35 points. Only those riders who
received a first or second place moved on to the National Semifinals.
Pettigrew is a senior majoring in Marketing in the school of Business
at Tiffin University and will be graduating in May of 2009. Pettigrew
is a scholar athlete and also played soccer for TU. He is from
Reading, Ohio near Cincinnati and placed 2nd in the Beginner
Horsemanship, qualifying him for the National Semifinals.
Other members who qualified for Regional Competition in Western were:
Megan Bates, senior (Delta,
Ohio) Beginner Horsemanship placed 5th ;
Elizabeth Buskey,
sophomore (Rootstown, Ohio) Intermediate Horsemanship;
Melissa Cassidy,
freshman (Fostoria, Ohio) Beginner Horsemanship placed 3rd.;
Alison Ditman, sophomore, (Winterhaven, Florida) Intermediate Horsemanship
placed 6th ; Amanda Hoile, sophomore (Dublin, Ohio) Beginner
Horsemanship placed 4th ;
Trisha Hellein, sophomore,( Latrobe,
Pennsylvania) Beginner Horsemanship placed 6th.
The TU team placed 4th
out of 8 teams in high points for the year. In first place was Ohio State
University, 2nd place was a tie between Lake Erie College
and Ohio University, 3rd place Oberlin College, 4th
place Tiffin University, 5th place University of Akron and
6th place College of Wooster.
Regional Hunter Seat Competition
Tiffin University also qualified
three riders in the Regional Hunter Seat Competition. Riders needed
to earn 35 points to compete. Elizabeth Buskey and Alison Ditman qualified
in both the Western and Hunter Seat Regional Competition. Buskey
competed in Walk Trot Canter and Ditman competed in Novice Flat, taking 6th place. Kaitlin Foster qualified in two divisions - Novice
Flat and Intermediate Fences. She was unable to compete due to
an injury sustained just prior to the competition.