Hunter Seat Team, Coach Ray Whelihan
Stock Seat Coaches Bruce & Sandy Emanuel
Posted 4/10/08
Stock and Hunt Fun Show March 29th
Members of both riding teams combined for a good time on Saturday afternoon. The show began with riders competing in equitation at their level with stock and hunt riders combined. After the initial rail work, riders were required to change horses with English riders switching to Western and vice versa. These classes were followed by an egg and spoon class, then a number of bareback classes. Three person teams were formed, requiring a combination of hunt and stock riders. The final placing came down to the bean bag race, with Holly, Lynsey and Jenn prevailing for the top score.
Posted 4/1/08
The SUNY Cobleskill Western Team is having another fantastic year at the IHSA Shows.
In the school year starting in the Fall 2007, the Team has competed at 8 IHSA shows with multiple honors. 30 students competed with Two Team Championship and five Reserve Championships. They ended up as the Reserve Champion Team for the second year in a row for Zone 2 Region 3. This included competition with Morrisville, Colgate, Cornell, Albany, and Sienna.
On March 2, 2008, seven students competed at the Regional Championships at Morrisville. The students who competed at the Regionals were Tatum St. Pierre (Advanced Horsemanship), Christa Bramberger (Novice Western Horsemanship), Lynsey Jensen (Intermediate Horsemanship), Kara Curpier (Intermediate Horsemanship), John Weiss (Beginner Horsemanship), Joe St Clair (Beginner Western Horsemanship) and Trish Harrop (Beginner Horsemanship).
Tatum St. Pierre and Trish Harrop qualified to go on to the Western Semi-Finals at West Texas A&M in Canyon, Texas on March 28 & 29. In Texas both of the Team members proudly and ably represented SUNY Cobleskill with Tatum St. Pierre garnering a Reserve Champion in Advanced Horsemanship.
On May 8-11 Tatum will be competing at the IHSA Nationals in Burbank, California.
Team Scrimmage March 21st
Good Riding and Some Really Bad Dancing
Kate, Tatum and Erica led the way to win Friday night’s scrimmage. Theme songs were played while each team member competed, which added an artistic element to the competition. Cait, Chelsea and Ashley B managed to tie for team first, which created a ride off circumstance. Probably one of the worst decisions I ever made was to suggest a dance off rather than a ride off. Here’s where the artistic element hit the skids. Vonnie substituted for Erica as a ringer. While Kate, Tatum and Vonnie did emphatically clinch the dance off for the overall win, at least Cait, Chelsea and Ashley left with their dignity in tact. For the rest of us, we’ll spend a great deal of effort, with possibly some professional counseling, trying to forget what we witnessed.
Hartwick College March 1st
Consistently Competitive with 33 points and 4th place out of 12 Teams
We weathered the snow and wind on Saturday and had a great show. We lent four of our lesson horses to Hartwick, Gem, Bomber, Bally and Nim, with all horses performing well. A special thanks is due Corey, Ashley B. and Andrew for their hard work in helping with these horses! A big thanks also to Debbie for shipping, schooling, and helping out throughout the day!
Cait started off the day well with a blue in open over fences. Danielle qualified for Regionals, leaving no doubt with a blue ribbon ride. Red ribbon winners included Cait on the flat, Trish, Moo, and Tatum with second place over fences and on the flat.
Regional qualifiers now include Danielle, Chelsea, Jess, and Kate. These four riders now have to look forward to three weeks of riding four times a week, most of it without stirrups, and using a wide variety of horses. All I can say to them is to make sure and start the day with a good breakfast…you’ll need it.
Hartwick was our last regular season show. The team has been such a pleasure to work with. All of the riders, without exception, are dedicated and reliable and excellent representatives of SUNY Cobleskill. With consistently one out of every three rides earning a first or second place at all three shows this semester, I couldn’t really ask for more!
Skidmore February 23rd
Another Great Show with 32 points and 4th Place Out of 14 teams
Blue ribbon for the day went to Trish for her second show in a row (Her first two shows ever), with excellent rides and red ribbons to Danielle, Ashley A., Sam, Kate, Tatum, and Stephanie M. (Stephanie’s first hunt seat show). Good rides across the board and very competitive.
Special thanks to the parents, one set of which scrambled out of bed early to taxi their daughter to Skidmore after missing the crack of dawn van depart, and another set of parents who purchased hot pizza for everyone on a very cold day!
Team Scrimmage February 22nd
We held a team scrimmage for jumping riders on Friday evening. Cleverly designed by Stacey Butler, Debbie Pernat, and myself to place our riders under pressure and have a great time. Riders were broken into teams of three., then college horses were designated in sets of three. Three tests were offered including equitation on the flat, gymnastic lines over fences, and equitation over a course of jumps. Teams selected their set of horses by draw, teams then determined which members would ride which horse in which event.
Congrats to Erika, Sam and Ashley A. who teamed up valiantly for the win. Good riding and good fun!
Strong showing at Cornell February 17th, 2007
The team completed the day with 34 team points, resulting in the strongest team showing in at least three years. This was particularly satisfying as this show marked my first show back as coach since I had assumed other teaching duties, within the equine program, a half dozen years ago. Our team is composed of talented and hard working students who excel due to their diligence and dedication.
Blue ribbons went to Kate, Trish, and Ashley S., with red ribbons to Caitl, Kate, Tatum, and both flat and fences for Chelsea. All of the riders, without exception, performed well and contributed to the team score. The team’s just a pleasure to work with, displaying great camaraderie and a strong interest in supporting each other.
I have to thank assistant Stacey Butler for her contributions. Stacey brings a lot to the table through her tremendous mileage in the jumper ring and her encouraging and sympathetic interaction with the team riders. Thanks Stacey…glad you’re with us!
