First Annual IHSA Western Alumni Tournament of Champions a Success
Press Release
On July 19th, 2014 Red Wing Farm in Hilltown, PA hosted the first ever Western Alumni Tournament of Champions. The show was open to any IHSA alumni and current graduates regardless of whether you were currently showing Alumni with the IHSA in 2014. The show ran five classes and saw alumni from eight different IHSA regions.
The Alumni Tournament of Champions is run IHSA style with IHSA alumni from around the country. Riders draw horses before competing and are not able to warm up their horse before competition. Alumni Cup winner, Kimberly King commented “The horses provided were wonderful and I enjoyed each of my rides. True to IHSA fashion, each of my draws challenged me in a different way which is what I love about this organization. I had to adapt to each mount quickly and some of them tested my weaknesses as a rider. Regardless of if I had walked away as the cup winner or not, I felt like I walked away a winner having worked on my skills, strengthening my weaknesses, and forming new friendships.”
The day started with the Alumni Cup reining phase, which saw eight riders execute NRHA pattern #5. Each of those riders later returned for their horsemanship phase and the top four received additional testing via a horsemanship pattern and work off on the rail. Judge “Buttons” Fairfax put the riders through a series of tests and ultimately Kimberly King from University of Tennessee came out on top.
Four other champions were crowned including Rebecca Folk in both Advanced Horsemanship and Alumni Reining, Alexis Plavocis in Alumni Horsemanship and Kimberly King in Advanced Reining. Judge Buttons provided the riders with critique following the classes and explained to each rider how they can improve and what he observed throughout the day. Rider Andrea LaManque noted that she had so much fun yesterday and that it was a great group of ladies to work with and ride with, great judge, nice horses and facility and is already looking forward to next year!
Each rider received a goodie bag of items from our wonderful sponsors including a $10 gift certificate to Smith Brothers tack store. The organizers would like to thank their sponsors Smith Brothers, Back on Track, State Farm Insurance and Honey Cream.
Keep an eye out for the 2015 Alumni Tournament of Champions, the date and location should be set by early fall. To keep up to date with both Western and Hunt Seat Alumni shows, please visit www.alumnitoc.com.
Complete Results:
Class 1 – Alumni Horsemanship:
Champion- Alexis Plavocis (Bucks County Community College)
2nd-Sarah Todak (Ohio University)
3rd- Samantha Cronce (Temple University)
4th- Bianca Lupo (Temple University)
5th- Andrea LaManque (Morrisville State College)
6th- Laura Kolibabek (Temple University)
Class 2 – Advanced Horsemanship:
Champion- Rebecca Folk (Lafayette)
2nd- Kimberly King (University of Tennessee)
3rd- Marianne England (Midway College)
4th- Cassie Clark (Del Val)
5th- Sara McCoy Palmer (University of Delaware)
Class 3 – Alumni Reining:
Champion- Rebecca Folk (Lafayette)
2nd- Sarah Todak (Ohio University)
3rd- Bianca Lupo (Temple University)
4th- Alexis Plavocis (Bucks County Community College)
5th- Lauren Budniewski (University of Colorado Boulder)
6th- Andrea LaManque (Morrisville State College)
Class 4 – Advanced Reining:
Champion- Kimberly King (University of Tennessee)
2nd- Rebecca DelPizzo (Arcadia University)
3rd- Sara McCoy Palmer (University of Delaware)
4th- Cassie Clark (Del Val)
Class 5 – Alumni Cup:
Champion- Kimberly King (University of Tennessee)
2nd- Alexis Plavocis (Bucks County Community College)
3rd- Sarah Todak (Ohio University)
4th- Samantha Cronce (Temple University)
5th- Rebecca Folk (Lafayette)
6th- Lauren Budniewski (University of Colorado Boulder)
7th- Rebecca DelPizzo (Arcadia University)
8th- Marianne England (Midway College)