IHSA Announces Riders, Alternates to AQHA Collegiate Horsemanship Challenge

Press Release

Fairfield, CT (September 12, 2016) Eight Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) Western Horsemanship riders and two alternates have been named to the American Quarter Horse Association Collegiate Horsemanship Challenge, part of the AQHA Lucas Oil World Championship Show, November 3-19, at State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, OK.

The eight riders are Hannah Hedderick, Kayla Magrum and Holly Phillips (University of Findlay), Olivia Turner (North Carolina State University), Dylan Dombrowski (Cazenovia College), Michelle McDowell (Grand Valley State University), Codi Uecker (Rocky Mountain College) and Lauren King (Middle Tennessee State University). Named as alternates are Racheal Nordby (Oregon State University) and Elizabeth Poczobut (Berry College).

Since 2012, 16 collegiate Western riders (eight from IHSA and eight from NCEA) have been annually chosen to battle for four spots in the finals of the AQHA Collegiate Horsemanship Challenge. A true challenge of horsemanship, the nation’s leading collegiate riders compete on borrowed horses – with only four minutes of warm-up time – before vying for the title of AQHA Collegiate Horsemanship Champion. The Lucas Oil World is a pinnacle event for American Quarter Horse owners and exhibitors around the globe. Each November, thousands of competitors and their horses, including IHSA riders, convene at State Fair Park for the World Championship Show that also plays host to the Adequan ® AQHA Level 2 Championships for open and amateur exhibitors. 

IHSA promotes competition for full time student riders of all skill levels, who compete individually and as teams at regional to national levels based on the principle that any college student should be able to participate in horse shows regardless of financial status, gender or riding level. In 2017 IHSA celebrates the Golden 50th Anniversary of its 1967 founding by Fairleigh-Dickinson University sophomore Robert E. ‘Bob’ Cacchione and today serves more than 400 member institutions and 10,000 riders annually. Visit www.ihsainc.com and follow IHSA on Facebook and Instagram for more about Bob’s 50th Anniversary Tour, IHSA teams, scholarships and alumni riding programs.