Coaching Challenges

Great rides from many of our riders Saturday. Lindsey Agaliotis rode her best on the fancy buck skin Captain to earn a score of 67.919%. She was beaten by a little more than 0.1% by Emily Henderson from Averett riding Francie. Lindsey rode her best; Emily has the advantage of riding the Averett horses on a regular basis. The upper training riders rode well but were again bested by riders from Averett and NCSU’s team captain Andrea Massa. At lower training Lauren Parker riding as an individual had a beautiful ride on the impressive black horse George scoring 68.74% to win the division and point out of lower training. Good ride for a well-deserved score, which sadly did not help the team points. In the introductory division Hannah Firth rode a well-balanced and accurate test on Boo to place third with a score of 67.5% behind a horse which was considerably stronger in first and second.


Moving forward I have moved some riders around on the two teams and within the individual divisions. Having ridden the horses yesterday, we have some insights into what makes them tick. I’m excited to push the team to do better today and show off their horsemanship skills.

Crazy Weekend!

This coming weekend is looking a little bit crazy! Today Ashley Duda and four student boarders leave for Raleigh Indoors. Safe travels ya’ll! Saturday we are hosting an IHSA western show at the equestrian center the action starts at high noon! And if that was not enough Jackie will be travelling with the dressage team to Averett University in Danville, VA for back to back dressage shows on Saturday and Sunday. Pebbles is travelling with us to help drive the team and keep us organized! We have eleven riders riding each day. We will do our best to post results etc. on this page so check back often!

In House Interns

Classes are in full swing and several students are pursuing internships with various staff members this semester. Dr. Kellam has six students participating in a Veterinary internship . Their duties include treating horses at the equestrian center as well as learning about the duties of a Veterinary Technician. Cases this semester have included eye injuries, wounds, skin diseases as well as routine health maintenance including vaccinations. The interns have been busy administering daily meds. as well as keeping records of all treatments.

At the barn Angie Cormack and Andrea Tito are doing barn management internships with barn manager Kellie Garrabrant. They are responsible for assisting with the supervision of the work study students and making sure that all horse care is completed correctly. Their big project has been to photograph and inventory all of the tack in all areas of the barn which is a huge task.

Andrea Tito is also serving as the social media intern this spring. She has reported on horse shows, developed videos for YouTube and posted numerous photographs on our facebook page. Obviously, she cannot attend every event that our teams travel to so part of her duties include working with staff and students to get results sent in to be posted on our facebook wall. Thank goodness for texting and smart phones!

The final group of in house interns will do the bulk of their internship with Peggy McElveen, Equestrian Program Director, and the equestrian staff at IHSA Nationals in Raleigh, April 29 – May 6th. Their duties will revolve around horse show management and organization and they are in for an incredibly busy time.

Internships are an important part of the St. Andrews experience; students have been placed in many settings for their internships. In house internships are common too although we usually do not have such a large group benefitting from this experiential learning opportunity.

IHSA Hunter Seat & Western Teams Work Hard to Maintain their Regional Leads

Big weekend for the equestrian team. Saturday we hosted the first IHSA hunter seat show of the spring semester. The weather was cool (having been in the 70s for most of the week) and the horses were not as well behaved as they might have been. Several classes were stopped (one more than once) when our equine partners decided they just had to show off how good they were feeling. With safety being foremost in our minds horse substitutions were made and the classes restarted. All this took additional time and the show ran until after 5:00 making it a long day for all involved. Our students worked tirelessly, with good humor and great attitudes all day demonstrating the “can do” philosophy that is part of being involved in our equestrian team.

We were rewarded by the hunter seat team that turned in a perfect score of 49 points to win the championship ribbon. Alexandra Fullerton won high point rider with Katie Hansen as reserve. St. Andrews now leads their closest rivals UNC-Chapel Hill by 45 points. (Complete results below)

Meanwhile the IHSA western team traveled to Martin Community College to compete in back to back shows Saturday and Sunday. The temperatures were a few degrees cooler in Williamston but fortunately they were showing indoors which helped a bit. Individual riders did well on both days however the designated point riders faced a few challenges leaving St. Andrews as reserve champion each day. Shannon Leggett was high point rider Saturday and reserve high point rider Sunday. At the end of the weekend St. Andrews still leads North Carolina State by nine points with two shows to go before semi-finals.

IHSA Hunter Seat Team Standings as of 2/4/2012

St. Andrews University 249

UNC-Chapel Hill 204

North Carolina State University 192

East Carolina University 185

Duke University 168

Coastal Carolina University 116

UNC-Wilmington 110

UNC-Charlotte 108

Virginia Commonwealth University 98

Davidson College 37

Martin Community College 14

Individual Results

Open Flat A

2nd Kim Graves

Novice Flat A

5th Tara Algeri

Open Flat B

1st Katie Hansen

Walk, Trot, Canter A

3rd Madison Edwards

4th Julie Griffin

Intermediate Flat A

2nd Alie McGraw

Novice Flat B

1st Katie Mentzel

Open Fences A
2nd Regi Barasch

Open Fences B

1st Katie Hansen

2nd Kim Graves

Walk Trot Canter B

3rd Sarah Lishen

4th Brittany Powell

Novice Flat C

3rd Park Hoey

5th Catherine McDowell

Intermediate Flat B

1st Regina Barasch

Novice Flat D

5th Sarah Williams

Intermediate Fences A

1st Kali Cram

Intermediate Fences B

1st Nikki Napoleone

Walk Trot A

1st Morgan Potts

Intermediate Flat C

4th Kayla McBath

Novice Fences A

1st Alexandra Fullerton

Novice Fences C

1st Abigail Skillman

Novice Flat E

1st Michelle Eld

Walk Trot Canter C

1st Cami Glaff

Novice Flat F

1st Alexandra Fullerton

Beg. Walk Trot A

5th Lacy Burke

Walk Trot Canter D

4th Chandalyn Chranowski

Novice Flat G

3rd Dara Corbett

Walk Trot Canter E

3rd Hillary Todd

6th Paula Kramer

Walk Trot Canter F

1st Mia Dipillo

5th Bridget Newman

Busy Weekend of Competition for the Equestrian Team

This weekend is a tad busy! The western IHSA team is traveling to Martin Community College for back to back shows Saturday and Sunday. Assistant barn manager Rachel Buckler is travelling with the team to assist Carla, keep points and report back so we can keep everyone informed. Meanwhile at home we are  hosting an IHSA hunter seat show on Saturday. Home hunter seat shows require an enormous effort from all team members. Team members groom and tidy the horses, clean the tack and the barn, share horse holding duties, and keep thing running. Work study and the barn staff start early and stay late. Staff serve in various capacities including announcing, running the draw table, working the paddock, posting points and pitching in wherever they are needed. We live by the saying it takes a village… and it SO true! Our village will be spread a little thin this weekend! Go Knights!

Tournament of Champions and Ride-Like-A-Knight Updates

The past week was pretty busy. Ashley Duda and six hunter seat riders made the drive to Mary Washington University in Fredericksburg, VA. The Tournament of Champions is an invitational IHSA style show that pits the strongest teams in the nation against one another. Coach Duda had prepped her team well and improved their previous team placing to sixth. That is sixth in the nation! Not too shabby!

Meanwhile at home the Ride-Like-A-Knight program installed a new lift for mounting riders. This lift was funded by The Elizabeth Fund.

The Elizabeth Fund exists to enrich and enlarge the lives of youth and adults with physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities through the therapeutic horsemanship program at St. Andrews University.

Established in 2010 through the generous $25,000 gift by Joe Junod '69 and Marilyn Greene, it is named in honor of their mothers, Elizabeth Donaldson Junod and Dr. M. Elizabeth Peck.

“We are both committed to programs assisting people with disabilities,” said Greene. “Our mothers were both great humanitarians, and lovers of animals as well. Since I have a special love for horses, we decided to focus on giving to this program and dedicate these efforts to the memories of our mothers.”

The lift will be used to offer services to a wider range of riders in the Ride-Like-A-Knight program. Before that can happen, staff, students and especially the horses need to be trained in its use. This will be a great learning opportunity for the students in the RLAK program.

Looking ahead to next weekend, we are hosting our first IHSA hunter seat show of 2012 on Saturday and the western team travels to Martin Community College for a double header Saturday and Sunday. It is good to be busy!

Busy Start to Spring Semester

Life throws you curves, last weekend I was in Florida with Peggy and Debbie Bell at the College Preparatory Invitational in Wellington FL, and this weekend I am bundled up at home with a cold and icing my back which decided that the misery of a cold needed company! Meanwhile while I am laying around (I am icing my back as I type) the equestrian program has been really busy.

• Lessons started early this semester so we can finish early and focus our energies on IHSA Nationals which we are hosting in Raleigh in May in 2012 – there will be lots more about that in the coming months.
• Riding Council organized a cleanup of Hasty Road this Saturday which was well attended and the road is now beautifully clean. (Why do people throw trash into nature, do they do that in their houses too? Yuk!)
• Scot Evans is teaching a clinic this Sunday/Monday for the hunter seat riders – always an interesting and inspiring opportunity.
• Riding Council is organizing horse cleanup for our first IHSA hunter seat show of the spring semester which is scheduled for Feb. 4th.

 As for me, it’s back to the chiropractor and work tomorrow! Can’t wait to be busy again!

 

The History of the St. Andrews Equestrian Program

The book is here! The project completed by the History and Theory of Modern Riding class has been turned into a book discussing the history of the St. Andrews Equestrian Program starting in 1969! If you would like a copy of the book please send a check for $25 made out to St. Andrews University. Attn: Jackie Dwelle, 9167 Hasty Road, Laurinburg, NC 28396. Shipping is free. Below is the introduction to the book.





Front Cover: Main photograph is the Lesson barn in 2007.

Top left to right, Jon Conyers with his dog Kaleb; Kira Gainey showing Chessie; Peggy McElveen and Sami Cram class of 2012

Second row Oscar Allen who has been with the program since at least 1984, cleaning stalls, mowing, raking pine straw etc. Oscar turned 80 in 2011 and still works at the equestrain center; Kelsey Moody showing at IHSA Nationals 2010 in reining.

Therapeutic riding photo Liz Harris Adams, Liz Capalbo and Katie Tieman holding Special; Shelby French with a team in the early 1980s; J.R. McCaulley jumping on campus, J.R. was a member of the team that competed in Panama in 1993, his team mates were Susan Yeaman Deal, Beth Anna Perry and Cathy Kassell Geitner; Sarah Rhymer mounted with Debbi White and Bob Cacchione at IHSA Nationals; Christine Eidson showing Max in an IDA show in 2005.



Introduction

In 1958 a Charter for a Consolidated Presbyterian College was registered with the North Carolina Secretary of State by representatives of Peace College in Raleigh, Flora Macdonald College in Red Springs and Presbyterian Junior College in Maxton NC. Friends of Peace College filed successful litigation to be excluded from the proposed consolidation and so it was that on September 22, 1961 St. Andrews Presbyterian College opened its doors to 750 students from the merger of Flora Mcdonald and Presbyterian Junior College 4.

From the beginning St. Andrews’ core curriculum was considered to be the school’s greatest asset. The campus was built to accommodate students with disabilities which in 1961 was many years ahead of the 1990 American with Disabilities Act. The buildings and walkways were designed with ramps to create a modern and accessible facility 1.

Eight years later during the 1969 – 1970 academic year a small group of students with the support of the Dean of Students, Rodger Decker, formed a new club, The St. Andrews Hoofers 2. Marguerite “Bunky” Simpson the first president of the new riding club brought the first horse, Popsi, onto campus in 1969 and a new era for St. Andrews was born 3.

For the last 42 years, the equestrian program has consistently functioned as a student directed and driven program. From the very beginning students have organized the program demonstrating their interest in horses, developing the program into a varsity sport, supporting academic programs and throughout the history of the program sharing their enthusiasm with others in multiple roles including teaching, event management, and service projects.

The drive demonstrated by the students has been matched over the years by the staff and faculty. Many people have contributed to the program, sharing their knowledge, guiding students, creating opportunities and facilitating student driven ideas. You will meet some of these extraordinary people and learn about their accomplishments in the chapters of this book. Looking forward the equestrian program is always evolving; some of the current staff and faculty shared their dreams with the research team.

What Bunky Simpson and her peers started in 1969 has grown today into a nationally respected equestrian program that still embodies the motto adopted early in the program’s history Equitation Elicits Excellence.

This book was researched and developed by the Fall 2011 History and Theory of Modern Riding class. Many hours were spent in the college archives exploring the numerous publications and artifacts that have been collected over the years. Personal interviews with students, instructors, and faculty both past and present were conducted to pull together as much information as possible with the goal of developing a publication that reflects the beginning, development and growth of one of the leading collegiate equestrian programs in the United States.

References
1. The History of St. Andrews University retrieved Dec. 11, 2011 http://www.sapc.edu/aboutsa/history.php.

2. “Elise Eleazer, “The History of the St. Andrews Equestrian Program, Nov 28, 1993.

3. Interview Marguerite Simpson Garfield Nov. 2011.

4. Melton, George E. St. Andrews: A Brief History. 1981. Print.

History of the St. Andrews Equestrian Program

I spent my entire Christmas break helping out at the barn, but mostly working on the History of the St. Andrews Equestrian Program project. It is now 50+ pages and will be printed in book form with lots of color pictures. The history starts in 1969 with the first horse on campus moves onto the Shelby French Era and ends with the Peggy McElveen era and looks at the development of the various programs. Lots of memories from students and staff and some thoughts looking forward.  The History will be available for sale, $25 free shipping to U.S. addresses. Hope to send it to the printers today! Email dwellejm@sapc.edu if you are interested!

A Christmas Story...

I entered this story in the Fayetteville Observer Children's Christmas Story contest. They published the winners today and this was not one of them! So the blog seems like the perfect place to put it. Enjoy!

Away in a Manger…

“T’was the night before Christmas and all about the house, nothing was stirring, except for a mouse.1”

“Wait, wait, wait, we live in a barn!” said Bailey interrupting Max’s musings, “and we spend most of our time in this huge pasture, plus the mice do clean up for us where you and I drop food while we eat due to our failing teeth at our advanced age.”
Max sighed, “I know, but Christmas time seems so special to our humans.”
“You are a horse! A retired one at that! What do you know about Christmas!” Bailey tossed his head and rolled his eyes.
“I know that our humans think that Christmas is a pretty special time of year. They are kind to one another and give gifts to the people that they hold dear.” Max dropped his head and licked his lips. “I also get extra treats at Christmas for no reason that I can tell other than they are feeling extra kind.”
“I know dude, they really seem to change at this time of year.” Bailey conceded as he ever so gently pushed Max’s nose aside from a particularly green patch of clover.
Just then Haflinger pony Toby wandered over, “Mind sharing the clover?” he asked.
“I mind,” said Bailey flatly, snarling the corner of his nostril nearest to Toby to emphasize the point. Toby looked hopefully at Max who backed up a step and lowered his head indicating that the clover was up for grabs as far as he was concerned. “Toby, do you think humans are kinder at Christmas time?” he asked.
Toby kept one eye on the clover and the other on Bailey as he thought about the question. “Well, maybe, they do seem to spend more time together, sharing food and giving one another gifts.”
“Why do they do that at this time of year?” asked Max.
“I think it has something to do with that display they put in the courtyard for everyone to see,” said Toby. “There is a family as well as sheep and other animals, shepherds and some dudes in fancy looking outfits that must be important in some way. The dressed up guys also look to be giving gifts to the baby.”
“Plus the scene is in a barn,” added Max. “I’ve heard the humans talking about how barns are great equalizers, something about all people being the same when they are at the barn. I’m not sure exactly what they were talking about but they all agreed that the barn is their favorite place to be.”
“I’ve heard comments like that too,” said Toby, “they were saying, when they are at the barn, they can just be themselves and don’t have to worry about what other people think. In fact now that you mention it I also heard the program director telling someone how important it is to her to have everyone feel welcome when they are at the barn. She also said that the barn is a place where everything is always the same and everyone respects each other’s point of view.”
“Well they are always happy to see us and they give us lots of hugs and praise no matter what time of year it is,” said Bailey. “But they don’t’ always treat each other that way all the time, I have heard them talking and saying some not very nice things to each other. Maybe they have to be reminded to be nice to one another and that is what Christmas is for.”
“So is that why there are people and animals in the display?” asked Max.
“I think it is one of those barn yard themed birthday parties,” chimed in Toby. “There are guests with gifts, all they need is a cake. Although I suppose the candles might be a bit hazardous in a barn particularly as the baby is sleeping in a feed tub bedded with straw”
“It looks like our therapeutic horsemanship program to me,” observed Bailey.
“How do you mean?” asked Max.
“Well everyday, families bring their children to see us horses. Some of them ride, some of them brush us and some of them just enjoy watching others ride. We also have the volunteers that take care of us, and help the children with their riding and other skills, sort of like the shepherds caring for the sheep.” Bailey lifted his head from the clover patch for a moment allowing Toby to grab a bite.
“What about the guys with gifts, they fit well with Toby’s birthday idea” said Max.
“Gifts are not just for birthdays although this could well be a birthday party. The humans who teach lessons and organize all our events wear matching shirts that make them stand out from the families and volunteers,” said Bailey “The gifts maybe birthday presents or perhaps they are symbols of appreciation or recognition from the guys in the fancy clothes.”
“Oh the gifts are the easy part!” exclaimed Toby. “Gifts come everyday in one form or another. Remember that little girl last month who has been coming to ride with us for two years? Well she never said a word and then suddenly she started saying “walk on” and “whoa” like she had been doing it all her life. I overheard her mother saying that since that day she has started to speak more at home. I was so excited to hear her speak for the first time that I almost trotted off – luckily I managed to stop myself just in time!
“That’s not all,” Bailey said “Last week we needed to raise money for new equipment for the program so the program director posted an appeal on her facebook page and someone was kind enough to donate all the funds needed, just like that! Did you not see the fancy new saddle that Marshmellow has been wearing? They bought that, as well as some other items that make riding more comfortable for the riders.”
Toby looked a little troubled, “So which is it?” he asked. “Does the display represent a birthday party or is it a reminder to humans to treat one another well or is it just a representation of our riding program?”
Bailey being the leader of the herd considered this for a minute while Max managed to grab the last few bites of clover. Finally, Bailey spoke, “I think it is all of them,” he stated. “It looks like it is the baby’s birthday which serves as a reminder to humans to be kind to one another and in our little bit of the world this just happens to occur at a therapeutic horsemanship center.”
“Well there is one thing about the display that you have not yet explained,” said Toby. “and that is the giant star hanging over the barn.”
“Oh I know what that is,” said Max through the last mouthful of clover, “it represents the head lights on the pick up truck that is coming up the lane right now with our warm mash and blankets to keep us comfortable on a cold winter night. Follow those lights to the barn, its time for dinner!”


1. Clement Clarke Moore (1779 - 1863)

The semester is coming to an end...

The end of the semester comes so quickly! Last weekend Ashley and six members of the IHSA hunter seat team made the drive to Centenary College in New Jersey to compete in the invitational IHSA Tournament of Champions (TOC). Schools are invited to compete in TOC competitions based on their success so the competition is very tough as the best intercollegiate teams in the country are represented. St. Andrews ended up in 13th place out of 25 which is not too shabby considering the competition.
The team visited Washington DC, specifically the Lincoln Memorial, made a stop to take a lesson at Regina Barash’s barn in the Bronx and did a quick tour of the USEF team headquarters in Gladstone NJ. From all reports it was an amazing trip for all involved.

With finals starting tomorrow (today is study day on campus) equestrian activities are limited to stress reducing hacks and pleasure rides. Tonight the equestrian staff don their Chef hats for an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party in the Party Palace. The menu consists of warming dishes including soups, chilli, chicken and dumplings and of course Pebbles’ brownies. Finals start tomorrow, good luck to everyone!

Intercollegiate Horse Show Scoring

The fall intercollegiate season comes to a close with St. Andrews teams having the following points.

Hunter Seat 200
Western 144
Dressage 16

This places the hunter seat and western teams in the lead in their respective regions by 32 and 20 points and the dressage team one point behind Averett University in their region. The point value differences come from the different approach taken by the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) and the Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA).

IHSA and IDA both use the same system when it comes to awarding points to individual riders.

1st – 7 points
2nd – 5 points
3rd – 4 points
4th – 3 points
5th – 2 points
6th – 1 point

Individual riders in both organizations accumulate points towards year end awards and for the opportunity to ride at Regionals for IHSA or Nationals for IDA. IHSA has more competitive layers at the end of the year than IDA.

In IHSA, point riders are designated by the coach at the coaches meeting prior to the start of the show. Schools may have more than one rider in each division but only one rider’s score counts for the team. In IDA usually 2 teams of 4 riders from each school compete for the day’s points. IHSA Hunter Seat has 8 designated point riders with one drop score. IHSA Western has 6 designated point riders with no drop score. IDA teams count the best 3 scores (by point value determined by their individual placing in their division) from each team of 4 riders. At the end of each show the most each team can score is as follows.

IHSA Hunter Seat – 49 points
IHSA Western – 42 points
IDA Dressage – 21 points

In IHSA the team’s points from each show are cumulative. For example three perfect shows in hunter seat would earn 147 points. In IDA the winning team earns 7 points, the second place team 5 points etc. So a perfect score for three shows for IDA would be 21 points. To further complicate things no matter how many shows are held in a region for IDA only a team’s top 4 shows count. If a school has a second team their points do not count towards qualifying. In IHSA each region must have a minimum of 5 shows to qualify for Regionals and therefore Zones and finally Nationals.

Very confusing and this does not address all the rules in both organizations that start with “In the event…".

I’ll discuss individual scoring and qualifying for Regionals and Nationals in a later post.

Currently, all St. Andrews Intercollegiate Equestrian Teams are strong contenders in their respective regions.

Regional Standing for All St. Andrews' Intercollegiate Teams

IHSA Hunter Seat - After 5 shows
St. Andrews University 200
UNC-Chapel Hill 168
North Carolina State University 161
Duke University 154
East Carolina University 154
Coastal Carolina University 116
UNC-Charlotte 89
UNC-Wilmington 89
Virginia Commonwealth University 84
Davidson College 37
Martin Community College 14

IHSA Western - After 4 shows
St. Andrews 144
NCSU 124
VA Tech 82
High Point University 59
Martin Community College 43

IDA – After 3 shows
Averett University 17
St. Andrews University 16
Furman University 10
North Carolina State University 11

Show teams, Alums etc.

As is the case with most weekends during the semester the equestrian staff were going in several different directions this past weekend. Carla and the western team had back to back shows at Martin Community College and the show team with Ashley and Heather were showing in Raleigh at an NCHJA show. Peggy headed to Raleigh Friday to support the show team and I accompanied Carla as the second driver to Williamston NC.

The western team arrived early Saturday morning for a 2:00 start. We were able to watch some of the horses school and Carla ran through patterns on foot with her riders. They have miniature cones which they set out to practice patterns. The show started late and did run a little slowly which intensified the chill in the air which you really feel if you spend most of your time on the bleachers! Unlike St. Andrews, Martin does not have a small army to run their shows and does a wonderful job with only 17 students and 2 staff. The day was long but our riders were focused and very supportive of one another. At the end of the day NCSU came out ahead. Peggy was keen to be updated so we were soon into a pattern of texting placings and accumulated points back and forth after each class.

After checking into our hotel we went to the Shamrock restaurant for dinner. The food is family style ranging from burgers and fries to seafood and steaks with vegetables - something to appeal to everyone. At the end of the meal Kimmy made an announcement that Alum Leah Davison had paid for everyone’s dinner! What a great supporter! Brittany called Leah right away and the entire team thanked her for generosity and support.

Sunday the show was not scheduled to start until 11:00 a.m. so I made a quick visit to the NCDCTA Harvest Moon dressage show at the Horse Complex. Talk about a contrast! At the western show the music was country and the classes ran when folks were ready. In dressage land, classical/elevator music was piped into the indoor arena and riders reported to the ring at their appointed time. The atmosphere was serene and organized. I spent a happy hour at the show watching FEI level tests before returning to the hotel pick up the team.

Sunday’s show ran more smoothly than Saturday’s. We started on time at 11:00 and were done by 3:30 including running the BOB Derby to raise money for IHSA Nationals 2012. I got better at texting Peggy (I have a 5 year old flip phone) and she texted back that she was at Elon’s IHSA show to see Alum Rob Jacobs ride in the Alum class. Rob was second on the flat and first over fences. At the western show our riders were really on form beating NCSU by one point!
The drive home is only about 3 hours but it seemed longer as we were driving directly into the sun which is low in the sky at this time of year.

A good weekend for the SAU equestrian teams. The western team showed grace and determination with many challenges during the weekend, our alums remain involved with the program in one way or another and the show team earned many ribbons and represented St. Andrews well to the horse show world. Very happy to be part of this wonderful program!

Good weekend for western and show teams!

The western team still leads the region by 20 points after this weekend's back to back shows.

Katie Hansen and Alexandra Fullerton were champion and reserve champion in the NCHJA Equitation Finals in Raleigh.

For a complete report of this weekend's shows click here!

November 19th, 2011 - Riding Open House

High School Seniors sign up for Riding Open House on Nov 19th? This is the only open house this year where you will have an opportunity to ride our horses! Come meet the coaches, tour the incredible equestrian center and learn about the many and varied programs St. Andrews has to offer. Click here to register!

Questions? Drop me an email dwellejm@sapc.edu

Dressage Team Fight for Regional Lead

Twelve riders, one coach and a barn manager serving as the second driver and cheering section for the dressage team left in the first frost of the year to travel to the Averett Equestrian Center early Sunday morning. The day turned out clear and fine with a cool breeze as the Knights battled to retain their regional lead.

In first level test 2, Junior Lindsey Agaliotis found it difficult to establish a good working relationship with her horse in the limited 10 minute warn up. She earned 66.8% to place third for the day. Sophmore Erin Hudson who is small in statue drew the largest first level horse but put in a very respectable test to earn 65.40% and 4th place. In the upper training division Senior Casey Curtis laid down a solid ride to place 5th with 66.40%, Senior Olivia Taylor had what appeared to be a beautiful ride on a sensitive horse but failed to show the quality in the movements with coefficients to finish a disappointing 9th in the division.

In lower training sophmore Brianna Carter rose to the occasion scoring 67.9% and earning 2nd place after requesting a re-ride due to the horse she drew having significant issues with the flowers in the ring. Senior Lauren Parker was right behind her with 67.5% and 3rd place riding the same horse. At the Introductory Level St. Andrews riders rose to the occasion with Jenna Marten scoring 72.5% for 2nd place and freshman Masha Peckham scoring 67.5% for 4th and Senior Katelee Johnson placing 5th with 66.30% in a large division with 12 riders.

At the end of the fall season this leaves the Knights trailing Averett University by one point. “I have challenged the team individually and as a group to tell me how they plan to improve their riding by February when we compete again,” said coach Dwelle. “Although this is a team sport it is the responsibility or each individual to improve their skills, everyone has a different challenge. Averett is a strong school and will be difficult to beat, their riders have more opportunities to compete at schooling and recognized shows than our riders and this gives them a competitive edge.”

The Knights have three shows left in the spring a double header at Averett Feb 18th – 19th and the final show March 18th at St. Andrews.

Regional Standings after 3 shows
St. Andrews University 16
Averett University 17
Furman University 10
North Carolina State University 11

St. Andrews Team B – 10 points
Erin Hudson First Level Test 2
Casey Curtis – Training Level Test 3
Paige Tillison – Training Level Test 1
Jenna Marten – Introductory Level Test B

St. Andrews Team A – 9 points
Lindsey Agaliotos – First Level Test 2
Olivia Taylor – Training Level Test 3
Brianna Carter – Training Level Test1
Hannah Firth – Introductory Level Test B

Individual Results
First Level Test 2
3rd Lindsey Agaliotis 66.80%
4th Erin Hudson 56.40%

Training Level Test 3
5th Casey Curtis 66.40%

Training Level Test 1
2nd Brianna Carter 67.90%
3rd Lauren Parker 67.50%

Introductory Level Test B
2nd Jenna Marten 72.50%
4th Masha Peckham 67.50%
5th Katelee Johnson 66.30%

IHSA Hunter Seat Team Increases Their Regional Lead!

Judge Diann Langer from Johnston, SC endured cool temperatures and a light but persistent wind to judge today’s IHSA Hunter Seat show. Eleven schools fielded riders including Davidson and Virginia Commonwealth who have not competed at St. Andrews this season. Team veterans Kim Graves, Alie McGraw and Katie Hansen all won their flat classes setting the standard for the remainder of the day. Freshman Regina Barasch won her section of Open Over Fences and followed that up with a win in her Intermediate Flat class becoming one of three riders tied for high point rider. In the ride off at the end of the day Regina came out ahead of the two riders from Duke to earn the championship title. The Knights continued to show their strength throughout the day placing well in just about every class leading to a strong win with 46 points to Virginia Commonwealth’s 36.

At the end of the day the BOB Derby brought a new first to St. Andrews and IHSA where coaches from 8 of the 11 schools competed against one another to raise money for IHSA Nationals 2012 and more importantly Regional bragging rights! Equestrian Program Director Peggy McElveen added a dash of fun to the event with a draw for candy hidden in brains (cold cooked spaghetti) to go with the Halloween theme for the day. The 8 coaches rode briefly on the flat and then each one was required to complete a western style pattern and jump 4 fences including a trot fence. Coach Thom Pollard rode a smooth pattern and nailed his fences on Feeny to win the blue ribbon for NCSU.

Regional Standings
St. Andrews University 167
Duke University 131
UNC-Chapel Hill 130
North Carolina State University 128
East Carolina University 116
Coastal Carolina University 97
UNC-Charlotte 77
UNC-Wilmington 67
Virginia Commonwealth University 62
Martin Community College 14

Team Results Oct 29th
46 St. Andrews University
36 Virginia Commonwealth University
35 UNC-Chapel Hill
33 Duke
33 Davidson
30 NCSU
26 UNC-Charlotte
25 UNC-Wilmington
21 Eastern Carolina
21 Coastal Carolina

St. Andrews Results
Open Flat A – 1st Kim Graves
Novice Flat A - 1st Alie McGraw
Open Flat B – 1st Katie Hansen
Novice Flat B – 1st Park Hoey
Intermediate Flat A – 1st Kayla McBath
Open Fences A – 2nd Regina Barasch, 4th Cat Stumberg
Open Fences B – 3rd Kim Graves
Open Fences C – 3rd Katie Hansen
Walk, Trot, Canter A – 1st Caitlin Karolak
Novice Flat C – 1st Abigail Skillman
Walk, Trot, Canter B – 2nd Hillary Todd, 3rd Sarah Lishen
Intermediate Fences A – 4th Keli Van Den Heuvel
Intermediate Fences B – 2nd Nikki Napoleone
Intermediate Fences C – 1st Kali Cram
Walk, Trot, Canter C – 1st Tori Burkey
Walk, Trot A – 1st Valerie Robey
Novice Flat D – 3rd Tara Algeri
Novice Flat E – 2nd Michelle Eld
Walk, Trot B – 3rd Morgan Potts
Walk, Trot, Canter D – 1st Jackie Rigsbee, 4th Chandalyn Chrzanowski
Novice Flat F – 6th Kali Cram
Walk, Trot, Canter E – 1st Mia Dipillo
Intermediate Flat C – 1st Regina Barasch
Walk, Trot, Canter F – 3rd Julie Griffin, 4th Sara Hackney
Novice Fences B – 3rd Alexandra Fullerton
Bob Derby – Thom Pollard NCSU

High Point Rider – Regina Barasch, St. Andrews
Reserve High Point Rider – Caroline Culbertson, Duke

Coming Up Next Weekend!

IHSA Hunter Seat Team hosts the 4th show of the season this Saturday at the SAU Equestrain Center

“We are looking forward to a big day of showing at home this Saturday,” said Coach Ashley Duda. “We are currently 23 points ahead in our region. The team is looking to bring home a win on Saturday but also hoping to extend our region lead. Katie Hansen is leading the Cacchione Cup race at this point. She has been riding very strongly this week and the team will look for strong performances from Hansen in the Open division. The team will also rely on a number of upperclassmen to lead throughout the day. 26 riders will compete for the Knights on Saturday.”

The IDA team travels to Averett University Equestrian Center near Danville, VA Sunday. The SAU team leads the region by one point in a highly competitive region. Junior and team Captain Lindsey Agaliotis will be riding in first level test two against Averett's strong senior Emily Henderson. "Emily has been to Nationals every year I believe," said Coach Jackie Dwelle, "Lindsey just moved up to first level and is working really hard." Emily and Lindsey are currently tied for individual points with 11 each. Team riders include many seniors. "These riders have worked at their riding during their time at St. Andrews," said Dwelle, "I am hopeful that the many hours spent riding without stirrups and practicing in the dressage arena will pay off." A total of 12 riders will be traveling on Sunday including some freshmen who are just getting their feet wet in the intercollegiate dressage arena.

Also Sunday, St. Andrews hosts Showing Under the Stars starting at 2:00 p.m. Classes will include , the annual Costume Contest, Bareback Hunter Derby, Dressed up Hunter Derby, Haunted Trail Class, Candy Corn in Spoon, Bareback Ride-A-Buck, Keyhole Race and a Coaches Class! The focus is on fun and games after an intense few weeks of horse showing.

IHSA Hunter Seat Strong Win at Duke!

Sunday, October 23, 2011

A glorious fall day for a horse show! The Knights left Laurinburg long before dawn for the trip to the Duke University Hunter Seat Horse Show. This was the third show in our fall competition schedule of five shows and an important competition for all eleven collegiate teams in Zone 4 Region 3.

Coach Ashley Duda had her riders well prepared having done special team practices on Friday and Saturday. Many of our students’ parents came to cheer us on and they had a lot to cheer about as St. Andrews began to win class after class.

Overall, St. Andrews was the Champion Team with 45 points. Duke was Reserve Champion Team with 42 points. Every one of our riders placed in the top four in their divisions! Alexandra Fullerton was the Champion High Point Rider and Katie Hansen and Kim Graves shared the honor of Reserve Champion High Point Rider. Whenever there is a tie in points for High Point or Reserve High Point Rider, the judge asks the riders questions concerning equitation, theory, or horse care. There were five riders tied for Reserve High Point at the Duke Show and the judge quickly eliminated all but the St. Andrews students. After the fourth round of questions was answered correctly by Katie and by Kim, the judge declared a tie! Congratulations ladies and thank you to all the Equine Studies professors who have taught these students so well.

Results for individual riders and for team riders were:

Katie Hansen – 1st place Open Flat Section B
Kim Graves – 1st place Open Flat Section C
Katie Hansen – 2nd place Open Fences Section A
Regina Barasch – 1st place Open Fences Section B
Kim Graves – 2nd place Open Fences Section B
Sami Cram – 1st place Intermediate Flat Section A
Kayla McBath – 4th place Intermediate Flat Section B
Kali Cram – 1st place Intermediate Fences Section B
Alexandra Fullerton – 1st place Novice Flat Section B
Catherine McDowell – 2nd place Novice Flat Section E
Alexandra Fullerton – 1st place Novice Fences Section A
Alie McGraw – 1st place Novice Fences Section C
Hillary Todd – 2nd place Advanced Walk, Trot, Canter Section B
Cami Glaff – 2nd place Advanced Walk, Trot, Canter Section E
Jameson Crandall – 2nd place Beginning Walk, Trot, Canter Section A
Lacy Burke – 1st place Beginning Walk, Trot, Canter Section C
Morgan Potts – 4th place Walk, Trot Section A
Shiloh Kozlowski – 2nd place Walk, Trot Section C



Team Results for Duke University Show:

St. Andrews University 45
Duke University 42
East Carolina University 37
Coastal Carolina University 35
UNC-Chapel Hill 33
North Carolina State University 29
Virginia Commonwealth University 26
Davidson College 22
UNC-Charlotte 22
UNC-Wilmington 15
Martin Community College 10

Overall Team Standings after three competitions:

St. Andrews University 121
Duke University 98
North Carolina State University 98
East Carolina University 97
UNC-Chapel Hill 95
Coastal Carolina University 76
UNC-Charlotte 51
UNC-Wilmington 42
Virginia Commonwealth University 26
Martin Community College 14

St. Andrews IDA Show Oct 22

Thanks to the dedication and team work of the St. Andrews Equestrian program students and staff, Saturday’s IDA show ran like a charm. “We really know how to put on a horse show,” said coach Dwelle

Furman University surprised everyone in IDA Region I by winning at St. Andrews today. Congratulations to Furman for great riding and working together as a team even though you did not have your coach with you! St. Andrews finished in third place behind regional rivals Averett University. St. Andrews leads the region with 11 points to Averett’s 10 points. Junior Lindsey Agaliotis earned second place in first level test 2 being beaten by Averett’s Emily Henderson riding Wind Song a horse which Lindsey has worked closely with. Agaliotis commented, “I guess I prepped her too well!” Agaliotis put in a strong performance riding Astaire. Also riding in first level was Andrea Tito who drew Jake for her ride. “I was thrilled with my ride!” said Tito who just moved up to first level. “Moving from training to first is a big step,” commented dressage coach Jackie Dwelle, “Andrea is a senior and I wanted her to have this experience before she graduated. She rode well laying a strong foundation for her next show.”

In lower training Brianna Carter laid down a solid test on Reagan to win the division and earn reserve high point rider with a score of 70.41% (behind Henderson in first level with 71.08%). Paige Tillison riding as an individual placed third on Magic.

At the introductory level freshman Masha Peckham riding Popsicle placed third with a solid ride besting Jenna Marten on Russell who was fourth. “There were 13 riders in the intro division,” said Dwelle, “I am really excited for Masha and Jenna for doing so well.”

The dressage team competes next Sunday at Averett University where they will be riding to defend their regional lead.

Regional Standings after 2 shows
St. Andrews University 11
Averett University 10
Furman University 7
North Carolina State University 7

Team Results Oct 22
1. Furman University Team A
2. Averett University Team A
3. St. Andrews University Team B
4. St. Andrews University Team A
5. North Carolina State University Team A
6. North Carolina State University Team B
7. Averett University Team B

First Level Test 2
1. Emily Henderson AU 71.08%
2. Lindsey Agaliotis SAU 65.94%
3. Helen Olmi FU 65.4%
4. Ellen Shaw NCSU 65.4%
5. Lexy Pingree AU 64.59%
6. Andrea Tito SAU 63.78%

Training Level Test 3
1. Amy Furguson FU 68.1%
2. Shannon Stone AU 67.6%
3. Ashley Grandis NCSU 66.8%
4. Casey Curtis SAU 66.8%
5. Olivia Taylor SAU 65.6%
6. Emily Scotton NCSU 61.6%

Training Level Test 1
1. Brianna Carter SAU 70.41%
2. Jessie Hayes AU 68.75%
3. Paige Tillison SAU 65.83%
4. Cat Rock AU 65.41%
5. Brittany Hoffman NCSU 63.75%
6. Melissa Switek NCSU 62.91%

Introductory Level Test B
1. Sarah Smith FU 68.12%
2. Kassia White AU 67.5%
3. Masha Peckham SAU 67.5%
4. Jenna Marten SAU 65.62%
5. Lindsey Baker AU 65.0%
6. Catherine Doane 65.0%

Busy Weekend Showing!

Friday evening Showing Under the Stars was very well attended with representatives from all three disciplines. Alums Gwen Titus and Mike Kryzack served as the judge and announcer respectively. The theme for the evening was “pink” to support October being breast cancer month. All competitors paid $5 a class and contributed a can of food for the Laurinburg food bank.

Saturday Ashley, Heather and Peggy traveled to Chapel Hill to compete in the second IHSA show of the season.

Showing Under the Stars Oct 14th SAU Equestrian Center

Results:

Walk Trot Canter Equitation Section A

1. Michelle Hustad – Benji
2. Kayla McBath – Frankie
3. Sarah Lishen – Feeney
4. Hillary Todd – Claire
5. Erica Leseur – Andy
6. Courtney Nix – Magic

Dressage Equitation Section A

1. Jenna Marten – Chico
2. Masha Peckham – Socke
3. Callian Trujillo – Moe
4. Katelee Johnson – Coosa

Dressage Equitation Section B

1. Lindsey Agaliotos – Windsong
2. Casey Curtis – Clara
3. Sarah Jones – Jake
4. Hannah Firth – Astaire
5. Brianna Carter – Bear

Open Equitation Over Fences

1. Kali Cram – Teddy
2. Sami Cram – Royal
3. Regi Barash – Nito
4. Katie Hansen – Beckett
5. Kim Graves – Yack
6. Alexandra Fullerton – Fenney

Western Horsemanship Section A

1. Keli Van Den Huevel - Emma
2. Chris Harrelson – Will
3. Madison Webb – Lark
4. Megan White – Harley

Walk Trot Canter Equitation Section B

1. Tori Burkey – Happy
2. Angie Cormack – Reagan
3. Shiloh Kozlowski – Ben
4. Sarah Williams - Astro
5. Michelle Hustad – Jackson
6. Madison Edwards - Rodin

Novice Equitation Over Fences

1. Cami Glaff – Andy
2. Abi Skillman – Onyx
3. Dara Corbett – Glenn
4. Hanna Hinrichsmeyer – Quincey
5. Chandalyn Chranlowski – Fritz
6. Michelle Eld – Ozzie

Western Horsemanship Section B

1. Michelle Hustad – Benji
2. Brittany Powell – Russell
3. Kali Cram – Leaguer
4. Kelsey Jones – Emma
5. Shannon Leggett – Holly
6. Erica Leseur – Andy

Walk Trot Canter Equitation Section C

1. Sara Hackney – Andy
2. Stephanie Whitlock – Magic
3. Lacy Burke – Glenn
4. Katie Ballard – Jeb
5. Katrina Buiel – Astro
6. Rachel Samuel - Pokey

Western Horsemanship Section C

1. Kimmy Simonsen – Jacob
2. Katie Mosca – Popsicle
3. Liana White – Gracie

Intermediate Equitation Over Fences

1 . Mia Dipillo – Profound
2. Brianna Carter – Bear
3. Keli Van Den Huevel – Onyx
4. Nikki Napoleone – Bruce Lee

Western Trail

1. Megan White – Russell
2. Kali Cram – Leaguer
3. Michelle Hustad – Jackson

Western Horsemanship Section D

1. Andrea Velez – Tony
2. Rachel McGarvey – Harley
3. Tyler Gritzuk – Jack (riding bridleless!)



IHSA Hunter Seat Show
Hosted by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill October 15, 2011

Team Standings:
1. St. Andrews 76
2. NCSU 69
3. UNC-Chapel Hill 62
4. ECU 60
5. Coastal Carolina 46
6. Duke 28

Team Results:
1. East Carolina 36
2. UNC Chapel Hill 33
3. St. Andrews 32
4. NCSU 32
5. Duke 25
6. Central Carolina 25
7. UNC Charlotte 16
8. UNC Wilmington 14
9. Martin Community College 4

Reserve High Point Champion:
Katie Hansen

St. Andrews University Individual Results:

Open Flat:
Katie Hansen - 1st
Kim Graves - 5th

Intermediate Flat:
Regina Barasch - 4th
Sami Cram - 1st

Novice Flat:
Alexandra Fullerton - 3rd
Alie McGraw - 3rd

Walk/Trot/Canter:
Caitlin Karolak - 1st
Cami Glaff - 1st

Beginning Walk/Trot/Canter:
Lacy Burke - 5th

Walk Trot:
Shiloh Kozlowski - 5th

Open Fences:
Katie Hansen - 3rd
Kim Graves - 2nd

Novice Fences:
Alie McGraw - 5th

Bob Derby:
Katie Hansen - 2nd

Horse Shows and Open House the Weekend!

Short week after fall break but the activities at the barn do not slow down. Tonight we have Showing Under the Stars with all three disciplines competing in a variety of classes.  Tomorrow  St. Andrews hosts Open House which includes a barn tour at 1:30. This is always a fun event meeting future students and their families. Coach Duda and the IHSA Hunter Seat team travel to Chapel Hill tomorrow for an IHSA show. Coaches Wennburg and Dwelle have practice scheduled for the western and dressage teams in addition to competing in tonight’s horse show. The dressage team will be videoing dressage tests in preparation for next Saturday’s home show.

Introducing the Pony Up Campaign!

Ride-Like-A-Knight is planning a Therapeutic Driving program but needs your help!


Manly the mini, who is trained to drive, recently joined the program but we do not yet have a cart. A suitable cart costs $695 plus delivery and tax. We are looking for 120 people willing to donate $6.95 each to help us reach our goal of expanding the RLAK program. This will cover the cost of the cart, delivery to RLAK and tax.

The St. Andrews “Ride like a Knight” program offers therapeutic horsemanship for people with disabilities of all ages. Therapeutic horsemanship works to partner people and horses through activities. RLAK currently offers therapeutic riding, which emphasizes teaching riding skills to people with disabilities; recently the program has decided to branch out and work on building a therapeutic driving program. Therapeutic driving is an aspect of therapeutic horsemanship which allows the participant the ability to partner with a horse while riding or driving in a cart. Through therapeutic driving, those participants that may not be able to ride due to contraindications (aspects of their disability that make it unsafe for them to ride) will now be able to experience working with a horse in other ways than simply grooming or watching from the sidelines.

Benefits of Therapeutic Horsemanship

 

• Improved verbal and nonverbal communication
• Improvement in motor skills and spatial awareness
• Trunk and core improvement
• Improved balance and coordination
• Psychological well being
• Increased self esteem, self image, confidence, and responsibility
• Along with improvement in the overall quality of life

  

Please make checks out to RLAK and mail them attention Pebbles Turbeville, to 9167 Hasty Road, Laurinburg, NC 28352.

 

 

 

Huge Weekend for the Equestrian Program!

St. Andrews University Equestrian Teams off to a Cracking Start!

Coach Carla Wennburg and the IHSA Western team followed the lead set by the IHSA Hunter Seat and IDA Dressage Teams last weekend by convincingly winning on Saturday and Sunday. “Every rider did well in pattern work which is huge to me. They were all very effective and thoughtful which showed in the ultimate placings.” said Carla. At the end of the weekend St. Andrews led Region 4.5 with 78 points to NCSU’s 50 points. Senior Shannon Leggett was high point rider on Saturday and then won her reining division on Sunday with a beautiful rider on LJ.

In Raleigh Ride-Like-A-Knight program director Megan Ellis with student coach Rachel McGarvey and rider Josh Dazey represented Scotland County at the Special Olympics. Josh rode Red Ted in several classes placing 4th in Showmanship and earning a Silver Medal in Western Equitation with Pattern. Megan put together a short video of the weekend to view it click here!

Also at the Horse Complex in Raleigh, coach Lindsey Crowther and several students competed at the Triangle Farms “C” Show. Regina Barasch and her horse Incognito were first in the Derby, Katie Hansen and her own Lucky were third and Allie McGraw and Monkey placed eighth.

Other show results:

• Allie McGraw and her own Monkey - 2nd in the Derby flat class
• Paula Kramer and Amador 1st in the Pre Child Adult Under Saddle
• Abigail Skillman and St. Andrews Onyx 2nd in the Equitation on the flat & 2nd in the Hunter Over Fences
• Julie Griffin and her own Apache 3rd in an over fences class.

 

Busy weekend for the St. Andrews Equestrian program!

The St. Andrews Equestrian Program is full steam ahead this weekend! At home we are hosting back to back IHSA Western Shows Saturday at 1:00 and Sunday at 10:00. Following up on the Hunter Seat team’s lead Coach Carla Wennburg is planning the western version of the BOB Derby. The BOB Derby will be similar to a trail class with some other fun activities. The BOB Derby is a fund raiser for IHSA National Championships next May in Raleigh.


The brand new horse trailer left for Raleigh this morning for its first trip with horses. Coach Lindsey Crowther is taking the show team to the Triangle Farms ‘C’ show and RLAK program director Megan Ellis is accompanying Red Ted and his rider Josh to the NC Special Olympics. Coach Ashley Duda is also going to Raleigh to show at some point, but knowing Ashley she has also managed to plan some practice time for the IHSA Hunter Seat Team! The dressage team will be working on the tests for the SAU IDA show scheduled for Oct. 22nd this afternoon.

Results of the NCSU IDA Show Sept. 25th

Champion Team – St. Andrews University
Reserve Champion – Averett University

Individual Results
First Level Test 1
1st Lindsey Agaliotis - 71.0345%
3rd Erin Hudson - 68.2758%

Training Level Test 2
1st Olivia Taylor – 68.9655%
5th Andrea Tito – 61.3793%

Intro C
1st Lauren Parker – 73.00% Reserve High Point Rider!
3rd Brianna Carter – 68.00%

Intro B
4th Hannah Firth – 65.00%
5th Katelee Johnson – 65.00% (judge split the tie)

Great Weekend for St. Andrews University!

The Equestrian Team had a great start to the competitive season this weekend with the IHSA Hunter Seat winning at home and IDA team winning at NCSU. The IHSA team had lots of support from friends, parents, alums and program supporters. This is just some of the people that stopped by to show their support.


• Alums visiting to IHSA - Rob Jacobs, Marianne Stark
• Bob Cacchione!
• Keith Wade stopped by around 9:15. “I’m on my way to the airport good to see the turn out”
• National anthem sung by Professor Bill McConnell
• Family members of Andrea Velez, Sami & Kali Cram, Kayla McBath, Tori Burkey. Paula Kramer, Hillary Todd, Caitlin Karolak, Alexandra Fullerton, Catherine McDowell.
• Announcer - Alum Mike Kryszak, Judge - Carol O’Brien Aiken SC

Bob Cacchione spoke during the lunch break.
“I am honored to be here today. Thank you to Peggy McElveen and the St. Andrews team for hosting the first and the last show of the season. You all will be taking part in hosting the IHSA National Championships at the Fairgrounds in Raleigh. I have been walking around talking to everyone and have been told by many parents that they will be there next May. If you make it to Nationals this year my hat is off to you, if you don’t qualify this could be the closest you will be to a National Championships. We have over 100 jobs that need to be filled, participating in these championships is something you can put on your resume. IHSA has sent 4 riders that have participated in the Cacchione Cup to the Olympics. The membership is currently 8,600 individual members and growing.

Every year IHSA raises the bar at the National Championships, knowing Peggy McElveen and Carla Wennburg I know we are in for something very special next May.”

Team Results
1. SAU – 44
2. NCSU – 37
3. Duke – 3
4. UNC – Chapel Hill – 29
5. ECU – 24
6. Coastal Carolina – 21

High Point Rider – Allie McGraw SAU
Reserve High Point – Kathryn Hall ECU

Individual Results

Open Flat A - 1st Kim Graves

Novice Flat A - 5th Catherine McDowell

Open Flat B - 1st Katie Hansen

Novice Flat B - 4th Tara Algeri

Open Fences A - 3rd Katie Hansen

Open Fences B - 2nd Kim Graves, 3rd Cat Stumberg

Walk, Trot, Canter A - 5th Brittany Powell

Novice Flat C - 6th Katie Mentzel

Intermediate Flat A - 3rd Sami Cram, 4th Keli Van Der Heuvel

Walk Trot A - 1st Shiloh Kozlowski

Intermediate Fences A - 2nd Kali Cram

Novice flat D - 4th Michelle Eld

Walk trot canter B - 1st Caitlin Karolak, 3rd Angie Cormack

Intermediate Fences B - 2nd Nikki Napoleone

Intermediate Flat B - 2nd Regina Barasch, 6th Kayla McBath

Novice Flat E – 2nd Park Hoey

Walk Trot Canter C - 1st Mia Dipillo, 3rd Hillary Todd

Novice Flat E - 1st Ali McGraw

Walk Trot B - 3rd Morgan Potts

Novice Fences A - 1st Ali McGraw

Walk Trot Canter D - 5th Paula Kramer

Novice Fences B - 1st Alexandra Fullerton

Walk Trot Canter E - 1st Cami Glaff

First IHSA Show for 2011 - 2012

The first IHSA show of the 2011-2012 academic year will be hosted by St. Andrews on Saturday. The show begins at 10:00 on Saturday morning with the finale class, The BOB Derby, at approximately 4:00. As one of the most competitive IHSA regions in the entire country, we have strong competition from many schools. The Knights have been working hard with afternoon and evening practices to prepare for this competition. Bob Cacchione, the President and founder of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association will be visiting with us from Friday through Sunday and will be at the show all day on Saturday. We are eager to start our competitive season which goes throughout the school year and culminates with the National Championship the first week of May, 2012. Teams competing Sat. Coastal Carolina, Duke, ECU, NCSU, Martin Community, UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC-Charlotte, UNC- Wilmington, & St. Andrews.

Go Knights!

The Coaches are Preparing!

The barn is a busy place lately. The coaches have been running team practices for the IHSA and IDA teams. Friday Coach Duda was running a 3 ring circus with 3 horses on lunge lines with riders practicing without reins and stirrups. The IHSA hunter seat team have their first show at SAPC next Saturday! There is a work night planned for the 21^st and schooling all day on the 22^nd. Coach Dwelle held dressage practice on Friday and Saturday for dressage team members. Riders practiced their tests and worked on improving their feel and connection with the horse in preparation for an IDA show next Sunday at North Carolina State. Coach Wennburg attended a Board meeting at Colorado State this week, but barn manager Rachel Buckler stepped into to help the western team as their first shows are October 1^st and 2^nd at SAPC.  Megan Ellis is preparing some of the riders in the Ride-Like-A-Knight Therapeutic Horsemanship program for the Equestrian Tournament at the NC Special Olympics Sept. 30^th – Oct. 2^nd . Barn Manager Kellie Garrabrant has been preparing Red Ted for his journey to the Special Olympics by having him live in the round pen with a two horse trailer. Red Ted has a history of being difficult to load, but now he willingly walks on the trailer by himself!

2011 - 2012 Team Rosters

IHSA HUNTER SEAT ROSTER 2011-2012

Tara Algieri

Regina Barasch

Vanessa Bradley

Lacy Burke

Tori Burkey

Chandalyn Chrzanowski

Chelsea Clasper

Dara Corbett

Angie Cormack

Kali Cram

Sami Cram

Jameson Crandall

Mia DiPillo

Madison Edwards

Michelle Eld

Alexandra Fullerton

Cami Glaff

Kim Graves

Julie Griffin

Sara Hackney

Katie Hansen

Hanna Hinsrichmeyer

Park Hoey

Caitlin Karolak

Shiloh Kozlowski

Paula Kramer

Sarah Lishen

Kayla McBath

Catherine McDowell

Alie McGraw

Katie Mentzel

Nikki Napoleone

Bridget Newman

Courtney Nix

KP Poole

Morgan Potts

Valerie Robey

Hannah Platt

Brittany Powell

Jackie Rigsbee

Abi Skillman

Cat Stumberg

Hillary Todd

Keli Van Den Heuvel

Sarah Williams

Miranda Wright

IDA Roster 2011 - 2012

Lindsey Agaliotis

Brianne Carter

Casey Curtis

Hannah Firth

Erin Hudson

Sarah Jones

Katelee Johnson

Katherine Kaltenbach

Jenna Marten

Lauren Parker

Masha Peckham

Claire Pollard

Olivia Taylor

Paige Tillison

Andrea Tito

Callian Trujillo

IHSA Western Team Roster 2011 - 2012

Kali Cram

Tyler Gritzuk

Michelle Hustad

Kelsey Jones

Shannon Leggett

Erica LeSeur

Dugan McDermott

Rachel McGarvey

Katie Mosca

Jake Nix

Amber Powell

Brittany Powell

Kimmy Simonsen

Logan Teeter

Andrea Valez

Keli Van Der Heuval

Madison Webb

Liana White

Shelley Whittemore

Megan White

Vicki Wiese

Miranda Wright

2011-2012 Show Team Members!

Nicole Napoleone

Chandalyn Chrazanowski

Bridget Newman

Lacy Burke

Dara Corbett

Michelle Eld

Keli Van Den Heuvel

Kali Cram

Sami Cram

Alexandra Fullerton

Regina Barasch

Julie Griffin

Katie Hansen

Allie McGraw

Kayla McBath

Abi Skillman

Kim Graves

Paula Kramer

Catherine McDowell

Team Tryouts This Weekend!

This weekend is team tryouts for freshmen and transfers. In previous years all students have been required to try out for teams the exception being riders that competed at intercollegiate nationals in the previous year. This year the intercollegiate coaches Duda, Dwelle and Wennburg decided that last year’s team members did not have to try out for the IHSA hunter seat and western and IDA teams. This puts pressure on new students to fill the available slots on these three teams.


Another change for this year that the coaches felt was important for making the intercollegiate teams more competitive is that students may only compete on one intercollegiate team. The coaches agreed that riders need to focus on the competitive discipline of their choice. Riders are encouraged to ride in other disciplines during their lessons to broaden their horsemanship skills but competitively the coaches expect a single minded focus.

Support for team mates, excellent horsemanship, and a true understanding of the requirements of a sport are key for competitive success. The coaches are looking for riders dedicated to their sport, that are thirsty for knowledge and are willing to study their chosen discipline as well as practice it.

Good luck to everyone trying out this weekend!

Happenings at the barn since school started.

Staff Changes
Kellie Garrabrant has been promoted to Barn Manager for the entire facility. Kellie’s office is now in the Boarder barn, but she will be supervising horse care on both sides of the property.

Rachel Buckler SAPC 2010 has joined us as assistant barn manager working at the lesson barn. Since graduation Rachel has worked in Wisconsin with SAPC Alum Alison Koenig and at a teaching barn in Maryland. Rachel’s responsibilities include supervising the work study program.

Liz Dulski SAPC 2011 joins the staff as Barn Fellow. Liz works with Rachel at the lesson barn and also covers the Boarder/TH barns on Kellie’s day off. Liz will also be responsible for the community lesson program.

New Trailer
Exciting news Peggy and Dale picked up our brand new trailer yesterday. It is made by Gore in Whiteville, NC, six horse slant load with dressing room and it still has that new trailer smell!

Using Technology in the Classroom

Summer is winding down and the new school year right around the corner! Yippee! We get to meet lots of new people, reconnect with those that have been gone for the summer and start educating both in and out of the classroom.


For this fall I am going to experiment with technology in some of my classes. The goal is to help students use the ever evolving read/write web to further their education. I remember the days of coding “by hand” in HTML and navigating complicated FTP programs to publish to the web. Oh how things have changed!

Stable Management class will be interacting through a closed facebook group. The History and Theory of Modern Riding class will be making web videos of important theoretical concepts and Basic Riding Instructor Lab will be sharing information in a Wiki (History and Theory might end up there also.) I have some other ideas I am playing with which need a little more thought before sharing!

This is a really exciting time to be involved in education with so many free or low cost resources available to educators and students. The resources are really limited to your imagination!

Equestrian Program is now Twittering!

The Equestrian Program is now on Twitter! Follow us @StAndrewsEq

Horses Looking for Forever Homes

We are looking for homes for some of our horses. Some are retired, others are still working but are ready for a less hectic schedule and some are just not a good fit for our program but could be very useful in another setting. We are very selective about where our horses go when they leave SAPC and carefully screen anyone that is interested in giving a horse a forever home. If you are interested in learning more please send details of the type of horse you are looking for and the level of care you can provide to Jackie at dwellejm@sapc.edu.

Follow this link to see a listing of the horses.  Horses Looking for Forever Homes

Sarah Marsh's Therapeutic Horsemanship Story

by Sarah Marsh

I was first introduced to Therapeutic Riding as a freshman at St. Andrews when Liz walked up and said “You need to volunteer with the Therapeutic Riding Program.”


“Okay…what’s that?” Prior to coming to St. Andrews I had never been exposed to the world of Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies, but I was quickly hooked. There is something that happens in a therapeutic riding lesson that is just magic. There is no other way to explain it.

I continued to volunteer in the therapeutic riding program throughout my time at St Andrews, graduated with a degree in business, and headed off into the working world. Five years later I was burned out. Though I had the opportunity to work for a couple great companies and learned a lot professionally during this time, I also learned about myself personally. We spend so much time and energy at our jobs that for me, a paycheck wasn’t enough. I needed to work somewhere that fed my soul, not just my bank account.

A wise friend who is a professor at the University of New Hampshire gave me the advice to figure out when I was happiest, and see how I could make that work. I realized that when I was happiest was when I was volunteering, specifically when I was volunteering with Therapeutic Riding Programs. So I began to pursue certification, and after that things began happening quickly.

Once I committed to making this change, I jumped in with both feet. Four months after enrolling in the certification class at UNH, I had passed my registered instructors exam. I sent out a resume on a whim, more to gauge what areas I needed to improve to be an attractive candidate to future employers than with any expectation that I would be hired. Two weeks later I accepted a job offer from Sagebrush Equine Training Center for the Handicapped in Hailey, ID. Two weeks after that I was driving across country to a job and a state I’d never seen. A week after that I was teaching full-time, 28 lessons a week! My head still spins thinking about that.

The next two years were some of the richest of my life. I worked as an instructor, the Volunteer Coordinator, and Assistant Program Director for Sagebrush. We operated four days a week and had about 130 riders per session. I learned so much being fully submersed in working full-time at a therapeutic riding program, but the most important lessons I learned were from my students.

I could share countless stories of perseverance, determination, and overcoming overwhelming odds to succeed. I was blessed to cross paths with some truly amazing people and for a few short years, I got to be a part of their stories. I learned to appreciate every moment, because you never know when your life can completely change in the blink of an eye. I learned that no matter what happens you can always find something to be grateful for, no matter how small. I had never experienced anything so humbling in my life.

I was eager to give back to these participants for all that they had taught me, and how better to do so than by becoming the best instructor I could be. I began preparing for Advanced Certification. I sought out any educational experience I could to learn more about the disabilities I most commonly encountered, about general teaching and learning principles, and anything I felt would enrich the services I was able to provide to my students. But something was still missing.

In the summer of 2010, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Marty Clements, a PT who was preparing to get certified in hippotherapy. She was assisting in a lesson with an adult rider with Multiple Sclerosis I had been working with for two years. It was one of those lessons that while it was enjoyable and while we were achieving measurable goals and objectives, it still left me feeling like I wasn’t doing enough, like I was letting her down because I couldn’t do more. The first time I worked with Marty it clicked – this was what was missing! Though she had not been utilizing horses in a therapy setting for very long, Marty was able to draw upon her knowledge and experiences to quickly evaluate where some of the participants main challenges lay and come up with exercises incorporating the horse and horse’s movements to help her address some of these areas. This was what I needed to give back more, to give back better than I was. I realized with a better understanding of the human body, how it ideally works, and how to address issues that may arise when it’s not functioning in the ideal state, I could help not only physically involved riders, but also have better tools to assist able-bodied riders as well.

So here I am a year later. I have left behind a job, riders, and a place I loved to keep pursuing this dream of doing more, of giving back better. I have moved to Bozeman, MT in preparation to get my doctorate in Physical Therapy. I am a volunteer instructor at Eagle Mount here in Bozeman and have been accepted at Montana State in the pre-physical therapy program so I can complete the needed pre-requisites. My goal is to be accepted into the Physical Therapy program at the University of Montana for the fall of 2014. It will not be a short road or an easy one. I am working two jobs to save to go back to school for an education I hope to have completed six years from now. Had you asked me three years ago before I started this journey if this is where I would be, I would have laughed. But I it’s not about me. I am doing this for the Anns, the Lilis, the Zacs, the Reannas, and all those I haven’t met yet. I am doing this because I have a responsibility and a need to give back to those who have taught me so much, those who have made my life better.

It always amazes me to look back and see where this journey started. I had the opportunity recently to experience that journey come full circle when I traveled to High Hopes in Connecticut for Advanced Instructor Certification. It was very special to me to get to see Liz again now that she is the Program Director at High Hopes. She started it all ten years ago by recruiting me to volunteer in the program at St. Andrews. Adding to the uniqueness of that moment was the fact that one of my evaluators was Lorrie Renker, the founder of the Therapeutic Horsemanship program at St Andrews. So in a long and round-about way, I owe this all to the Equine Program at St Andrews. You never know where donating an hour a week will lead…

Equine Business Internships

Laurinburg, N.C. – The Equine Business Management program at St. Andrews offers students hands-on experiences in both the equestrian and business aspects.


The ideal scenario of hands-on training was obtained this past spring when six Equine Business Majors tackled seven local internships.

Amber Powell, Erica Hill and Karen Gruninger did equine specific internships off campus in three diverse areas of the industry.

"I got to do a little bit of everything and they were very good about getting me involved,” said Powell of her internship with Gene Parker Farms, LLC, a breeding and showing facility in Orrum. “The value of this internship was that getting up at 5 a.m. is exhausting and it is a long day with hard work but the experience was priceless."

Powell felt so prepared by the experience that she has no doubt that she could move to another facility and step in.

"I learned how to do each of the processes and I feel like I could go to any breeding farm and step in right away,” she said. “This is how a business should be run. I also learned how crucial it is to get prepared and try to stay a step ahead. I would love to find a job somewhere like that."

Hill had a similarly successful at The T3 Ranch in Laurinburg.

"It was a great environment for me,” Hill said. “I thrived in the family atmosphere. It allowed for the refining of my skills and to refocus my steps for progression. It was not what I expected, and I had to do a 180 on my thinking.

“The learning here at St. Andrews forced me to partner with the horse and I took that to this internship,” she added. “I got the ranch on the track of education that moved them from a raw material location to a show level facility."

Gruninger worked with Carolina Horse Park in Raeford as well as doing an internship with the St. Andrews Equestrian Center as well.

"On schooling days at the Carolina Horse Park, I was in charge of theses events and collected paperwork and money, raised jumps in the ring and designing courses for some of the show,” Gruninger said. “I helped with the Southern Pines Horse Trials I and II. The first was for 300 local riders and the second is the first stop for the pro-rider tour with Olympic riders.”

Gruninger was able to network with those Olympic riders and others knowledgeable of the ins and outs of equestrian events.

"I did the administrative work that I hadn't ever experienced before,” she said. “I realized the value of teamwork. It was different knowing that no matter what, if something needed to get done, whether it was your normal skill set or not, we had to get it done. Organizing events I realized how important it was to do things but you hold on until the end. There is only so much you can do once the day arrives."

This helped Gruninger in her work with the St. Andrews Equestrian ANRC program.

“It included event entry, cleaning out the trailer, packing, and going down early for the ANRC to set up the barn so the horses could come straight off the trailer and go into the barn,” Gruninger said. "I learned the importance of effective communication before, during and after the events. I also learned about event entries. I have done my own entries before, but getting an entire barn together was definitely a learning experience."

Equestrian Program Director Peggy McElveen was highly impressed with Gruninger’s work.

“She has worked 12 – 14 hour days and done a fantastic job,” McElveen said. “She was the backbone of the team, planning horse feedings around competitive ride times, getting all the barn management done on time and knowing the rules of the competition to make sure everyone was in compliance. She was fabulous.”

Despite the success, Gruninger already knew that it is not the full-time direction for her future.

"I enjoy going to shows but it is not a full-time career choice for me,” she said. “I always knew what I wanted to do but one of the things I like about this program is getting to see all the facets of barn management."

Jenn Callahan also spent the semester working with the St. Andrews Equestrian Center events coordination, with hers specifically focusing on hunter seat clinics.

“I worked with the Scot Evans clinic with the ANRC team and the Sarah Good clinic helped prepare for the IHSA Zones," Callahan said. "I learned about the importance of organizing, scheduling, researching and promotion."

Through working with the other students and the staff with the events, Callahan saw an added value of the experience.

"I realized that you are never done learning,” she said. “A clinician can change one thing and the light bulb goes off."

Allison Brewer and Marissa Romaniello had parallel internships focused on publicizing the St. Andrews Equestrian Program to the world through web and social media outlets.

"My internship was to work around the equestrian website in the St. Andrews Communications Office,” said Brewer. "I learned the importance of strong communication, especially when you are working with someone. I did a lot of research and had to determine the most reliable sources because there are so many ideas out there. Time management was another key lesson and I realized this is something I need to improve on."

While Brewer was focused specifically on the website and video, Romaniello worked on the social media promotions more directly attached to the Equestrian center.

"I worked in marketing with a specific focus on social media,” Romaniello said. “We had a blank slate as this position was created for me. We started with a survey to determine where we should focus. "We created a schedule to provide our fans to get a taste of what we do here and we hope to get more participation in the future,” she continued.

Reposted from http://www.sapc.edu/PDF/2011/062011tebusinesinterns.php