Having clinched the Regional Championship in March, St. Andrews moved forward in post-season competition to the IHSA Zone Finals which were hosted today at the SAU Equestrian Center. The top riders from Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina as well as the Regional Champion Teams from each of the four regions in Zone 4 competed today for the right to move forward to the National Championship in May.
The St. Andrews team competed against Goucher College from Region 1, the University of Virginia from Region 2, and Drexel University from Region 4 (St. Andrews was the representative of the Region 3 conference). These four teams were the teams that won each of their Regional Championships. Our team riders - Katie Hansen, Sami Cram, Kali Cram, Cami Glaff, Madison Edwards, and Jake Hobson won a total of 46 points to best second place Goucher College (42 points); third place University of Virginia (40 points) and fourth place Drexel University (21 points). The top three teams battled throughout the day with the lead changing several times. It all came down to the final class of the day which had veteran team rider Kali Cram representing St. Andrews. When Kali was announced as the winner, the rafters of the arena shook with the excitement. St. Andrews had won their first Zone Championship!
Senior Kim Graves who already had secured her place at IHSA Nationals by winning the Regional Cacchione Cup punched her ticket today for two more classes. Kim will be competing in Open Flat and Open Fences as well as in the multi-phase Cacchione Cup.
Junior Shiloh Kozlowski and Senior Sami Cram will be repeat competitors at Nationals for the third year in a row. Shiloh qualified in the Walk, Trot class and Sami in Novice Fences.
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