Oilers Win Another
On Sunday, January 29, the University of Findlay English IHSA Hunt Seat team hosted their final regular season show of the 2017 spring season. The Oilers started their day with their sights set on increasing their overall lead in the Zone 6 Region 1 competition.
The day started with strong rides in the Open Equitation Over Fences division, with three Oiler riders taking home top six placings. Senior Elle Brady took home the blue ribbon and first place honors. Junior, Marco Polo Uchoa was 3rd, and junior Melanie McCaffrey was 5th.
In the Intermediate Equitation Over Fences division, Oiler riders took not one, but two first place finishes, with both senior Alexa Murray riding home in first place, as well as junior Katie Holt. Both top finishers were followed shortly behind by their fellow Oilers, Chloe Johnson in 2nd, and JoHanna Proefrock in 5th.
An always competitive Novice Equitation Over Fences division was no problem for Oiler riders. Senior Emma Wood and freshmen Breanna Hertz both took home top prize, and freshmen Mackenzie Barnes also finished in 4th.
After a morning of tough fences competition, the Oilers had a perfect team score of 21, heading into the flat.
Seniors Emma Wood and JoHanna Proefrock started off the afternoon with two wins in the Open Equitation on the Flat division. ˇThis was Woods second win of the day. Other notable Open Equitation placings included a 4th place finish for freshmen Emma Price, and a 6th place finish for seniors Courtney O'Connor and Elle Brady.
Juniors Chloe Johnson and Katie Holt did a swap from their over fences results, Johnson took home top honors and Holt finished second. Senior Alexa Murray also walked away with her second blue ribbon of the day, with a win in her Intermediate Equitation the Flat division. Other top six placings in the division included junior Melanie McCaffrey in 3rd, and senior, Theresa Shattan in 6th.
The Novice Equitation on the Flat saw all three Oiler riders finish in the top six. Sophomore Elizabeth Lengling took home 3rd in her second Novice appearance ever, and both freshmen Breanna Hertz and sophomore Coleton Cook finished 5th.
The Walk/Trot/Canter Equitation on the Flat division had Top 6 placings again by all three Oiler riders. Sophomore Brianna Hallman walked away in the top spot with a blue ribbon. Well fellow sophomore Hannah Tiso came just behind in 3rd, and Parker Nash followed in 6th. Lastly, the Walk/Trot division saw Oiler freshmen Madison Schloemer ride her way to a red ribbon, and second place in a very competitive class.
When all was said and done the scoreboard for the Oilers read 42, 14 points higher than the next closest team, Lake Erie College and good for another Highpoint Team Honor on the weekend. Also, special congratulations go to Oiler seniors Emma Wood and Alexa Murray. These two riders, who both finished with first place finishes in both their over fences and on the flat classes, tied for Highpoint Rider of the day, only to be broken by a question off by the judge, Mr. Scott Alder. Ultimately, Wood walked away with the Highpoint Rider award, and Murray with Reserve Highpoint Rider honors.
The Oilers would also like to congratulate junior, Marco Polo Uchoa who now has 30 points in the Open Equitation on the Flat for the season, and therefore has earned himself a spot at Regionals in March.
The Oilers will be back in action on February 11-12 when they travel to Lake Erie College for their last two regular season competitions of the spring season.