CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston hunt seat equestrian team concluded the 2021 season at the Collegiate Equitation Celebration Sunday, May 9 at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College in St. Mary’s, Ind. The Golden Eagles finished third overall in a strong field.
Rachel Johnson (Sr., Stillwater, Minn.) opened up the day by taking first in Open Over Fences in the team portion of the competition. In Intermediate Over Fences, Katie Buttolph (Jr., Yankton, S.D.) took third for the Golden Eagles. In Limit Over Fences, Kendra Putzke (Fr., Esko, Minn.) placed third for the Golden Eagles. In Open Flat, Johnson took second, while Buttolph placed fourth in Intermediate Flat. In Limit Flat, Katie Orth (Jr., Randall, Minn.) led UMN Crookston by taking third. In Novice Flat, Kaitlyn Fedewa (Fr., Cambridge, Minn.) took fifth, while Ashleigh Lueder (Fr., Rochester, Minn.) wrapped up the team portion with a strong ride to take second in Introductory Flat.
In the individual portion of the fences competition, Johnson placed second in Open Fences for the Golden Eagles, while Morgan Schelske (Jr., Zimmerman, Minn.) and Taylor Barlage (Sr., New Prague, Minn.) earned honorable mention. In Limit Over Fences, Putzke took fourth, while Orth and Buttolph were honorable mentions.
In the individual portion of the flat competition, Schelske took second, Barlage fourth, and Johnson fifth in Open Flat. In Limit Flat, Putzke placed sixth, while Buttolph and Orth earned honorable mention. In Novice Flat, Fedewa placed fourth, while Anna Woidyla (Sr., Swanville, Minn.) was an honorable mention. Lueder rounded things out by placing second in Introductory Flat.
The Golden Eagles will look to build on a strong conclusion to the season moving into the 2021-22 show season.
