Golden Eagles Earn Reserve High Point Team Honors Saturday and Sunday at Pair of Home Shows
CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston hunt seat equestrian team had a strong showing at their home shows at University Teaching and Outreach Center Sat., Feb. 4 and Sun., Feb. 5. The Golden Eagles claimed Reserve High Point Team honors Saturday and Sunday.
“Even though we did not bring home team High Point titles in our home arena, I am pleased with the individual advances many of our riders made this weekend,” said Head Coach Kayla Krueger. “We learn from our mistakes, re-evaluate, practice hard, and bring our A-game to future competitions. It is a rebuilding year for the UMC Equestrian Team and I am excited to see how this young team continues to evolve.”
UMC got individual wins from Megan Motter in Novice Equitation over Fences and Mazie Pini in Open Equitation over Fences Saturday. Kristina Schroeder won her section of Beginner Walk Trot Canter. On Sunday, Rhiannon Nicoll won her class of Intermediate Fences. Nicoll would continue a big day by winning her Intermediate Flat division as she would capture the Reserve High Point Rider honors for the day. Emma Howey would win Beginner Walk Trot Canter on Sunday.
Saturday’s show started with Pini and Monika Frame putting up strong rides in Open Equitation over Fences. Pini would win the class, while Frame came in second. Nicoll would place fourth in Intermediate Equitation over Fences. Katie Perivolotis would make her debut in Novice Fences with a fourth-place finish. Motter would round out the Fences portion of the competition with a flawless go in her Novice class as she picked up a win for Minnesota Crookston.
In the Flat portion of the competition, the Golden Eagles had their ups and downs. The upper level riders were faced with some tough draws, as well as challenging competition. Pini finished sixth in Open Equitation on the Flat, while Frame was just shy of placing. Selena Young rode to a solid third-place finish in Intermediate Flat. Perivolotis and Motter both finished third in their sections of Novice Flat. Lauren Green would take fourth in her Advanced Walk Trot Canter class.
Schroeder had one of the best rides of her career thus far to win her section of Beginner Walk Trot Canter. Both Melissa Eastman and Howey made solid improvements with Eastman finishing fifth and Howey fourth in their class of Beginner Walk Trot Canter. Doughty rounded out the day with a well-earned third-place finish in a deep class of Walk Trot.
On Sunday, UMC had some bumps. Pini and Frame both had solid rides in Open Fences with Frame finishing second and Pini taking fifth. Nicoll had one of her best rides over fences as she would win her class of Intermediate Fences.
Perivolotis would place fourth in her section of Novice Equitation over Fences, while Motter followed with a third-place finish in her section of Novice Fences.
The Golden Eagles were able to show solid improvements from Saturday’s show as they entered the show pen on Sunday. Frame placed third in Open Flat, while Pini would finish sixth. Nicoll and Young dominated the Intermediate Flat division with Nicoll winning the class and Young following right behind in second.
Perivolotis finished fifth in her section of Novice Flat. Green maintained her fourth-place streak once again in her section of Advanced Walk Trot Canter. Eastman and Howey also represented Minnesota Crookston strongly in their section of Beginner Walk Trot Canter with Howey winning the class and Eastman coming in second. Doughty rounded out the day with fourth-place finish in Walk Trot.
The Golden Eagles return to competition Feb. 10-11 at South Dakota State University.
