Photo – Gabi Siefkes
FARGO, N.D. – The University of Minnesota Crookston equestrian team opened the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Season Saturday, October 8 and Sunday, October 9 in Fargo, N.D., in a jumping seat show. The Golden Eagles earned High Point Team honors the first day, with Gabriella Siefkes (So., Aberdeen, S.D.) capturing High Point Rider honors. The Golden Eagles had six class winners on day one. Day two, UMN Crookston had five class winners.
Siefkes guided Minnesota Crookston winning her Intermediate Fences class, and her Intermediate Flat class in order to earn High Point Rider accolades.
In Open Fences, Josie Mills (So., Brandon, S.D.) finished second, while Julianna Gullo (Fr., Itasca, Ill.) took fourth, and Keira Boedigheimer (So., Colorado Springs, Colo.) fifth.
In Limit Fences, Jessica Vinger (So., Dodgeville, Wis.) placed third, while Alexandra Wentland (So., Colorado Springs, Colo.) took fifth. In Open Flat, Boedigheimer led the Golden Eagles by capturing first, Gullo placed fourth, while Mills took sixth. In Limit Flat, Wentland paced Minnesota Crookston with a first-place finish, while Vinger finished fifth. In Novice Flat, Isabella Abbas placed sixth.
In Pre-Novice Flat, Kayle Hines (Fr., Oconto Falls, Wis.) finished first in her section, while Jada Schimke (Fr., Maple Grove, Minn.) took first in her section. Ashleigh Lueder (Jr., Rochester, Minn.) finished fifth in her section. In Introductory Flat, Delainey Lancaster (Jr., Watertown, S.D.) placed third.
On the second day, the Golden Eagles finished fourth. Alex Pfaffenbach (Sr., Appleton, Wis.) placed first in Open Fences, followed by Gullo in fifth, and Boedigheimer in sixth.
In Intermediate Fences, Siefkes took fifth. In Limit Fences, Wentland had a great ride to take first, while Vinger took fifth.
In Open Flat, Boedigheimer had a great showing to take first, while Gullo placed sixth. In Intermediate Flat, Wentland placed third for the Golden Eagles. In Novice Flat, Abbas took sixth. In Pre-Novice Flat, Schimke and Hines again won their sections. Lueder took second in section, while Lancaster finished third in her section.
Minnesota Crookston competes in an NCEA meet at South Dakota Dakota State University Saturday, October 15 in Brookings, S.D., before returning to IHSA competition Saturday, October 29 at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.