William Woods equestrian program wins big

A number of William Woods University equestrian program participants competed in the United Professional Horseman's American Royal National Championship last week. Saddle-seat riders included, back from left, Emily Rhodes, Grace McFarland, Hayden Nielsen and Kasey Nolan and, front from left, Victoria Papai, Shenia Beyer, Maddie Van Guilder and Sarah Track.
A number of William Woods University equestrian program participants competed in the United Professional Horseman's American Royal National Championship last week. Saddle-seat riders included, back from left, Emily Rhodes, Grace McFarland, Hayden Nielsen and Kasey Nolan and, front from left, Victoria Papai, Shenia Beyer, Maddie Van Guilder and Sarah Track.

William Woods University equestrian students celebrated big wins at two recent competitions.

Students attended the United Professional Horseman's American Royal National Championship from Nov. 11-16 in Kansas City and the 2019 Color Breed Congress from Nov. 1-9 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

At the UPHA American Royal National Championship, students brought home three grand championships and one reserve grand championship in the Missouri/Kansas Division. The horses and riders were joined by six others from WWU competing at the famed competition.

"The American Royal is considered the biggest horse show that the WWU Saddle Seat students participate in," said Sarah Track, associate professor and saddle seat instructor director at William Woods. "It showcases each student's ability to work with a horse over the course of the semester and then show the fruits of their work at a major horse show. We're gratified by the stellar showing of our students at this year's American Royal."

Alix Polydoros, a graduate assistant from Scottsdale, Arizona, took first in the qualifying class and grand championship of the American Saddlebred Three Gaited Open MO/KS classes, while riding Sir Mambo. Kaycee Reiner, a senior from Escondido, California, took first in the qualifying class and grand championship of the ASB 3-Gaited Show Pleasure MO/KS classes while riding Harlem's Flower Girl. And Hayden Neilsen, a senior from Olathe, Kansas, took first in the qualifying class and grand championship of the ASB Five Gaited MO/KS Amateur/Jr. Exhibitor classes while riding A Sharp Temper. These horse and rider combinations were part of a team of nine WWU Saddle Seat students showing generously donated horses at the Royal.

For more than a quarter century, students and faculty from William Woods have competed at the American Royal, the prestigious horse and livestock show, rodeo and barbecue competition held for more than 100 years in Kansas City.

Other prominent finishes for WWU students included a second-place finish by senior Madeline Van Guilder, of Kenyon, Minnesota, in the ASB 5-Gaited Show Pleasure MO/KS Amateur Championship, and a third-place finish by senior Kasey Nolan, of Louisville, Kentucky, in the ASB 5-Gaited Open MO/KS Championship. Also competing for William Woods at the Royal were junior Grace McFarland, of Palos Park, Illinois; sophomore Shenia Beyer, of Wheat Ridge, Colorado; junior Emily Rhodes, of Olathe, Kansas; and sophomore Victoria Papai, of New Orleans, Louisiana.

Color Breed Congress

During nine days (Nov. 1-9) of competition at a show that draws competitors from across the U.S. and Canada, participating students and faculty earned 16 Color Breed Congress championships. The Color Breed Congress encompasses four separate breed shows into one, with participating breeds including the Pinto Horse Association of America, Palomino Horse Breeders of America, American Miniature Horse Registry and Appaloosa Horse Club.

"The Color Breed Congress always provides tremendous opportunities for our students to compete against some of the top competitors and horses in the nation," said Liz Haben, assistant professor of western equestrian studies.

WWU students excelling at the competition included sophomore Anthony Vittone, who won a number of Congress Championships in the Open Saddle Pleasure Type division including being named Grand Champion Halter horse in the Pleasure Saddle Type division with WV Kyss of Fame. That championship, along with winning the western ideal pleasure and saddle type, led Vittone and WV Kyss of Fame to earn the Reserve Champion High Point for the Pleasure and Saddle Type Division. WV Kyss of Fame also went on to win the High Point Champion in the Amateur Pleasure and Saddle Type Division with WWU senior Viktoria Moore.

Senior Chrissy Vinton, showing a newly donated horse to the WWU Equestrian program, Iotta Be Exquisite, earned a first place finish in the amateur w/t showmanship division, in addition to several top five and top 10 placings.

Freshman Sydney Munson, showing The Law Giver and Justa Blueprint, earned a first in a competitive novice youth equitation class with The Law Giver while also earning several top five titles with Justa Blueprint. Juniors Sarah Eliason, showing Naturally Fancy, and Gillian Henson, showing All That's Real, also brought home to WWU top five titles in the extremely competitive amateur junior division. Seniors Natalie Ciciva and Megan VanHarn, who trained and prepared another newly donated horse to the program, Fancy Time Prelude, rode the new horse to a fifth in bareback equitation class (VanHarn) and several individual judges placings within large classes (Ciciva).

Within the ranch horse division, junior Grace Schierling, showing Jazzy San Pep, put in a solid go for their ranch pleasure class and ranch riding, earning a third in both classes within this very competitive and large division. They also went on to earn several other top five titles and a top 10 title in ranch conformation, horsemanship and western discipline rail.

Jennie Petterson, director of the School of Equestrian Studies, also showing Jazzy San Pep, won the solid western discipline rail, defending her champion title from this past summer at the 2019 Pinto World Championship Show. Haben competed against Petterson in the solid western discipline rail, riding Heza Hershey Bar, with a competitive go earning a top five title. Junior Haleigh Hartwig, also showing Heza Hershey Bar, riding at her first Color Congress show, earned a third in her amateur western discipline rail, in addition to several other top ten titles.

"We have had tremendous success at this show in the past and this year was no different," Haben said. "Our team of horses and students was comprised of a handful of veterans who had competed at this show successfully in the past, as well as newcomers, both student and equine."