WT Equestrian Riders Advance to Nationals

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, [email protected]

CANYON, Texas - West Texas A&M University equestrian team members are riding to nationals this week.

WT's Western Seat and Hunt Seat teams will compete May 1 to 3 at the Tryon International equestrian center in Mill Spring, North Carolina.

The Western Seat team advanced after taking home a championship on the semifinal level.

Also in Western Seat, Helene Keiser, a senior animal science major from Gothenburg, Nebraska, was named the team reining and open horsemanship champion. She'll compete in nationals in those events and in individual reining.

Peyton Podmolik, a junior animal science major from Pella, Iowa, was named reining and horsemanship champion and also will compete in nationals after qualifying through the "Back on Track Rider" post-season contest.

In Hunt Seat, Hannah Minton, a junior animal science major from Lynnville, Indiana, will compete in nationals in intermediate fences. She also was reserve champion in team open flat and fifth overall in team open fences.

Lexi Woestman, a junior marketing major from Fort Worth, was team intermediate flat reserve champion. She will compete in nationals in limited flat.

In other Western Seat results, Marina Carroll, a junior nursing major from Grand Junction, Colorado, was named the team ranch riding champion. Kaitlyn Evans, a senior mechanical engineering major from Valley View, was the individual open horsemanship champion. Caoimhe Benn-Rothstein, a senior animal science major from Peyton, Colorado, was the individual reserve champion in level 2 horsemanship.

Charli Wells, a sophomore animal science / pre-vet major from Holdredge, Nebraska, as the level 1 horsemanship champion and fifth in level 2 team horsemanship. Ashlyn Albaugh, a junior equine industry and business major from Odessa, was the rookie horsemanship champion and fifth in level 1 team horsemanship.

Also ranking were Violet Hodgson, a junior agricultural media and communication major from Geneseo, Illinois, sixth in team rookie horsemanship; and Kaylen Langhofer, a junior animal science major from Plains, Kansas, first in team beginner horsemanship.

The Western Seat team competed March 20 to 22 in semifinals competition at New Mexico State University.

The Hunt Seat team placed third overall in its zone competition.

Catherine Borchardt, a sophomore equine industry and business major from The Woodlands, was team intermediate fences champion. Benn-Rothstein also was named team novice flat reserve champion.

Also ranking were Leah Tate, a senior agribusiness and economics major from Wimberley, fifth in team limited flat; Sabrina Welch, a freshman equine industry and business major from The Colony, third in team limited fences; Langhofer, fourth in team introductory flat; Ashley Vaught, a freshman equine industry and business major from Zionsville, Indiana, fourth in individual open fences; Hodgson, ninth in individual open flat; Borchardt, sixth in individual limited fences and fifth in limited flat; Jenna Arens, a sophomore accounting major from Shawano, Wisconsin, sixth in individual novice flat; and Jayden Stater, a sophomore animal science / pre-vet major from Bushland, seventh in introductory flat.

The zone competition was held March 28 and 29 at Texas Tech University.

Such competition is one way in which WT creates in its students a commitment to being self-reliant, courageous, resourceful and part of something larger than one's self, as laid out in the University's long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World .

That plan is fueled by the One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which raised more than $200 million dollars, the largest such campaign in Texas Panhandle history.

About West Texas A&M University

West Texas A&M University is a Regional Research University in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers multiple options for students to graduate and succeed: 66 undergraduate degree programs, including eight associate degrees; and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor's and master's degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. WT recently earned a Carnegie Foundation classification as a Research College and University. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 16 men's and women's athletics programs.

Photo: West Texas A&M University's Western Seat equestrian team advanced to nationals following a recent semifinals competition. Members are, from left, Thea Whitmore, Caoimhe Ben-Rothstein, Kaylen Langhofer, Violet Hodgson, Kaitlyn Evan's, Ashlynn Albaugh, Charli Wells, Helene Keiser, Marina Carroll, Peyton Podmolik and Coach Lori Jaixen.

-WT-