By Andrea Rego
On April 17, 2022 the Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) Stock Horse Team traveled to Amarillo, Texas for the Hughes Ranch Trailers National Intercollegiate Ranch and Stock Horse Association National Championship, for the first of two national championship shows for the week. The competition featured 115 riders from 14 colleges and universities from seven states. This is the second year for the championship event in Amarillo. Six team members represented MTSU in the division 2 category under the guidance of coach and MTSU Horse Science Faculty, Andrea Rego.
This collegiate ranch and stock horse competition featured students who compete in four separate events: cow work, reining, ranch riding, and ranch trail. The students rode in two go-rounds to earn points for their schools toward team titles, while also competing for individual championships.
MTSU took home the Reserve Champion team title in the Division 2 category, winning a $1,000 marketing package as a prize. Notable individual all-around awards included Taylor Meek winning 8th Overall in the Limited Non-Pro All-Around Division. JoBeth Scarlett was 9th Overall in the Limited Non-Pro All-Around Division. “This trip was nothing short of amazing for me,” said graduating senior, Taylor Meek. “It was great to see how much each rider and horse had improved together, and also the sportsmanship and support within our team and with other teams. The competition was fierce, but MTSU was well-represented on a national level.”
On April 21, 2022 the students packed up from Amarillo and headed to Sweetwater, Texas to compete at the American Stock Horse Association National Collegiate Championships. “It was hard traveling from one national show to the next, but it felt like the hardest part was already over after Amarillo,” said Jordan Dillenbeck, Senior Horse Science Major and team president. “I made sure to take extra care of my horse and make sure she was prepared for another round of competition.”
Two more students hauled to Sweetwater and represented a total of eight MTSU students and horses. Students competed in cow horse, pleasure, reining, and trail events. The Raiders earned eight individual national and reserve national champion titles. Freshman Horse Science Major Jordan Martin won the Don Henneke Trainer’s award for her accomplishments aboard her personally trained mare, Miss Catnic. The team won the Division 1 category, beating out stiff competition fromTexas Tech.
“This championship means a lot. It was our first time attempting the Division 1 category, which meant we had six team riders instead of four, and we had to step up our game in the non-pro division. It was a ‘spur’ of the moment decision to try for Division 1 and I’m so grateful to have had a team that happily jumped on board. Their determination definitely paid off and becoming Division 1 Champions was a bucket list item fulfilled for me,” said Coach Andrea Rego.
MTSU Team Members:
· Taylor Meek, Senior, from Murfreesboro, TN (Horse Science Major)
· JoBeth Scarlett, Junior, from New Market, TN (Animal Science Major)
· Jordan Dillenbeck, Senior, from Murfreesboro, TN (Horse Science Major)
· Rachel Petree, Senior, from Maynardville, TN (Horse Science Major)
· Louann Braunwalder, Sophomore, from Lascassas, TN (Fermentation Science Major)
· Kara Brown, Junior, from Murfreesboro, TN (Horse Science Major)
· Jordan Martin, Freshman, from Murfreesboro, TN (Horse Science Major)
· Savannah Glinstra, Senior, from Columbia, TN (Horse Science Major)
Additionally, Vaughn Coblentz and Cory Elks traveled to help work the ASHA national show. “It was a great experience working the show and seeing what the judges were looking for in riders and horses. I also made invaluable connections and will be working two world shows this summer because of those connections,” said Elks, a Junior Horse Science Major.
The team would like to thank all of their supporters. “We couldn’t have done this without the many clinicians, working cattle, and Neal Agee, and the experiences gained at the Tennessee Stock Horse Association shows. We are so thankful for all of them,” said Rego.
Find more information about the NRSHA National Collegiate Show at: https://ranchhorse.net/National_Collegiate_Show.asp
Find more information about the ASHA National Collegiate Championships at: https://www.americanstockhorse.org/resources/national-show_futurity/
All photo credits: High Cotton Promotions
On April 17, 2022 the Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) Stock Horse Team traveled to Amarillo, Texas for the Hughes Ranch Trailers National Intercollegiate Ranch and Stock Horse Association National Championship, for the first of two national championship shows for the week. The competition featured 115 riders from 14 colleges and universities from seven states. This is the second year for the championship event in Amarillo. Six team members represented MTSU in the division 2 category under the guidance of coach and MTSU Horse Science Faculty, Andrea Rego.
This collegiate ranch and stock horse competition featured students who compete in four separate events: cow work, reining, ranch riding, and ranch trail. The students rode in two go-rounds to earn points for their schools toward team titles, while also competing for individual championships.
MTSU took home the Reserve Champion team title in the Division 2 category, winning a $1,000 marketing package as a prize. Notable individual all-around awards included Taylor Meek winning 8th Overall in the Limited Non-Pro All-Around Division. JoBeth Scarlett was 9th Overall in the Limited Non-Pro All-Around Division. “This trip was nothing short of amazing for me,” said graduating senior, Taylor Meek. “It was great to see how much each rider and horse had improved together, and also the sportsmanship and support within our team and with other teams. The competition was fierce, but MTSU was well-represented on a national level.”
On April 21, 2022 the students packed up from Amarillo and headed to Sweetwater, Texas to compete at the American Stock Horse Association National Collegiate Championships. “It was hard traveling from one national show to the next, but it felt like the hardest part was already over after Amarillo,” said Jordan Dillenbeck, Senior Horse Science Major and team president. “I made sure to take extra care of my horse and make sure she was prepared for another round of competition.”
Two more students hauled to Sweetwater and represented a total of eight MTSU students and horses. Students competed in cow horse, pleasure, reining, and trail events. The Raiders earned eight individual national and reserve national champion titles. Freshman Horse Science Major Jordan Martin won the Don Henneke Trainer’s award for her accomplishments aboard her personally trained mare, Miss Catnic. The team won the Division 1 category, beating out stiff competition fromTexas Tech.
“This championship means a lot. It was our first time attempting the Division 1 category, which meant we had six team riders instead of four, and we had to step up our game in the non-pro division. It was a ‘spur’ of the moment decision to try for Division 1 and I’m so grateful to have had a team that happily jumped on board. Their determination definitely paid off and becoming Division 1 Champions was a bucket list item fulfilled for me,” said Coach Andrea Rego.
MTSU Team Members:
· Taylor Meek, Senior, from Murfreesboro, TN (Horse Science Major)
· JoBeth Scarlett, Junior, from New Market, TN (Animal Science Major)
· Jordan Dillenbeck, Senior, from Murfreesboro, TN (Horse Science Major)
· Rachel Petree, Senior, from Maynardville, TN (Horse Science Major)
· Louann Braunwalder, Sophomore, from Lascassas, TN (Fermentation Science Major)
· Kara Brown, Junior, from Murfreesboro, TN (Horse Science Major)
· Jordan Martin, Freshman, from Murfreesboro, TN (Horse Science Major)
· Savannah Glinstra, Senior, from Columbia, TN (Horse Science Major)
Additionally, Vaughn Coblentz and Cory Elks traveled to help work the ASHA national show. “It was a great experience working the show and seeing what the judges were looking for in riders and horses. I also made invaluable connections and will be working two world shows this summer because of those connections,” said Elks, a Junior Horse Science Major.
The team would like to thank all of their supporters. “We couldn’t have done this without the many clinicians, working cattle, and Neal Agee, and the experiences gained at the Tennessee Stock Horse Association shows. We are so thankful for all of them,” said Rego.
Find more information about the NRSHA National Collegiate Show at: https://ranchhorse.net/National_Collegiate_Show.asp
Find more information about the ASHA National Collegiate Championships at: https://www.americanstockhorse.org/resources/national-show_futurity/
All photo credits: High Cotton Promotions
