Stock Seat Season Wraps Up at Semi-Finals (March 23-24, 2013)
Four Briton riders made it all the way to the IHSA Semi-Finals that were hosted by Oswego State University in Syracuse, New York, on March 23-24, 2013. These riders had qualified for the Regional Championships, and then came away as either Region Champion or Reserve Region Champion in their respective divisions to qualify to compete at the Semi-Finals in New York.
Katie Petchell (Pinckney/Pinckney Community), Morgan Carey (Hemlock/Saint Charles Community), Hannah Pankratz (Bad Axe/Bad Axe), and Chelsea Weiss (Manchester/Chelsea) competed as individuals amongst some stiff competition. In the end, Petchell came away with a fifth place in Open Reining, and Weiss was awarded fifth place in Intermediate after making call-backs.
“It was a great year,” says team captain Pankratz, “and everybody rode the best they could with the draw they were given.”
Stock Seat Riders 'Rein' at Regionals (February 10, 2013)
The Albion College stock seat team has much to be proud of after their regional championship show held on February 10 at the Michigan State University Pavilion. After battling it out with the other qualified riders of Zone 6 Region 4, in the end four Britons emerged as either regional champion or reserve champion which will send them through to the IHSA Semi-Finals.
Senior Katie Petchell (Pinckney/Pinckney Community) won top honors as region champion of the Open Reining division, the highest class of all. Albion riders owned the Novice class with Morgan Carey (Hemlock/Saint Charles Community) taking champion and team co-captain Hannah Pankratz (Bad Axe/Bad Axe) was reserve champion. Both Lindsey Memering (White Lake/Milford) and Chelsea Weiss (Manchester/Chelsea) made it to the final round in the Intermediate II division, and Weiss came away as the reserve champion in the end.
The four riders will continue on the road to Nationals by competing at the IHSA Stock Seat Semi-Finals, which will be March 23 in Syracuse, New York.
Memering and Petchell Clinch Regional Spots at Final Regular Season Show (January 13, 2013)
Members of the Briton stock seat team returned early from their winter break to compete at the final show of the season before Regionals. The double header, hosted by Michigan State University, was held at the MSU Pavilion on January 13. While the team came away with a third and fourth place, there were quite a few Albion riders that returned with Champion and Reserve individual ribbons.
Senior Katie Petchell (Pinckney/Pinckney Community) was especially happy to wrap up the season by securing her spot at Regionals in both the Open riding and reining. Her second place in Open and first place in reining made Petchell the Reserve Grand Champion rider for the whole show. Teammate Lindsey Memering (White Lake/Milford) also won her Intermediate II class which confirmed her points to qualify for Regionals as well.
The Advanced division was dominated by Albion riders as well. Sophomores Morgan Carey (Hemlock/Saint Charles Community) and Megan McNeil (Onondaga/Jackson Christian) both placed first in their Advanced divisions, as did first-year student Jennifer Fifield (Oxford/Oxford).
There was some excitement in the air when senior Chelsea Utt (Harbor Springs/Petoskey) won first place in Open reining and then fourth place in Open riding, which Memqualified her for a three-way ride-off. Utt came away with the Reserve Grand Champion rider.
The IHSA Stock Seat Regional Championships will take place on February 10 at the Michigan State University Pavilion. Ten Albion College stock seat riders will contend at Regionals to vie for coveted spots at the Semi-Finals from there.
Four More Stock Seat Riders Qualify for Regional Championships (November 11, 2012)
The Albion College stock seat team rounded out a successful fall semester by competing in another doubleheader show hosted by Grand Valley State University on November 11. The team came home with Reserve Champion titles for both of the shows and four more Albion riders qualified for Regionals!
Teams from eight different colleges and universities met up to compete for the day. Leading the competition, Morgan Carey (Hemlock/Saint Charles Community), Lindsey Memering (White Lake/Milford), Elle Root (Alpena/Alpena), and Megan McNeil (Onondaga/Jackson Christian) won first places in all of their respective classes. Second-year student Lauren Bareiss (Rochester Hills/Rochester Adams) won a first place in Intermediate II, while team co-captain Hannah Pankratz (Bad Axe/Bad Axe) captured a win in the Advanced division. Chelsea Weiss (Manchester/Chelsea) also claimed first place in Novice in the afternoon show.
Adding to the growing list of Albion Stock Seat riders that are qualified for the IHSA Regional Championships are Carey, Pankratz, Bareiss, and senior Chelsea Utt (Harbor Springs/Petoskey), who pointed out of the Reining division at this show.