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Equestrian Awards Banquet Celebrates
Success in 2007-08
 As
the final video played, surprised laughter filled the Mary Sykes Room of
Albion College’s Baldwin Hall on Tuesday, April 29, 2008, where the
members of the College’s equestrian teams and club had gathered for
their annual end-of-year banquet.
The laughter was in response to footage of Nancy G. Held Equestrian
Center director – and native Scotsman – George Halkett dressed in cowboy
attire and riding a Quarter Horse while attempting to cut a cow from a
herd. The video was an unexpected treat for students used to seeing him
in breeches and was a show of solidarity for the school’s year-old
western team, who were attending their first awards banquet. It capped
off an evening filled with more video montages, laughter, and many
awards for the hard-working students.
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Hunt seat team coach Mia Zetting opened the
awards segment of the evening with a recap of her team’s banner
year, which included a grand championship performance in their
first show of the season, a third place finish in the region
that was just one point behind co-champions Michigan
State University and Grand Valley State, trips to the Regional
Championships for nine Albion riders, and a trip to the Zone
Finals for first-year Open rider Christine Grahl (Coldwater /
Coldwater). Grahl also received the Most Valuable Rider
Award for her contributions.
(At right.) Christine Grahl '11
receives her award from hunt seat coach Mia Zetting.
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Danielle Menteer, in her first year as
coach of the dressage team, next shared her team’s successes,
which included an undefeated regular competition season and a
trip to the IDA National Championships in Massachusetts where
they finished seventh overall. In addition, senior team captain
Halley Sissom (Chelsea / Chelsea) capped her career with
an individual performance at First Level that landed her a
reserve national championship and sophomore Mary Applegate
(Grandville / Grandville) earned a sixth place finish
individually in her first Nationals appearance. Sissom was also
awarded Most Valuable Rider for dressage. |
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Dressage team coach Danielle
Menteer and Halley Sissom '08. |
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Brandy Morelock '11 receives her award from western team
coach Denise Weber. |
The last presentation for the teams came
from new western coach Denise Weber, who related that, despite
her long experience in the horse world, she had a few nerves
going into her first year as a coach in the IHSA because of
Albion’s growing success in hunt seat and dressage. Those
nerves proved to be unfounded as her team finished third in the
region and three riders – first-year Brandy Morelock (Eaton
Rapids / Springport), team captain Trish Marheine (Iron
Mountain / Kingsford), and first-year Alyssa Ford
(Clayton / Hudson) – captured individual bids for the
Regional Championships. As a result of her strong performances,
Morelock was awarded the inaugural Most Valuable Rider Award for
the western team. |
The final awards for the evening went to Alyssa
Ford, who was awarded the Most Improved Rider Award for her
dedication to training and consistent improvement throughout the season
as a member of the western team, and Brittany White (Midland / H.H.
Dow), who took home the Coach’s Award for her work above and beyond
her instructors’ expectations as a member of the dressage team.
Alyssa Ford '11 (picture above) received the
Most Improved Rider Award from western coach Denise Weber and Brittany
White '10 (picture right) was the recipient of the Coach's Award from
dressage team coach Danielle Menteer.
Before the event wrapped up, outgoing equestrian
club president Halley Sissom was presented with an award for her
three years of service as a leader to the organization and club advisor
Randi Heathman, as well as equestrian center director George Halkett,
were presented with gifts to thank them for their support for club
activities in the past year.
Equestrian Teams
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