Albion College Dressage Team Seventh at National Championship

The Albion College Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA) team dominated every meet in their region in the 2007-2008 competition season, en route to the national championships, which were held at Mount Holyoke College on April 26 and 27, 2008.  Along the way, Albion riders consistently scored victories over teams from longtime IDA competitors Lake Erie College and Michigan State University.  Additionally, senior team captain Halley Sissom (Chelsea/Chelsea) and sophomore Mary Applegate (Grandville/Grandville) qualified to compete as individuals.

At the end of two days of intense competition in Massachusetts, Albion College riders finished seventh out of twelve teams, a significant accomplishment for a program that has only been in place for three years.  Hundreds of individual riders and 44 dressage teams nationwide compete throughout the year for the 12 spots open at the national championships.

Members of the Albion College Dressage Team (from L to R):  Halley Sissom '08,
Mary Applegate '10, Lauren Cross '09, Mark Lampen '10, and coach Danielle Menteer.

Junior Lauren Cross (Littleton, CO/Heritage) competed at Lower Training Level for Albion and observed, “Albion did extremely well for the first year competing at nationals as a team - particularly not being an equestrian school.  Most of the other riders there were equine science majors, which means that they actually ride as a part of their schoolwork.  We have to take additional time out of our schedules for all of our preparation.”

Mark Lampen (Zeeland/Zeeland East), a sophomore who competed in his second nationals for Albion, agreed with Cross, saying, “This year’s team really secured Albion's future as a powerhouse for other schools to be on the watch for.  We made the schools on the East Coast turn their heads towards the little program in Michigan.”

In the individual competition, Sissom captured a reserve championship at First Level, falling just one percentage point behind the winner, a rider from the University of Kentucky.  It was her third – and final – trip to the nationals, having finished fifth in th Lower Training Level division in 2006 and sixth in the Upper Training Level division in 2007.

"Mount Holyoke College hosted a wonderful IDA National Championship. The horses were all equally talented and each rider was truly tested on their riding abilities," Sissom remarked. "Getting reserve champion in the First Level division was the best way to end my collegiate riding career. 

Halley Sissom '08 poses with her reserve
championship ribbon and coach Danielle Menteer.

Applegate made her first appearance as an individual at the nationals and finished sixth out of twelve riders at Introductory Level.  She said, “We are definitely making an impact as a small school with only three years of competition under our belts. Each year we get stronger and become more competitive with schools that have amazing equine programs.”

Of her team’s performance at the national championship competition, first-year coach Danielle Menteer said, “I was very proud of the students, the way that they conducted themselves all weekend and the way that they rode.  They made my first year at Albion a memorable one!”

Mary Applegate '10 took sixth place at Introductory
Level.  (Pictured with coach Danielle Menteer.)

Back to Dressage Team | Equestrian Teams Home
Equestrian Center Home