North Dakota State University’s Western horse show team finished its regular season with a very strong showing.

The team competed in four regular season shows this spring - two in Crookston, Minn., and the other two at NDSU. Of these four spring competitions, NDSU walked away with three High Point Team awards and one Reserve High Point Team award.

Also, for the first time in the program’s history, the team tied for the overall High Point Regional Team award.

“This is a big feat for NDSU as this region is comprised of some very tough teams from Minnesota, Wisconsin and South Dakota,” says Tara Swanson, NDSU’s Intercollegiate Horse Show Association coach.

“The NDSU Western team is made up of 24 members who put a lot of time, hard work and dedication into this success,” she adds. “The team is very young, with 19 of the 24 members being freshman or sophomore status. With a large number of returning members for next year and some new additions, the team should be just as successful next year.”

Ten members of the team have qualified for the regional competition. These members are: Natalie Altendorf, a senior from Grafton; Lynn Brockway, a senior from Tracy, Minn.; Carley Eddy, a sophomore from Garfield, Minn.; Jackie Eldredge, a freshman from Casselton; Janelle Lanoue, a sophomore from Alexandria, Minn.; Chelsea Sazama, a freshman from Perham, Minn.; Jordan Schultz, a freshman from Eckerty, Ind.; Janessa Thompson, a sophomore from Fargo; Catie Vieths, a sophomore from Miesville, Minn.; and Shannon Voges, a sophomore from Courtland, Minn.

Although Altendorf, Brockway and Thompson will not be competing at regional competition because of scheduling conflicts, they played a very active role in the successful season, Swanson says.

Depending on the riders’ performance in regional competition, they may qualify for semifinal and national competitions.

Other team members are: Jenna Benjaminson, a sophomore from Walhalla; Liz Burley, a sophomore from Eveleth, Minn.; Laura Compart, a freshman from Nicollet, Minn.; Alisha Freitag, a sophomore from Wolverton, Minn.; Tiffany Gollberg, a freshman from Alexandria, Minn.; Amanda Grev, a sophomore from Rochester, Minn.; Heather Hansen, a senior from Jamestown; Sara Holman, a sophomore from Glyndon, Minn.; Brittany Huggins, a freshman from Warroad, Minn.; Alyssa Jorgenson, a sophomore from West Fargo; Tiffany Mosset, a freshman from Linton; Kelly O’Connell, a sophomore from Green Bay, Wis.; Rachael Runck, a junior from Horace; and Nikki Slack, a junior from Crosslake, Minn.

NDSU Agriculture Communication