Members of North Dakota State University’s Western equestrian team are advancing to semifinal competition in Harrington, Del., March 24-25.

In addition, one rider, Shannon Voges, a senior from Courtland, Minn., earned a trip to national competition in North Carolina in May.

NDSU will be sending six individuals to compete in the semifinals, along with a team to compete for overall team awards.

The individual riders and the events they will compete in are:

• Voges - reining and open horsemanship
• Ashley Lindell, a junior from Solway, Minn. - open horsemanship
• Hannah Beyer, a junior from Rapid City, S.D., and Jenna Benjaminson, a senior from Walhalla - advanced horsemanship
• Janna Rice, a freshman from Maddock - novice horsemanship
• Leslie Miller, a freshman from Fergus Falls, Minn. - beginner horsemanship

Members representing the team and the events they will compete in at the semifinals are:

• Lindell - reining and open horsemanship
• Laura Schlosser, a junior from Edgeley - advanced horsemanship
• Emily Kedrowski, a sophomore from Apple Valley, Minn. - novice horsemanship
• Chelsey Schafer, a freshman from New Rockford - intermediate horsemanship
• Cami Slaubaugh, a freshman from Wolford - beginner horsemanship

Three semifinal competitions are held throughout the U.S. The top three overall teams and top four individuals in each division will compete at nationals.

The riders are advancing to semifinals after competing in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association’s regional horse show, which NDSU hosted March 4. The top two individuals in each division move on to the semifinals.

The team finished regular-season competition March 3 with the highest points in the region. The team was named the overall regional high point team, which earned it a trip to the semifinals. This is the first time NDSU has won the title. NDSU’s team is one of eight teams competing in the Delaware semifinals.

Voges was named overall regional high point rider, gaining her the trip to the national competition in North Carolina.

Individual placings in the regional competition were:

• Voges - champion, reining; reserve champion, open horsemanship
• Lindell - champion, open horsemanship
• Beyer - champion, advanced horsemanship
• Benjaminson - reserve champion, advanced horsemanship
• Rice - champion, novice horsemanship
• Miller - reserve champion, beginner horsemanship

Nine team members earned the opportunity to compete in the regional competition. They were: Voges; Lindell; Benjaminson; Beyer; Rice; Schlosser; Leslie Miller; Codie Miller, a junior from Prior Lake, Minn.; and Megan Hansen, a sophomore from Doran, Minn.

“We have had an amazing season,” says Tara Swanson, the team’s coach. “NDSU accomplished the highest honors that can be won in the region, high point regional team, as well as having the high point rider in the region. As a coach, I am ecstatic and so proud of all the hard work the team has put in this year. We are taking 10 strong team members to semifinals, and I am confident we will be very competitive at the next level.”

NDSU Agriculture Communication - March 19, 2012