UK equestrian team hosting season’s final event
February 21, 2013
By Lindsay Travis
The UK equestrian team will host its final show of the season this Saturday and Sunday at Lakeside Arena in Frankfort.
UK is leading its region coming into the show.
Riders from Georgetown College, Marshall University, Midway College, Morehead State University, Northern Kentucky University, Transylvania University, University of Cincinnati, University of Louisville and Xavier University will be competing at the show.
The top two riders of the region are from UK. Doug Masters is No. 1 and Kennedy Ellingson is No. 2. The two are within four points of each other.
On Saturday, riders compete in two disciplines: Hunt seat and western.
The Hunt seat competition takes place Saturday morning. Riders perform flat exercises or jumping over fences. Michelle Zimmer of Robert Murphy Stables in Lexington coaches the Hunt seat team. Last year, Zimmer’s team took eighth place in national competition.
Western competition takes place Saturday afternoon. Riders compete in horsemanship and reining. This team is coached by the American Quarter Horse Association’s professional horseman of the year and judge Bennie Sargent, who owns and operates High Point Equestrian Center in Georgetown, Ky.
During competition, each class is judged individually. Each university is allowed eight riders who will be scored, or pointed. The lowest score is dropped to determine the aggregate team score.
Riders win ribbons as individuals and as a team.
The UK equestrian team is affiliated with the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association. The format of IHSA differs from other collegiate competitions. All different levels of riding are represented. Also, riders do not show their own horses, but compete on horses provided by the hosting university and other competing universities.
