 "Photo: Ashley Inguanta")
The University of Central Florida’s Equestrian Club placed second in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association’s Hunter Seat National Championship on April 23.
Junior legal studies major Alisha Mays competed against 17 other teams at the Miller Coliseum in Murfreesboro, Tenn. and placed second to be named the IHSA National Reserve Champion in the Individual Novice Equitation on the flat division.
“Bob Cacchione, the founder of IHSA, told me that over 8,000 people ride in the IHSA, and only about 450 qualify for nationals each year,” Mays said.
To be eligible to compete at nationals, riders compete in different levels and earn points for how well they ride.
First, riders compete in eight to 12 shows locally from August to March. Once a rider earns 35 points, they qualify for the regional competition at the conclusion of the season.
“Our region is the second hardest in the nation,” said Lesli Isaacson, of Orlando, who is UCF’s equestrian coach and trainer at Wendover Place.
Once at the regional level, the rider must earn enough points to move on to zones.
“Last year we were seventh in our zone,” Isaacson said.
The rider must place in the top four of their zone to be eligible for the national competition.
At the Zone 5, Region 3 competition, Mays placed second in her class qualifying her for the zone championships.
At the Zone 5 championships, Mays placed first in her class qualifying her for the IHSA show.
“It is really, really hard to get to nationals,” Isaacson said.
This was the first year the Equestrian Club ranked first in the zone competition and sent a rider to nationals.
“It was very impressive for her and our school,” said junior anthropology major Catherine Anne Cassidy, a member of UCF's equestrian team who traveled to nationals with Mays and Isaacson.
The Equestrian Club at UCF is young in comparison to its competitors, Isaacson said. Centenary College celebrated its 30th year competing at nationals while UCF’s team has only been established for seven years.
“I don’t really count the first three years,” Isaacson said, “it is only the last two to three years that we have gone to every local show.”
Mays has been riding with UCF’s team for two years. She started riding horses in Tampa when she was 12 years old.
As a freshman at UCF, Mays joined the equestrian club then tried out for the Hunt Seat Team.
She made it on the team that year and will be one of the co-captains this year.
“She wants it,” Isaacson said. “She wants it to the point that she can taste it.”
Mays placed second in her class at the Zone 5, Region 3 competition and began training every day with Isaacson to prepare for the next competition.
“She had to ride every single day - no exceptions,” Cassidy said. “With school, and her sorority and work – she still had to ride.”
Once she competed in the zones competition and her spot at nationals was confirmed, her training schedule became more rigorous, Isaacson said.
“I told her ‘Now you’re really going to bust your butt,’” said Isaacson.
At the IHSA show, riders do not ride their own horses. The host school provides horses and each rider draws a name from a hat.
“This sort of puts everyone on a more equal playing field,” Mays said.
She began training on different types of horses every day to prepare for this aspect of the competition, Isaacson said.
“You’ve got to be quite competitive and brave in order to do this type of show,” Isaacson said. “You couldn’t even tell she was nervous. She walked in the ring like a pro.”
Isaacson, Cassidy and Mays arrived in Tennessee a day before the competition to become acquainted with the situation.
“We specifically went up on Wednesday so we could watch the horses all day and take notes,” Isaacson said. “It was worth all the work in the end.”
The three are preparing for the next season by practicing during the summer months.
“This was the first time UCF sent someone to nationals so we are just staying in shape for the next season,” Mays said.
To join UCF’s Equestrian Club or learn more information please visit their Web site at www.ucfequestrian.com.
2 comments