Eight NMSU Equestrian Team Riders Bound for Nationals

Date:  April 08, 1997
Editor: D'Lyn Ford  (505) 646-6528, dlford@nmsu.edu

LAS CRUCES -- Eight New Mexico State University Equestrian Team riders qualified for nationals at the NMSU-hosted zone championship horse show April 5. They will represent NMSU in individual events at the national championship horse show May 2-4.

Riders had to turn in one of the top three rides to earn a spot at nationals. Six NMSU riders ended Saturday's show as zone champions in one or more divisions. The other two riders qualified to nationals by placing second or third.

"The show went very well. NMSU had a great day," said Larry Sanchez, NMSU Equestrian Team coach. "The only disappointment was the weather. Other than that, we couldn't have had a better show."

The eight riders who qualified this past weekend will compete as individuals in May's Intercollegiate Horse Show Association national championship in Massachusetts.

NMSU riders Heather Armstrong, Tammy Greeman, Heather Gribling, Kirsten Hoover, Jennifer Lowder, and Patrick Pirtle were all zone champions in their divisions and will advance to nationals.

In addition, Brigitte Burchfield, Greeman, Hoover, Lowder, and Shannon Salazar qualified for nationals in their divisions with a second or third place.

NMSU riders won four of the five Western-style divisions in this zone, Sanchez said. "I think our riders have a really good chance of winning at nationals. We have riders who were both regional and zone champions who will be competing at nationals."

These individual riders will join NMSU's five-rider team, which also will compete at nationals. NMSU earned a spot in team competition at nationals by winning the regional championship in February.

Sanchez said he has not determined which riders will make up the team, but some of the April 5 individual qualifiers could also ride as team members. Sanchez will chose riders based on their ability and consistency throughout the year and in the upcoming weeks.