WATERBURY, Conn. -  Two of the Post University Equestrian Teams competed the weekend of February 16  and 17 in back to back shows. Both teams, the IHSA Hunt Seat Team and the IHSA Western Team, had cancellations the week prior due to winter weather conditions and rode Saturday and Sunday to make up for the cancellation.

On February 16,  the IHSA Hunt Seat Team rode at the Wesleyan University show hosted at Windcrest Farm in Hebron, Conn.  Senior rider Lauren Donohue from Sterling, Mass. took home a fifth place in Open Fences and a fourth place in Open Flat, Team Captain Liz Sawelsky  of Sharon, Mass.  took home fourth place in Open Flat and in Intermediate Fences.  Freshman Kaitlyn Bristol of Oakville, Conn. and sophomore Natalie Johnson of Springfield, Mass.  both rode in Novice Fences and Novice Flat. Johnson earned fourth in Fences and fifth in Flat, Bristol qualified for regional competition  in Fences and Flat with her third in Novice Fences and second in Novice Flat.  Sara Horwath, a junior from New Milford Conn., rode well in Intermediate Flat to finish in second place.  In her first show back after an injury last semester, senior rider Anyce Nagle started the season with a great second in Beginner Walk, Trot, Canter. The Team has two new riders this semester Stephannie Camosse a sophomore rider from Aubron, Mass.  and Grace McConnell, a junior and NCAA soccer player from Leeds, England. Both are making the shift from the Western Team to Hunt Seat.  Camosse took home a third in Beginner Walk, Trot, Canter and McConnell also made a strong start with a third in Walk, Trot.

The following day the Hunt Seat Team went to a show at Mystic Valley Hunt Club hosted by the United States Coast Guard Academy. Team Captain Sawelsky took a fantastic second in Intermediate Fences and a fourth in Open Flat. Donohue took a fifth in Open Flat and a solid fourth in Open Fences. Bristol and Horwath both rode in Intermediate Fences, Horwath earning sixth and Bristol a third. Both riders also rode in Intermediate Flat, Horwath taking a fifth and Bristol a fourth. Johnson earned herself a fantastic first place in Novice Fences and followed up with a fifth in Novice Flat. The addition of these scores qualified her for regional competitions at Mystic Valley Hunt Club on March 30. In Beginner Walk, Trot, and Canter in her second show of the season, Nagle earned a strong third and Camosse took the fourth place. McConnell finished the day with a third in Walk Trot.

The IHSA Western Team competed at Mt. Holyoke on February 16 in South Hadley Mass. Senior rider Stephanie Thibault of Winsted, Conn. rode in the Intermediate Two class and had a spectacular score to earn first place. Fellow senior rider Amanda Nygren of New Hartford,  Conn. competed in Novice to earn herself a solid fourth.

On the following day, the IHSA Western Team competed at UMass, in Amherst Mass. Both riders had beautiful rides; Thibault riding in Intermediate Two took home another impressive First place and Nygren riding in Novice earned a fantastic second place. Despite the cold weather Team Captain Amanda Nygren said “we had a great time at the show. Everyone did an amazing job!”

The Western Team's next show will be on March 3 at Heritage Farm.