May 20, 2008
For Immediate Release
Contact Kaitlin Spak
530-277-3073, kspak@calpoly.edu
Cal Poly Equestrian Team Riders, Horses Win at Nationals
Photos: top: Kaitlin Spak competes; bottom, Pete, a victorious Cal Poly horse, enjoys time out with an Equestrian Team member.
SAN LUIS OBISPO – Both horses and riders from Cal Poly’s Equestrian Team took top honors at the 2008 Intercollegiate Horse Show Association National Championships.
Kaitlin Spak, a third-year mechanical engineering student, won a $1,000 scholarship and placed third overall in the Hunt Seat Equitation on the Flat category. She competed against 17 other riders from universities including Stanford and UC Davis.
At the national competition, as in all IHSA events, competitors draw for a random horse to ride. The riders do not get to try out the horse or warm it up. A rider mounts, adjusts the equipment, and is immediately judged on his or her position, effectiveness and riding skills, known collectively as “equitation.”
At nationals, Spak drew “Expo,” a horse brought by the UC San Diego Equestrian Team. “He behaved very well for me,” she said after her event.
Two of the Cal Poly horses brought to compete at nationals took their riders to victory. The Cal Poly Equestrian Team’s Pete won several of his events, including Open, Intermediate and Novice Hunt Seat Equitation. Freddy, another Cal Poly horse, won in several jumping competitions. Freddy was also the runner-up for the “Horse of the Show” award.
The event was held in the Equidome in the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank May 8-11.
The Cal Poly Equestrian Team maintains six horses and has about 40 members. Members show in both the hunt-seat and Western divisions, and range in ability from beginners to advanced with years of horse showing experience.
CPET is a student-run university team comprised of students from many majors across campus. More advanced members coach and pass along their knowledge to new members. The team is advised by Animal Science Professor Pete Agalos and sponsored by Nutrena Feeds.
###
Editors note: For jpgs, contact Teresa Hendrix at polynews@calpoly.edu.