Hunt Seat Team riding high after great season

The Alfred State Hunt Seat Team this year had another successful season, with riders competing in a total of four shows during the fall semester and earning many ribbons along the way.

Led by Captain Danielle Verplank, business administration, Marion, the team earned a total of nine ribbons, while showing at Cornell University (twice), Rochester Institute of Technology, and Nazareth College.

Riders earning ribbons include Verplank; Teaghan Mix, veterinary technology, Moravia; Anne Downs, veterinary technology, Katonah; Raean Paryz, technology management, Derby; and Danielle Pederson, agricultural technology, Wellsville.

Meet-by-meet results are as follows:

• Oct. 21 at Cornell University: With many upsets for a lot of teams at this show, Alfred State was able to earn a ribbon, as Mix received fourth place in beginner WTC (walk-trot-canter).
• Oct. 27-28 at Rochester Institute of Technology: The ASC team reached its first double header of the year, and riders began to show more progress. On Oct. 27, Downs received first place in novice flat. On Oct. 28, Paryz took home first place in advanced WTC, and Pederson received a fourth-place finish in beginner WTC.
• Nov. 4 at Cornell University: Despite a challenging day, Verplank was still able to earn a fourth-place finish in intermediate over fences.
• Nov. 17-18 at Nazareth College: At its second double header of the season, the team ended up earning several ribbons. On day one, Paryz received a third-place finish in advanced WTC, while Pederson received third-place in beginner WTC. On day two, Verplank came away with fifth place in intermediate over fences, and Pederson also earned fifth in beginner WTC.

The Hunt Seat Team is one of multiple riding teams offered at Alfred State, and is open to new and experienced riders alike. The team competes against more than a dozen other colleges within the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).

Within the past couple of years, the team roster has tripled in size, from five riders to 15, and counting. The team has been able to fill multiple riding levels at shows that they have not been able to do in the past.

Team Adviser Mallory Morehouse, associate director of Orientation and Family Programs at Alfred State, said, “It has been great to see this group come together as a team. They have not only grown in size, but continue to show well against much larger programs. It is great that we are able to have this opportunity for our students at Alfred State.”

The Hunt Seat Team members are looking forward to their upcoming spring season, and are excited to be showing in their own backyard at the Alfred University Bromeley-Daggett Equestrian Center on Feb. 16 and 24.