IHSA Featured Riders

Kate Stuckey is a senior nursing major at the University of Delaware. IHSA has played an integral role in her college experience ever since she joined the university’s equestrian team her freshman year. She grew up in Virginia and when she was looking at colleges, she knew she wanted to find a school where she could continue to pursue her lifelong passion for horseback riding while also earning a degree in a field that would allow her to help others. The University of Delaware and its IHSA team turned out to be the perfect fit.

"IHSA has been so much more than just an extracurricular activity — it has been a community, a classroom, and a second home. Through this organization, I have developed lasting friendships, learned valuable lessons about teamwork and resilience, and discovered new levels of confidence both in and out of the saddle. The unique format of IHSA competitions — drawing a horse you may have never ridden before and adapting on the spot — has taught me adaptability and quick thinking, skills that have translated directly into my studies and future career in nursing. It’s about learning to trust your instincts, communicate clearly, and stay calm under pressure, no matter what challenges arise" Stuckey says. 

Over the past four years, she also had the privilege of growing into a leadership role as team captain, a position she held for the past two seasons. "Leading our team has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my college career. I’ve had the chance to mentor younger riders, help organize team events, and foster an environment where everyone feels supported — whether it’s their first time showing or they’re competing at Regionals. Watching my teammates grow in confidence and celebrate each other’s successes has reminded me what IHSA is all about: inclusion, sportsmanship, and the shared love of horses."

Stuckey would also like to recognize their coach, Amy Freeman-Suess, whose guidance and encouragement has been truly meaningful. "Amy’s passion for the sport and belief in her riders inspire all of us to keep improving while enjoying every ride. I’m so grateful for her mentorship and the lessons she’s taught me, both in and out of the arena."

As a senior, looking toward graduation, Stuckey reflects "I’m so grateful for everything IHSA has given me — the memories, the lessons, and the people who have made this experience unforgettable. No matter where life takes me after nursing school, I know the discipline, adaptability, and teamwork I’ve gained through IHSA will continue to guide me. IHSA has not only shaped me as a rider but as a person, and for that, I am endlessly thankful."

Alex Ronningen was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when she was just 11 months old. Her grandmother, a physical therapist, was familiar with the benefits of therapeutic riding and introduced the family to hippotherapy—therapy conducted on horseback. At age 2, Ronningen began hippotherapy, and by 8 or 9, she transitioned to traditional riding lessons with a trainer, joining her sister in riding and competing as an able-bodied athlete. 

She participated in the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) throughout middle and high school, all while managing the challenges of her condition. At 16, Ronningen was also diagnosed with diabetes, adding another layer to her daily health routine. Still, she remained determined and upbeat, working last summer as a working student for grand prix rider Wilhelm Genn. 

Now a student at Louisiana State University, Alex earned a spot on the LSU Equestrian Team. At the Zone 5 Finals at SCAD, she qualified for the 2025 IHSA National Championship in The Chronicle of the Horse Limit Equitation Over Fences aboard SCAD’s beloved horse, Pork Chop. 

Hear more from Alex about her journey with cystic fibrosis—and how horses continue to play a central role in her life.

Victoria DeFeo graduated in the fall of 2024 from UCF with her bachelor's in biomedical sciences. She competed in Limit Equitation on the Flat and Over Fences while on the hunter seat team and qualified for Regionals in March 2025.

“My favorite aspects about IHSA are undeniably my coach, the lifelong equestrian friends I have made, and of course getting the experience to ride new horses every show!” De Feo said.

“I cannot remember a time in my life without horses, having ridden since I was 5,” she said.

De Feo competed in IEA throughout middle and high school. So, when she learned University of Central Florida had an IHSA team, she knew she had to try out.

“That decision ended up being one of the best choices of my college career," she said. "IHSA not only let me return to something I loved, but it also introduced me to Lesli Isaacson, our incredible coach and Region 5 president, as well as the amazing teammates I ride and compete with. There is no better feeling than being surrounded by people that continuously support you while pursuing something you are passionate about and having a coach who teaches invaluable lessons both in and out of the saddle"

DeFeo says that most importantly, IHSA has taught her that it is not the ribbon’s color that matters, but the experiences, horses and people you meet along the way that make the journey so meaningful.

“I truly would not be the confident and resilient person I am today without this program.”

Kenleigh Davis is an Equine Science major who has competed in the IHSA for all four years at Murray State University. This year, she is serving as Murray State University Western Team captain while competing in Level Two Horsemanship and Ranch Riding. She is also a four-year Murray State University Hunter Seat Team member. Kenleigh works at the University barn caring for the horses and just completed an internship with a well-known reining trainer. Kenleigh says, “I like to tell people not to be afraid of putting in the work to get what they want. The world is tough; you just have to learn and work every day to be tougher!“

I am a Junior animal science pre-vet major at West Texas A&M University. Growing up, I had lots of experience working with horses but never much in the show world. The opportunities that the IHSA gives to students is extremely worthwhile. It has opened doors for me that I didn’t think were possible before entering the collegiate show world. The connections and friendships made are something that I will take with me forever.

Radha Shinde is from Edison, N.J., majoring in Finance and Business Analytics and Information Technology at Rutgers University. She will graduate in May 2022. She competes in the Novice classes.  

“IHSA has given me a sense of leadership and community. Since freshman year, I have been on my executive board, so I have been dedicated to our team since the beginning. My favorite part of IHSA has been meeting all the amazing riders that I now call my best friends and my coach, Kelly Francfort that has helped me build confidence in the show ring. I have learned a lot during my time on my team and I am forever grateful."

My name is Kaylee Tingle and I am a junior at Midway University. I plan to graduate in the spring of 2023. I grew up in Henry County, Kentucky, where I participated in a variety of sports during high school. I have been riding Quarter Horses and showing competively in the AQHA circuit since I was 9 years old. I joined the Midway University Equestrian Western team as a freshman and have gained lots of diverse riding experiences.

Showing in the IHSA has helped me become the rider I am today. IHSA has given me the opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. I have made so many memories and I have been very successful competing in IHSA, but none of this would be possible without the help and support from my teammates and my coach, Conner Smith. My favorite IHSA memory was being apart of Midway’s Western team region win in 2019-2020. Although every IHSA show with my team is very memorable, winning the region has to be my favorite! 

Favorite Thing about the IHSA
Catch riding all types of horses—you never know what horse you'll get! Discussing how to best ride each horse and getting advice from all my teammates early in the morning of a show always leaves me feeling reassured and ready. Also having my teammates and coaches cheer ringside as placings are called makes me feel like a valued member of our team and IHSA as a whole.

How has IHSA enhanced your college experience?
I have been on the Wisconsin Equestrian Team since my first semester of freshman year. I have served on the executive board since then and loved it—I am dedicated to my teammates, coaches, and horses. College would be a much tougher experience if I did not have the barn and horses to escape to on a weekly basis. IHSA has let me be a part of a group of people that are constantly encouraging growth and supporting me inside and outside of the ring, and I am so grateful for that.

Hannah Jones is from New Castle, Pennsylvania, and competes on the Hollins University team in the Novice division. A member of the class of 2022, she is majoring in biology with a chemistry minor.

“I love being able to ride all kinds of really well-trained horses and being able to show them in an environment that encourages the growth of all levels of rider.

“Being a part of a team has introduced me to a new community of like-minded people from all over the country that have become some of my closest friends. Together we support each other and bond over our shared love of horses.”

I’m a sophomore at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. I compete in Intermediate Western Horsemanship and World Equestrian Center Limit Hunter on the Flat and Over Fences. I am the Team Secretary for our school. OSU is located in Zone 8 on the West Coast in region 4, where we compete against schools from Washington and British Columbia. I’m originally from Gresham, Oregon, which is just outside Portland, where I grew up riding Western. I’m majoring in Animal Science with an Equine and Beef Production option and I’m expecting to graduate spring of 2022. 

My favorite thing about IHSA is all the lifelong connections I’ve made in the horse world with equine professionals across the country and also the friends I’ve made from many different schools. It’s a wonderful showing experience that pulls in people from all walks of life whether they’ve been showing forever or just started in college. It also is a wonderful way to gain experience riding many different horses of different breeds. If it were not for the IHSA, I wouldn’t have otherwise had the opportunity. IHSA has enhanced my college experience immensely due to the head start of my career in the horse world and the relationships I have made. I want to thank IHSA because I have become a more confident rider and student because of this experience. 

I’m a senior biology major, minoring in recreation at Georgia Southern University, graduating spring 2020. I’m from Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, where I grew up riding in IEA and not really ever having a horse of my own. I love the challenge of riding new horses and feel like it is a true test of horsemanship. I found out about Georgia Southern while competing at their farm for IEA and fell in love with the school. I compete in Limit Over Fences and Intermediate on the Flat. My favorite part of IHSA is the family I found. I can always depend on my teammates, in and out of the barn. I also love seeing my friends from different schools at competitions and cheering them on. IHSA has given me so many opportunities from simply continuing my riding career, to being a team officer, to being on the region ethics board. I am so grateful for this organization.

I am from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and I am studying biochemistry and math on a pre-med track. I brought my personal horses with me to school to balance studying and my love of horses. My riding background is mostly in starting young horses under saddle or riding problem horses for people, which worked well because the show ring gave me severe anxiety. Regretfully, I waited until my senior year to join the IHSA team. I love everything about it. My team is an amazing group of people who love and support me. The show environment is competitive but in a very fun and encouraging kind of way. I cannot believe how much my confidence in the ring grew through this experience. I competed in the novice hunter seat division, and I jocularly became known as the rider who looked for tight inside turns as a way to spice up the course. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it backfired, but I always had fun trying. I even made friends from other schools and looked forward to seeing them at the shows. I am overall just very thankful to all who make IHSA possible because I will never forget my season on the University of Scranton Equestrian Team.