Western judges Rhonda Replogle and Tammy Braham.
Photo by Jordan Atwell-Purcell
This year’s IHSA National Championship welcomed two accomplished judges to the Western Arena: Rhonda Replogle and Tammy Braham. Both brought a wealth of experience and a deep appreciation for collegiate riding to the event. For Replogle, it marked her third time judging Nationals, while Braham experienced the championship for the first time and described it as truly meaningful. In this Q&A, they share their impressions of the competition, the unique aspects of the IHSA format, and their admiration for the riders, coaches and horses who made the event so special.
Tell me about your experience judging the IHSA National Championship.
RR: I loved it. I loved the competition. The horses were wonderful, the riders were wonderful and the coaches were really good. IHSA is doing a spectacular job. This was the best horsepower I've seen in a college competition for a long time. It's an honor for me to judge. This is my third Nationals.
TB: Oh, it was wonderful. It's very close to my heart. My daughter showed in the IHSA. We really enjoyed it. I love seeing the riders. I love seeing the excitement. I love seeing the sportsmanship–that's so important. The horses are great. I can't say enough good things.
What's challenging about judging this format as opposed to regular horse shows?
TB: I'm very comfortable in this format, so it's not challenging for me. You do have to take the horse into consideration. That's a challenge, but I'm comfortable with it and I really enjoy it.
RR: It's totally on the rider. The horse is part of the package, but I think it takes a good horseman to decipher whether it's a horse or the rider. I focus so hard on watching each one to make sure I get the quality right, whether it's the reining or the horsemanship.
Is there anything different about the last time you judged the IHSA National Championship?
TB: This is the first time I've judged Nationals, so it was amazing. It was a wonderful experience. Rhonda and I ride every step with these kids. We want them to do their best, and when something goes wrong, we are disappointed on their behalf.
RR: The competition has really risen to a high level and the horses–the horsepower here is amazing. The riders are so much better. I want to thank the IHSA for giving the riders a place to go who love horses and can go to college and get a great education.
If you had any words of wisdom for the riders, what would you have to say?
TB: The thing I always say about IHSA is that the harder you work, the better you do. It's a simple concept. Keep working, keep riding, ride more, ride over the summer.
RR: The riders– they just really brought it. And you could tell that they put in the effort and all the work. My hat's off to the coaches, riders and the horses.
TB: Thank you. This was a bucket list experience.