IHSA Zone champions celebrate. Photo by Brooke Horton
Top Teams and Riders from Eight Zones Earn Their Spots at the 2026 IHSA National Championship
Gladys, Va.– April 7, 2026 – The Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) held eight Zone Finals across North America from March 28 to April 5. These premier hunter seat competitions determined the teams and individual riders advancing to the 2026 IHSA National Championship, taking place at the indoor complex at Tryon International in Mill Spring, North Carolina, May 1–3.
From each Zone Finals, the top two teams and the top two individual riders from each division all qualified to compete at the highlight of the IHSA season. The top three USHJA/IHSA Hunter Seat High-Point Riders from each Zone qualifying class are eligible to compete in the coveted USHJA/IHSA Hunter Seat High-Point Rider, Presenting the Cacchione Cup. The IHSA National Championship determines the team and individual champions in both hunter seat and Western. The Western qualifiers were determined at the NRHA Western Semi-Finals in March.
ZONE 1
At Zone 1 Finals, held April 4 at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, it went to the second tie-breaker with Zone 1 Team Champion narrowly going to the University of Rhode Island, coached by Wency Brayman, over reserve champion Mount Holyoke College, coached by CJ Law, both with 42 points. Both teams secured their trips to the IHSA National Championship.
The IHSA Zone 1 Champion University of Rhode Island team. Photo by Ryan Moran
USHJA High-Point Hunter Seat Rider Zone 1 Champion Alexis Kern, the University of Vermont, will be joined by Reserve Champion Grace Taylor from Johnson and Wales University and third-place Cora Cotman Jenkins from Stonehill College, to contend for the USHJA/IHSA Hunter Seat High-Point Rider, Presenting the Cacchione Cup.
Third place finisher, Stonehill College's Cora Cotman Jenkins, Zone 1 Champion USHJA High-Point Hunter Seat Rider, Presenting the Cacchione Cup, Alexis Kern from the University of Vermont and Zone 1 Reserve Champion Grace Taylor from Johnson and Wales University. Photo by Ryan Moran
ZONE 2
On April 4, Lehman Farms in Pittsford, New York, hosted the IHSA Zone 2 Finals. The 2023 National Champion Skidmore College team, coached by Belinda Colgan, repeated their 2025 Zone 2 win, earning the championship with 42 points and will return to the IHSA National Championship. They will be joined at Tryon by the reserve champion Long Island University team, coached by Brooke Chasin, who earned 40 points.
The 2026 Zone 2 Champion Skidmore College Team. Photo by Cecilia Ashton
Alfred University's Maggie Childs earned the USHJA/IHSA Hunter Seat High-Point Rider Zone 2 Championship. Harper Eskey, from St. Lawrence University, repeated her Zone 2 Reserve Championship from 2025, and Madison Frankel from Long Island University was third. All three will have the chance to compete in the USHJA Hunter Seat High-Point Rider, Presenting the Cacchione Cup.
USHJA Hunter Seat High-Point Rider, presenting the Cacchione Cup, Zone 2 Reserve Champion Harper Eskey from St. Lawrence University, fifth place Kaitlyn Sherrahamed, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, in fourth, Alessandra Song, Colgate University, in third, Madison Frankel, Long Island University and Zone 2 Champion, Maggie Childs from Alfred University. Photo by Cecilia Ashton
ZONE 3
Zone three’s top-two teams were repeats from the 2025 Zone Championship. Centenary University, the host team, captured the Zone title with 51 points under the guidance of coaches Michael Dowling and Heather Clark. Delaware Valley University (coached by Ciara Tjong and Emily Miller) followed with 40 points to secure Reserve Champion honors.
The 2026 Zone 3 Champion Centenary University Team with IHSA founder Bob Cacchione. Photo by Jenna O'Connor
The University of Delaware’s Natalia Onisko topped the USHJA/High-Point Hunter Seat Rider, joined by runner-up Grace Allen from Delaware Valley University and Eva Froio from Centenary University, who rounded out the top three. All three riders will vie for the USHJA/IHSA Hunter Seat High-Point Rider, Presenting the Cacchione Cup at the IHSA National Championship at Tryon International.
Centenary University Equine Studies Department Chair Kelly Munz, fourth-place finisher Maci Iddings from Penn State University, third place Eva Froio, Centenary University, USHJA Hunter Seat High-Point Rider, Presenting the Cacchione Cup Reserve Champion Grace Allen from Delaware Valley University and Champion Natalia Onisko with IHSA founder Bob Cacchione. Photo by Jenna O'Connor
ZONE 4
Goucher College in Towson, Maryland, hosted the Zone 4 Championship on April 28. In tightly contested competition, the Zone 4 Team Championship went to the University of Lynchburg (Lynchburg, Virginia,) for the second consecutive year. Coached by Phillip Williamson, the University of Lynchburg team earned 43 points. The Zone 4 Reserve Championship went to the host team Goucher College, coached by Jennifer Smith, with 37 points. These teams will have a chance to earn the National Championship title at the IHSA National Championship on the first weekend in May.
The Zone 4 Champion Team: The University of Lynchburg. Photo by Natalie Holdren
Amaya Bellfield, from the University of Lynchburg, was named the Zone 4 Champion High-Point Hunter Seat Rider with Emory and Henry College's Nada Soueidan earning the Zone 4 Reserve Championship and Sadie Swift, from Sweet Briar College, in third place. Each will be in the running for the top spot in the USHJA/IHSA Hunter Seat High-Point Rider, Presenting the Cacchione Cup at the IHSA National Championship in May.
Sweet Briar College's Sadie Swift, in third place, Zone 4 Champion USHJA High-Point Hunter Seat Rider Amaya Bellfield from the University of Lynchburg and Reserve Champion Nada Soueidan from Emory and Henry College. Photo by Natalie Holdren
ZONE 5
The Zone 5 Finals championship honors were presented to the 2024 National Champions and host Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), coached by Ashley Henry, earning 46 points. Held on March 28, this is SCAD's 16th consecutive zone championship. Reserve champion honors went to Berry College (Rome, Georgia), coached by Margaret Ellington, with 36 points. Both teams are headed to the National Championship.
The Savannah College of Art and Design Equestrian Team won their 16th consecutive Zone 5 Championship.
Photo by Delia Beaupre
The 2025 National Champion USHJA High-Point Hunter Seat rider SCAD's Alexander Alston earned his second consecutive 2026 Zone 5 championship as the USHJA/IHSA High-Point Hunter Seat Rider. He will defend his title. Joining Alston at Tryon are reserve champion Eva Kennedy from the University of South Carolina and third-place finisher Emma Sameth, from the University of the South, to compete for the coveted USHJA/IHSA Hunter Seat High-Point Rider, Presenting the Cacchione Cup. Sameth repeated her third-place finish from the 2025 Zone Finals.
IHSA founder Bob Cacchione with Zone 5 Champion USHJA Hunter Seat High-Point Rider Alex Alston, Reserve Champion Eva Kennedy from the University of South Carolina and third place finisher Emma Sameth from the Univrsity of the South. Photo by Delia Beaupre
ZONE 6
At the Zone 6 Finals, hosted on March 28 at Willowbrook Farm in Plymouth, Michigan, the Otterbein University team, coached by Kari Briggs and Lindsey Yinger, was named champion with 46 points. The Miami University-Ohio team, coached by Heather Pinnick and Tess VonHemel, earned the reserve championship with 38 points. The two teams repeated their placings from 2025 and will return to vie for the top team prize at the IHSA National Championship.
Otterbein University won the 2026 Zone 6 Championship. Photo by courtesy of Heather Pinnick
Riders qualified for the USHJA/IHSA Hunter Seat High-Point Rider, Presenting the Cacchione Cup at IHSA Nationals. The 2026 Zone 6 Champion is Emma Linton from Otterbein University. The Zone 6 reserve champion was Miami University’s Clara D’Amico. Phoebe Martin from Albion College earned the third-place prize and a chance at the national championship.
Emma Linton from Otterbein University was the Zone 6 Champion.USHJA Hunter Seat High-Point Rider. Presenting the Cacchione Cup. Photo courtesy of Heather Pinnick
ZONE 7
Texas Tech University hosted the Zone 7 Finals in Lubbock, Texas, on March 28. The 2025 National Champion Purdue University Team, coached by Kathryn Kraft, emerged as champions for the second consecutive year with 44 points. The University of Wisconsin-Madison, coached by Andi Bill, earned reserve champion honors with 35 points. These teams have secured their spots at the National Championship.
Purdue University won the Zone 7 Team Championship. Photo by Brooke Horton
Zone 7 Champion Abigail Shelchuk from Purdue University, reserve champion Haley Mannell, from Kansas State University and third-place Ella Stufft, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will compete in the USHJA/IHSA Hunter Seat High-Point Rider, Presenting the Cacchione Cup at the IHSA National Championship at Tryon International.
Abigail Shelchuk from Purdue University is the Zone 7 Champion USHJA Hunter Seat High-Point Rider. Presenting the Cacchione Cup. She is flanked by Reserve Champion Haley Mannell from Kansas State University. and the third-place finisher Ella Stufft from the University of Wisonsin-Madison. Photo by Brooke Horton
ZONE 8
On March 28, Zone 8 Finals host Stanford University (Stanford, California), coached by Vanessa Bartsch, nabbed its 19th consecutive Zone championship after earning its 20th Regional Championship. The Stanford team earned 48 points and will advance to the IHSA National Championship. Reserve champion honors went to the Colorado State University, coached by Kathy Montgomery, with 39 points.
The Zone 8 Champion Team for the 19th consecutive year, Stanford University. Photo by Steven Rice
Colorado State University’s Emma Santos earned the champion USHJA/IHSA Hunter Seat High-Point Rider, with reserve champion Laura Jun from the University of Southern California and third-place finisher Brooke Ballhaus from Stanford University added their names to the entry list for the USHJA/IHSA Hunter Seat High-Point Rider, Presenting the Cacchione Cup, at the IHSA National Championship in May.
Emma Santos from Colorado State University is the Zone 8 Champion USHJA Hunter Seat High-Point Rider. Presenting the Cacchione Cup. Laura Jun from the University of Southern California was the reserve champion, Stanford University's Brooke Balhaus was third and Clare Carmichael from the University of British Columbia was fourth. Photo by Steven Price
At the IHSA National Championship, no qualifier carries a scoreboard advantage through the gate. Every qualified team and rider starts on an even playing field for a chance at championship honors.
"The Zone Finals this year reminded us why this championship keeps the members on their toes," said IHSA Executive Director Peter Cashman. "Congratulations to the qualifiers, and thank you to Back on Track, USHJA and CWD for their support. We're grateful to everyone who made the Zone Finals possible — horse providers, host schools and venues, judges, coaches and supporters. The first week of May and the IHSA National Championship at Tryon International can't come soon enough."