The St. Andrews Presbyterian College Western team finished tied for third place at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) National Championships.

The competition was held in early May at facilities in Lexington, Ky.

The St. Andrews Western team finished in a third-place tie with Middle Tennessee State behind the University of Findlay and Ohio State University.

“Our students were amazing, rode their pants off and came out placing higher than we ever have before,” said Western team coach Carla Wennberg. “They were truly a team in every way.

“I feel like we were the Sea Biscuit of the competition, probably one of the smallest schools with the biggest try. It was so much fun to see our riders succeed.”

In team competitive classes, Kelsey Moody placed eighth in the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Western High Point Rider Phase, while taking ninth in Open Reigning and third in Open Rail Horsemanship.

Megan Stiles finished third in AQHA Novice Western Horsemanship, and Kayla Hay took a fifth-place finish in AQHA Advanced Western Horsemanship.

Leah Davison was fourth in Team Beginner Western Horsemanship, and Brittany Powell was second in Intermediate Western Horsemanship.

Moody added a third-place finish in National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Individual Open Reigning, and a second-place finish in Individual Open Western Horsemanship.

Stiles was second in Individual Intermediate Western Horsemanship, and Shannon Leggett was sixth in Novice Western Horsemanship.

While the St. Andrews Hunter Seat Team did not make the IHSA National Championships, two riders competed in the individual competition.

Audrey Bolte finished third in Intermediate Equitation on the Flat, while Jennifer Callahan finished eighth in Walk Trot Canter Equitation.

“Both Audrey and Jennifer did a fantastic job while competing,” said Hunter Seat coach Ashley Duda. “They both have worked countless hours this spring to prepare and were at the top of their game when they walked into the ring. I’m so proud of both of them.

“Our goal for next year is to have an entire Hunter Seat team competing at nationals alongside our Western team.”