Solid Final Show for Dressage Team (February 20-21, 2016)

The final weekend of competition for the Briton dressage team was a double header show hosted by Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio, on February 20 and 21. Though there was only room for six of the eight riders to compete over the weekend, Albion was still able to rack up enough points to finish in third place both days and end the season as the third place team in the region.

First year Skye Campbell (Grand Rapids / Caledonia) won second place in her Introductory level class with an impressive 65.9 percent test. Campbell was named regional reserve champion at Intro level, which also makes her eligible for a wild card spot at IDA Nationals, though these spots cannot be officially filled until later when all the regions complete their regular season shows.

Albion riders were also able to compete for the first time in the dressage seat equitation classes, which is a new offering for the Intercollegiate Dressage Association. The first year students reigned supreme again, with Kendra Gembala (Cedar Lake, Ind. / Hanover Central) winning second in First/Upper, and Bria Flanagan (Harrisburg, S.D. / Lincoln) with second in Lower.

Though a handful of the Briton riders fought a stomach bug over the course of the weekend, they still pulled it together for a successful show. Coach Danielle Menteer had this to say about the weekend:  “Everyone worked really hard and was in high spirits. We also really appreciated the efficient, well managed, snafu-free show that LEC put on. It made the weekend quite enjoyable.”