(Crookston, Minn.)- The University of Minnesota, Crookston Western Equestrian team closed out a stellar regular season in style this past weekend at North Dakota State University (NDSU). The Golden Eagles captured the High Point Team Award on Saturday and the Reserve High Point Team Award on Saturday to claim the Zone 9, Region 3 Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Championship. The win qualifies U of M, Crookston's Western squad for the IHSA Semi-finals hosted by Cal-Poly Pomona in Pomona, Calif. on March 27-28.

Amanda Peterson, (Sr, Rochester, Minn.) finished the year as High Point Rider of the Region and will advance to the IHSA National Competition to compete for the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) High Point Rider Cup. On Sunday, she finished her final year showing as the Reserve High Point Rider of the Day winning the Open Horsemanship and taking second in the Reining.

Three more riders qualified for the Regional Championship show with Tandra Klein (Jr, Hazen, Minn.) qualifying in the Reining and Amy VanTreeck (Fr, Sheboygan Falls, Wis.) and Amanda Flint (Fr, Aberdeen, S.D.) qualifying in the Intermediate.

The University of Minnesota, Crookston Western team individuals that have qualified for Regional Championships are as follows: Amanda Peterson in Open Horsemanship; Tandra Klein in Reining and Advanced Horsemanship; Kayla Klein (Jr, Hazen, N.D.), Becky Rhodus (Jr, Kansas City, Missouri) and Kaitlyn Tollefsrud (So, Hawley, Minn.) in Novice Horsemanship; Jackie Nikkel (So, Lundar, Manitoba), Megan Kramer (So, Owatonna, Minn.), VanTreeck and Flint in the Intermediate and Anna Steen (So, Hanover, Minn.) in the Walk/Trot. U of M, Crookston is hosting the Western Regional Competition on Sunday March 7 at 10 a.m. at the University Teaching and Outreach Center (UTOC) on the U of M, Crookston campus. Riders from Region 3 that have qualified in their respective divisions will compete for the top two spots to move on to individual competition at the IHSA Western Semi-finals horse show March 27-28.

"I am thrilled that the ladies have ridden so consistent all year," says Golden Eagle Western Coach Nicky Overgaard.  "It really paid off as we were able to win the region by a substantial margin over NDSU.  We are looking forward to preparing the team riders and qualified individuals for the championship competitions with our sights set on IHSA Nationals in May."

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics Web site at http://www.goldeneaglesports.com/.

The University of Minnesota, Crookston is a NCAA Division II Institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The Golden Eagle Equestrian team is a member of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).

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Photo Caption: Amanda Peterson