(Crookston, Minn.)- The University of Minnesota, Crookston Equestrian teams open the 2010-2011 season on Saturday, September 25 and Sunday, September 26 with a pair of road shows. The Hunt Seat team travels to LeSuer, Minn. to participate in a show hosted by Gustavus Adolphus College. Both Saturday and Sunday's shows begin at 9 a.m. The Western squad travels to River Falls, Wis. for a show hosted by the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Competitions begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. Sunday.

Golden Eagle Head Coach and Hunt Seat Coach Brooke Leininger enters her fourth season and is excited to get started. "I am excited to be starting off our season with such a competitive team," says Coach Leininger. "There are several talented newcomers that I believe will strengthen the entire team, though not all of them are attending this opening competition." This weekend at Gustavus Adolphus, Jessica Charles (So, Belgrade Lakes, Maine), who finished 10th at the IHSA Nationals this past year, will be riding for the team in Novice Flat and Fences. "I expect her to start the season strong," says Coach Leininger. Katelyn Mueller (Jr, Belle Plaine, Minn.), who represented the team at Zones this past year, will be looking to qualify for Regionals and move up to the Novice Division. Newcomers Annalee Sundin (Fr, Deer River, Minn.), Tiffany Rask-Holloman (So, Minneapolis, Minn.), Rebecca Wittrock (Fr, Forest Lake, Minn.) and Melinda Baszczynski (Fr, Earlham, Ill.) will be riding for U of M, Crookston for the first time and Coach Leininger expects them to put in competitive rounds this weekend.

On the Western side, Coach Nicky Overgaard is ready to get started as well. "The team has been working hard in practice and I feel that we are going to have some good ribbons from a few returners," says Coach Overgaard. "I am looking forward to seeing returners Anna Steen (Jr, Hanover, Minn.) and Kaitlyn Tollefsrud (Jr, Hawley, Minn.) continue their show careers after a very successful National Horse Show this past spring."  Megan Kramer (Jr, Owatonna, Minn.) and Kayla Klein (Sr, Hazen, N.D.) worked hard all summer and got in a lot of ride time which Coach Overgaard feels should show in their placings this weekend.  "As always, the first show is a little nerve racking and will be a barometer of how the team is going to really work together to get good ribbons," says Coach Overgaard.

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

The University of Minnesota, Crookston is an 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: (Left to Right) - Western Team Captain -Kayla Klein, Hunt Seat Team Co-Captains Laura Critchett and Sara Wells