The University of Wyoming equestrian club is becoming a regular at the national championships for the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).
For the fourth time in Kari Randle-Bright's five seasons as coach, UW will be represented at the season-ending event that brings together the top riders from nearly 380 teams across the United States and Canada.
This year, Katie French (Plymouth, Minn.) and Katie Hurrell (Golden, Colo.) will ride May 5-8 for UW at Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky., a sprawling 1,224-acre haven for horse enthusiasts that includes tourist attractions, a campground and competition facilities on the state's famous Bluegrass.
"We love Lexington," says Randle-Bright. "Everybody who loves horses loves Lexington."
Just days after the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby -- the first leg of horse racing's Triple Crown and one of the year's most anticipated sporting events -- French (beginner walk-trot) and Hurrell (open flat), both juniors, will chase victory in their respective divisions.
The UW riders qualified for nationals with second-place showings last month at the IHSA's Zone 8, Region 5 competition in California.
"I have really high expectations for both of them," Randle-Bright says. "Neither one of them has placed below third all season at any show and they're both practicing and riding really well right now."
This is French's second trip to the nationals following a seventh-place showing as a freshman in 2009, while Hurrell is making her debut at the IHSA's premier event.
To learn more about the IHSA, go to the official website at http://www.ihsainc.com.
