LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 4, 2023)- At the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) National Championship, Stonehill College sophomore Madeline Ahern and junior Sarah Herring earned top 15 place finishes in their respective events Thursday.

Ahern represented the Purple and White in the open division's over-fences. In the event, Ahern finished in 14th place which earned her honorable mention status. Throughout the 2022-23 season, Ahern was solid all-around in the open division's over-fences event as she posted seven top-five finishes in the event with two of those being first-place marks. One first-place show came at the IHSA Zone 1 Championship back on April 8, and her other was during the team's spring home show in March (March 19). 

Meanwhile, Herring took part in the intermediate division's flat event. Herring notched a 13th-place finish and also garnered honorable mention recognition. Like Ahern, Herring also excelled in the intermediate division's flat event throughout the year. Leading up to today, she posted top-five finishes in all six shows she competed in highlighted by four second-place finishes. During the regular season, she had one at the Bentley University show (October 30), and the other at Stonehill's home show in the fall (November 12). Her two other second-place finishes came during the postseason in both the IHSA Zone 1 Region 4 Championships, and the IHSA Zone 1 Championships.

About The IHSA

The Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association was established in 1967 by Robert Cacchione while an 18-year-old sophomore attending Farleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey. Cacchione developed the prototype competition program with the help of his professor and renowned horseman Jack Fritz. 

Launched with just two colleges competing in hunter seat equitation, the IHSA was praised for its innovative competition format and quickly caught on. In 1979 the Western divisions premiered at the IHSA National Championship Horse Show (Nationals). In 1999 IHSA Inc. was established as a nonprofit organization. 

The early shows were judged by great horsemen, like Frank Chapot and Michael Page. Originally, Nationals were held at various college facilities.

IHSA now encompasses 40 Regions in 8 Zones with over 400 member colleges in 45 states and Canada and represents 10,000 members in hunter seat equitation on the flat and over fences, Western horsemanship, ranch riding and reining. To support the size of the organization, IHSA now requires major venues like Harrisburg, the Kentucky Horse Park and Los Angeles Equestrian Center for its National Championships.

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