Miessler Fifth at Nationals

Colby Community College equestrian team member Kirsten Miessler placed fifth at the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) National Championships on May 5 at Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky.

The competition featured hundreds of riders across the United States and Canada in all levels of hunter seat equitation on the flat and over fences and western divisions such as horsemanship, ranch riding, and reining.

Miessler's fifth-place ride was in the Western Horsemanship Level 1 Championship under judges Holly Hover (Cave Creek, Ariz.) and Debra Jones-Wright (Abbeville, S.C.).

Colby Community College was just one of 112 colleges and universities represented at the 2023 IHSA National Championships.

"This exhilarating experience was motivating and already has me gearing up for getting riders back to Nationals," said Coach Adrianne Schaunaman. "Kirsten easily worked herself to the top of the class after rail work and solidified her place at the top of the class after her pattern. Her rock-solid seat in the saddle combined with a great draw being 'Tommy' from Midway University proved to be a beautiful equation."