ABILENE — The 2010-2011 Texas A&M University Stock Horse Team won reserve champion team at the American Stock Horse Association Intercollegiate National Championship Show in Abilene on April 15 and 16, 2011.Team members are Melanie Armstrong from Dime Box; Kelsey Larson from San Antonio; Anna Haines from San Antonio; Ryan Birkenfield from Nazareth; Ari Sear from Simonton; Alyssa Plackemeier from Friendswood; Adrienne Paquette from Plano; and Raul Valdez from Laredo, all animal science majors. The team is coached by Dr. Dennis Sigler, professor and extension horse specialist in the Department of Animal Science.During competition, team members compete individually in horse pleasure, trail, reining and cowhorse classes.
Aggie Ryan Birkenfield was named the winner of the Non-Pro Division Owner/Trainer Recognition Award.
Other individual awards include:
– Birkenfield – fifth high individual overall; second in cowhorse; third in trail;
– Sear – first in pleasure;
– Valdez – first in reining;
– Haines – reserve high point novice rider; second in trail; third in reining; fifth in cowhorse;
– Plackemeier – reserve high point limited non-pro rider; third in pleasure;
– Larson – fourth in reining.
A&M competed against 14 universities and colleges from Texas, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming. This competition closes out the season for the Stock Horse Team.
Earlier in the year, the Stock Horse Team won champion team at contests held at Tarleton State University, Stephen F. Austin University and the Star of Texas Fair in Austin. They won reserve champion team at the contest held at Texas A&M University in October.
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