Equestrian | 3/13/2025 9:09:00 AM

CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston western equestrian team will compete in the IHSA Western Semifinals at the West Texas A&M University Horse Center in Canyon, Texas Saturday, March 15 and Sunday, March 16.

The Golden Eagles will compete as a team, as they won the Zone 7, Region 3 Championship as a squad. In addition, Minnesota Crookston has four riders, who will compete as individuals. Madison Wojcek (So., Bremerton, Wash.) will compete in Open Reining, and Open Horsemanship. Hailey Hanson (Fr., Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) will compete as an individual in Open Horsemanship. Brooke Hoven (Jr., Ankeny, Iowa) will compete in Level II Ranch Riding. Kassidy Kalka (Jr., Cottage Grove, Minn.) will compete in Level II Horsemanship. Wojcek will also compete in the Back on Track Hi-Point Rider Horsemanship and Reining phase. She is the first Golden Eagle to earn Back of Track Hi-Point Rider for the Region at Minnesota Crookston. 

The individual rides will take place mostly Saturday, March 15, with a few classes wrapping up Sunday, March 16. The team rides will commence Sunday, March 16. Minnesota Crookston is fresh off their first Regional Championship in western equestrian since 2011. They are looking to continue their trajectory heading into the Western Semifinals and hopefully move on to the 2025 IHSA Nationals May 2-4 at Tryon International in Mill Spring, N.C.