LEXINGTON, Ky. – On Saturday, May 7, senior Shannon O'Keefe (Glastonbury, Conn.), competed at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) National Championships in Lexington, Kentucky, receiving National Honorable Mention for her performance.
At the show, O'Keefe competed at Open Fences while representing the Hawks. At the end of the show, O'Keefe was named National Honorable Mention, giving her recognition as one of the top 16 Open Fences riders in the nation, a significant accomplishment for herself. Winning Open Fences was Ali Cibon from the University of Kentucky.
O'Keefe qualified for Open Fences after winning her class at the Zone 1 Championship Show on April 9th at Mount Holyoke College. This earned her a spot in a very elite group of 16 riders in the same division from across the country and Nova Scotia.
Over 8,600 riders compete in the IHSA, with over 400 riders at Nationals alone. Having O'Keefe compete at Nationals was exciting for the whole Equestrian team to have one of their riders competing with the best riders in the nation.
“It takes a very dedicated and talented rider to make it to Nationals,” said Assistant Coach Michelle Greim. “Shannon is both of those. She is a true leader of the Equestrian team, and I am very sad to see her graduate but wish her all the best in her future endeavors. I have no doubt in my mind we will be seeing and hearing her name again in the Equestrian world.”
