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Saddle strategy
Youngstown State’s Bevan will compete for national championship in Syracuse, N.Y.
By Greg Gulas
YOUNGSTOWN
Youngstown State University senior Emily Bevan will represent the Penguins club team in the individual intermediate horsemanship competition on Sunday at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association national championship in Syracuse, N.Y.
A rider from Austintown, Bevan was undefeated after 10 regular-season competitions and earned her ride to nationals on March 16 by placing third out of 16 riders at the National semifinals in Logan, Utah. The top four qualified for nationals.
Bevan is the second rider from the five-year-old YSU equestrian program to qualify for nationals. In 2017, Sarah Newman of Sacramento, Calif., was the first and finished as Reserve National Champion.
“It has been an amazing season for me,” Bevan said.
Bevan and head coach Amy Watkins, who founded the program in 2015, will leave for Syracuse on Saturday to prepare while using IHSA horses.
“Amy has been a great coach,” Bevan said. “There’s a part of her that pushes me, and we nit-pick but in a good way. I wouldn’t be the rider I am today without her coaching and pushing me.”
A business major, Bevan will graduate with her BS in business administration degree in December.
“It’s going to take a lot, so I must ride like I have all season and remain focused,” Bevan said. “There will be 12 outstanding riders in my event and I need to figure out how to stand out among them.”
Watkins credited Bevan’s hard work and the preparation since September.
“Now it’s time,” Watkins said.
“Emily has been an outstanding representative of YSU throughout her career and will be an excellent representative.”
Watkins is confident that Bevan can become the program’s second individual national champion.
“The top eight in Emily’s event place and right now she is ranked in the top 12 from [more than] 1,000 riders in intermediate horsemanship,” Watkins said. “To come back a winner she must step up her game and make sure that her patterns are precise.
“She must be confident, needs to show she is ready to win and to me absolutely has the ability to do so. I’ve never felt more confident about a rider than I do of Emily.”
The success of the equestrian program under Watkins has not gone unnoticed by administration with a Beginner Horseback Riding class set to be offered starting in the fall.
Watkins will head up the program.
“This all came about over the last three or four months,” Watkins said. “President [Jim] Tressel asked what he can do to help, we talked finances and what other schools were offering and the result is this class elective beginning in the fall.
“It will be a lecture one day a week on campus with a lab, also once a week that takes place at my farm,” Watkins said.
“Students will learn about horses as they saddle ride, groom and care for them. We have nine students already signed up and they are excited, as am I, about this wonderful opportunity.”