By Staff
DOWAGIAC - Judy Stilwell of Dowagiac has been named the District 3 chairmain of the Michigan Interscholastic Horsemanship Association (MIHA).
Stilwell, who has been the coach of the Dowagiac Equestrian Team since 1984, was elected at the Berrien County Fairgrounds on Jan. 15.
Stilwell has recently stepped down as head coach of the team and will assist new coach Stacy Davis.
Davis, who has been a coach with Dowagiac since she graduated in 1995, owns and shows Tennessee Walking Horses.
Lisa Crowder of Stevensville was appointed assistant chairman for District 3. Crowder currently coaches the River Valley Equestrian Team. Crowder started out as the coach of the Berrien Springs Equestrian Team and then formed a team at Eau Claire.
Currently District 3 has 24 registered teams. They are Bangor, Berrien Springs, Bridgman, Buchanan, Cassopolis, Coloma, Covert, Decatur, Dowagiac, Edwardsburg, Gobles, Hartford, Lakeshore, Lawrence, Lawton, Marcellus, Mattawan, Michigan Lutheran, Niles, Paw Paw, River Valley, South Haven varsity and junior varsity, St. Joseph and Watervliet.
District 3 had 135 riders in 2004, 97 riders in 2000 and 110 in 1995. State-wide there were 2,055 riders in 2004.
Anyone interested in starting a team at their school or needing information as regards to joining a team should contact Stilwell at 269-782-9342 or Crowder at 269-422-2957.
District 3 will hold three double ring meets for their senior division. Meets dates are Sept. 18, Sept. 24 and Sept. 25. All Senior Division meets will be held at the Berrien County Fairgrounds.
New this year is a Junior Division.
Nancy Whelan of Hartford is coordinating the Junior Division for District 3. The Junior Division is open to sixth, seventh and eighth graders. Eighth graders who participate in the May meet are eligible to participate in the fall in the Senior Division.
Anyone wanting to start at junior team should call Stilwell or Whelan at 269-208-3916.
Registration deadline is April 24 with the show scheduled for May 21.