Ethel Walker School
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Collegiate Riding Seminar
January 21, 2025 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Please join us for a conversation about the opportunities to ride at the collegiate level. Hear about the collegiate riding process from Skidmore College Head Coach Belinda Colgan, Bentley University and WPI Head Coach Tamara Johnston, and Mount Holyoke College Head Coach C.J. Law. You will learn about the differences between IHSA and NCEA, and take a deeper dive into what riding IHSA in college actually looks like. Bring your questions!
About our Guests
Belinda Colgan was promoted to the head coaching position at Skidmore in 2019 after a successful stint as assistant coach. Belinda has been an integral part of three Skidmore national championship teams and three reserve championship teams. She trained numerous riders (students and community) to many championships and personal bests both in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association and A Circuit competitions. Most recently, Colgan led her team to win their ninth IHSA National Championship in May of 2023; this is the most wins in IHSA history.
Tamara Johnston is the Head Coach of the Bentley University and WPI equestrian teams, as well as Owner and Manager of Maplewood Farm. She teaches and coaches the Maplewood show, IEA, and IHSA teams. Tamara utilizes her considerable knowledge from her many years of showing and training with some of the country’s top professionals to help educate her students. She is a Board Member of the Massachusetts Horsemen’s Council (MHC) for years and established a successful Maplewood IEA Team in 2005. She is also a certified IEA Zone 1 Steward.
C.J. Law is currently in her 39th season at Mount Holyoke College where she currently serves as the Director of Intercollegiate Coaching and Varsity Hunt Seat Team Coach. C.J. is regarded as one of the top collegiate riding coaches in the nation with accolades too numerous to count. She has received the prestigious IHSA Lifetime Achievement Award for her innovative ideas promoting sportsmanship and has founded the IHSA Senior Academic Achievement and National Horse Show Sportsmanship Awards. C.J. has served on the IHSA Board of Directors since 1986 and has been the IHSA Zone 1 Chairperson since 1989 and is presently a member of the IHSA PR & Communications Marketing Committee. All of these achievements have been made while coaching Mount Holyoke’s team to 30 regional championships, three IHSA National Collegiate Team Championships, and three of her riders have taken top honors in the Cacchione Cup Class Championships.
