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2020 ATOC HUNTER SEAT SHOW: MATHEWS, BURKE WIN A FEW MORE WHILE VILLAREALE WINS ALUMNI CUP FOR THE FIRST TIME East Greenville, PA - For the first time since 2016 the annual hunter seat Alumni Tournament of Champions event was held in the state of Pennsylvania, and for the first time it was held later than the month of July. Originally scheduled for the Memorial Day weekend, the ninth annual ATOC for English riders was moved ahead to Sunday, August 9th in hopes that the covid-19 situation would improve by then. While it was debatable if covid-19 was more or less of a problem depending on where you live on August 9th the fact that outdoor non-contact sports had been OK'd by Governor Wolf of Pennsylvania by the end of June meant that roughly 60 riders would go on to compete at Rosewood Equestrian Center in East Greenville, Pennsylvania in the ATOC event. The state of Pennsylvania had a list of 'quarantine' states on August 9th (and at the time of writing still has such a list) which prevented riders from states south of Virginia from visiting the Keystone State unless they quarantined themselves upon arrival for 14 days. Coincidentally a Massachusetts quarantine list prevented residents of that state from visiting Pennsylvania unless they too wanted to quarantine for 14 days upon returning home. Had these restrictions not been in place more than 90 riders likely would have been in East Greenville to compete. By 8:30AM the vast majority of riders had checked in with registration and a gaze at the riders in attendance showed that everyone was abiding by the mask/face-coverings rule that had been Pennsylvania state law since early July. At 8:58AM Delaware Valley University graduate Allyson Villareale was the first rider in the ring in the first class of the day, 2'6" fences. Known as Ally Brink as an undergraduate at Del Val, the now-married Villareale would finish out of the ribbons in this division but fair as much better as anyone can in one of the classes pinned hours later. After 23 rides in the division (ironically another Delaware Valley graduate, Emily Cornell, was the 23rd and final rider to navigate the course) four riders were invited to test. Two of these riders, University of Delaware graduate Alyssa Kelly and Lafayette College graduate Alexandra Bishop were making their debuts at an Alumni Tournament event. The other two, Virginia Tech graduate Kayleigh Burke and University of Connecticut graduate Tara Mathews, are among the most previously-decorated riders at these yearly meets. The alumni cup is the top honor a rider can win at an ATOC event, and both are previous winners. Burke entered the day having won the cup at each of the two prior hunter seat ATOC's. When the placings were announced Kelly was fourth, Bishop third, Mathews reserve champion and Burke the two foot, six inch over fences champion to kick off the first of eight ribbon ceremonies of the day.
Because several of the classes held at ATOC events have a fences phase, a flat phase and a testing phase it is hard to write about the exact order of what was in the ring at any given time. For the purposes of this article the remainder of what you read pertains to the order in which each class was pinned. The advanced flat had the honor of being the second class of the day in which the ribbon winners were revealed. Because 21 riders competed in the division the class was split into two sections. Judge Patti Zumbrun, a former IHSA head coach at Goucher College and the 2015 IHSA Lifetime Achievement Award winner, called back riders from each section to essentially ride in a third section. When that group had walked, trotted and cantered in each direction it was time for that division to be placed. Sixth place went to Jacqueline Minto of Long Island University, who was not the only rider entered to have shown alumni in Zone 2, Region 4 during the 2019-20 season but was the only alumni to have graduated from a school on Long Island to compete at today's event. Villareale was fifth and Cornell fourth, giving two of the four Delaware Valley graduates entered in a 2020 ATOC hunter seat class a ribbon within the first two classes. Penn State graduate Lydia Drabik was one of many riders entered who showed in one region as an undergraduate and another as an alumni. The 2019 graduate from a Zone 3, Region 1 school showed in Zone 3, Region 5 this past season. Drabik was third while Burke nearly stayed undefeated for the day with the red, runner-up ribbon. The tables were turned from the first class, as Mathews was the blue ribbon winner. This meant that Mathews, who was Tara Lynch as an undergraduate at UConn in the last few years of the 2K decade, had won the advanced flat for the second season in a row. This was the first season Mathews had shown alumni outside of the New England states during the regular season, as she moved far enough into the state of New York that Zone 2, Region 2 was far more convenient than to keep traveling to Western Massachusetts for Zone 1, Region 3 shows. The third class of the day to be placed was the Future Alumni Cup and due to the nature in which one qualifys to ride in this division it was a certainty that Mathews would not win a ribbon this time. This writer would get into trouble saying Burke would not win this this time either, for there were two 'Burkes' entered at today's ATOC and they are sisters no less. Future classes are for riders who are exclusively from the most recent graduating class, which in this case is the class of 2020. Eight riders rode in the multi-phased event (which overlapped with parts of the previous two classes placed) and when it was over all eight had a ribbon as Cup Classes are placed all the way to eighth rather than sixth. While the over fences scores of Judge Zumbrun were announced after each trip the flat phase scores were not, so it was not yet clear how the placings would turn out from only one phase. The rider with the fourth best over fences score was Penn State graduate Lauren Rinda (a '74'), who coincidentally placed fourth. The rider with the second best over fences score was State University of New York at New Paltz graduate Katie Zacharda (an '80'), who was awarded third place. The rider with the best over fences score was Centenary University (NJ) graduate Nina Leeds (an '82'). To the surprise of some Leeds was the reserve champion. The winner was one of two Virginia Tech graduates in the class. It was not Anna Burke, the younger sister of Kayleigh but rather her teammate Rachel Burton. Burton had the third best over fences score (a '75') but apparently was superior in the flat phase to claim the first Cup class completed on this day.
Reunion classes are for riders who did Not show alumni in an official IHSA show during the just-concluded IHSA season (in this case, a season that ended abruptly in March due to the coronavirus). These riders might have never showed at an IHSA show in an alumni class but did in fact ride in an IHSA show as an undergraduate at some point prior to the most recent IHSA season. Several of the entries, including 2015 Alumni Cup winner and Wilson College graduate Megan Mendenhall, had competed in the non-reunion alumni divisions at previous ATOC events but did not ride alumni in IHSA shows this past season and thus competed in the reunion divisions this time around. The first of three reunion classes to be completed on August 9th was the Reunion Fences. Eleven riders were entered in the division, which was once again sponsored by Campus Equestrian. Unlike some of the other divisions, the top four riders were not tested on horses but instead were asked questions by Zumbrun. Amanda Rogowyi, one of the Delaware Valley Riders entered at today's tourney, was fourth while Lehigh University graduate and sometimes fill-in coach Jackie Annatone was third. Mendenhall was the reserve champion while 2018 Elon University graduate Allie Morris won the reunion fences in her first ATOC appearance. This meant schools from south of the Potomic river separating Maryland and Virginia had so far earned three of the four blue ribbons awarded. Though Elon University is located in North Carolina (one of Pennsylvania's quarantine states) Morris apparently was now living not too far from Rosewood, making her the most 'local' blue ribbon winner through the halfway point of the show. Nineteen riders took part in the Alumni Cup classes, including the winner of the last two such classes in 2018 and 2019, Kayleigh Burke. While the scores from the flat phase are unknown the leader in the over fences was 2019 Lafayette graduate Bishop with an '82.' Mathews was a notch back with an '81' while Villareale was also in the eighties at '80.' After both phases Zumbrun invited six riders back to test: Hollins University graduate Catherine Hensly (who had a '79' over fences), Mathews, Villareale, Drabik, Bishop and Kayleigh Burke (who had a '77' for the fifth-best over fences score). Eventually Bishop was sixth, Drabik fifth, Mathews fourth and Hensly third. Would Burke win the Cup a third season in a row? This would not be the case as Villareale would become the eighth rider in nine ATOC's to earn the top prize awarded to a hunter seat rider. Villareale is also the first Delaware Valley graduate to earn this honor. She joins Amy Kriwitsky, Heather Johnson, Sara McCoy, Bianca Lupo, Mendenhall, Mathews and Burke as winners of what ATOC co-founders Lena Andrews and Jamie Windle call their equivalent of the Cacchione Cup.
Sometimes one or two ATOC classes in recent years have both riders who showed alumni in at least one IHSA regular season show during the previous twelve months and a few who did not (thus falling under the heading of Reunion riders). The 2'3" fences were the only class at the 2020 ATOC to contain riders from both groups. The ten riders entered were split evenly between five reunion and five non-reunion in what was the sixth class of the day to be pinned. Had there been substantially more riders entered from both groups there might have been a 2'3" reunion fences division held separate from the one known simply as 2'3" fences. This division appears not to have been tested, with Zumbrun selecting Samantha Zajdel of Seton Hill University fourth, Jessie Ann Bolash (who started college at Hofstra University on Long Island but finished at Illinois State University) third, Carolyn Rosazza of Virginia Tech second and Emily Weyl of Lafayette College the champion. Known at every IHSA-related event until now by her maiden name Emily Mallory, Weyl was one of three former Lafayette riders to compete at today's show (joining Bishop and Justine Perrotti, the latter of whom was second in last year's Future Alumni Cup). Had Rosazza finished ahead of Mallory she would have put Virginia Tech into the ATOC record books in a new category. Since the first ATOC event in 2012 no school could claim that three or more different riders won a class at a specific ATOC hunter seat event. There have been cases of a rider winning two classes at the same ATOC event and another rider from that same school winning a third blue ribbon but not yet had three different human beings from the same school accomplished this the same year...at least through six classes!! Alumni Flat was the seventh class of the day to be pinned. Ten riders were entered (perhaps only seven showed) and when it was time for the placings it would turn out that history had to wait only about an hour. In fourth place was Constance "Connie" Chave of Cazenovia College, who had the honor of being the only former IHSA rider to compete at today's ATOC hunter seat event and the annual ATOC Western event held in Coleman, Michigan exactly one week earlier. West Chester University graduate Shauna Stanley was third while another Ashleigh, in this case former Binghamton University rider Ashleigh Bieder, was the reserve champion. Bieder was yet another rider who rode alumni in 2019-20 in a different region than where her college is located. Bieder was one of the many Zone 2, Region 4 participants during the regular season. The Alumni Flat champion proved that if you don't succeed then try, try again. Rosazza followed up her second over 2'3" fences with a first on the flat. With Kayleigh Burke and Rachel Burton having won earlier in the day the Virginia Tech Hokies became the first school ever to produce three different alumni to win a class at the same hunter seat ATOC event.
Sixteen riders signed up to compete in the Reunion Flat class. Two sections were whittled down to six invited returnees and those six riders were the last to hear their names called as ribbon winners at today's event. West Chester University graduate Nina Shaffer was sixth while Crystal Grayson of Tulane University was fifth. Sandy Rose graduated from the College of St. Elizabeth in 1984 and placed in both of her classes at today's show. After having missed the 2019 event Rose was fifth in 2'3" fences and the fourth place ribbon-winner in Reunion Flat. Mendenhall was third while Morris just missed a second blue ribbon with a second. Mendenhall was also the Wilson head coach for several seasons in the teens and one of her riders was Morgan Thomas. Thomas graduated in 2018 and rode alumni many times versus Mendenhall within 2018-19 Zone 3, Region 1 competitions. On August 9th the student edged out her former coach for the Reunion Flat blue ribbon, as Thomas was announced as the Reunion flat winner at 4:20PM. Thomas is the second of Mendenhall's former students to win this class over the past three seasons, as former Wilson rider Molly Jean McElroy won the class in 2018. Common thread: All of the winners at today's event and the western ATOC a week earlier received an Alumni Tournament of Champions face covering. These specially designed face coverings were created by former Virginia Commonwealth University rider Aly Howse, who has a Facebook page known as EFC Customizations. This page was previously known as Equestrian Face Covers but since Howse customizes other items - both clothing items and non-clothing items such as drinking glasses - the new name is more indicative of the products available. The ATOC face covering can be seen in some of the photos within this article. The covering has white lettering against a black background and both Andrews and Windle were seen wearing the covering throughout the day.
Age is all in the mind: Though Princeton University head coach/New York University head coach and IHSA alumni legend Ashton Phillips did not participate in this year's alumni tournament he may be happy to know that one alumni record he is in the running for won't be his anytime soon. Phillips, who graduated from Virginia Intermont College in 1989 and has ridden in more regular season alumni classes (and, in turn, more classes overall) than any rider in IHSA history is (for now) no longer in the running to be the oldest-known rider to win an alumni class at an IHSA regular season show. Former Tufts University rider Gale Pollack, who graduated high school in 1965 but did not attend Tufts until the late 1970's, now has the honor of being the oldest-known person to compete in an regular-season IHSA class of any kind. On October 12th of 2019 Pollack rode in the Zone 5, Region 5 season opener in Ocala, Florida. The former Tufts Jumbo, who sponsored the 2'6" fences division at the alumni tournament for the second year in a row, was fourth in alumni on the flat that day. At 71 years, 10 months Pollack has Phillips beaten by 19 to 20 years. It should be noted that Sandy Rose, who participated in this year's alumni tournament, is roughly five years older than Phillips and her rides a few seasons back in Zone 3, Region 4 shows may have put her in the lead prior to Pollack's accomplishment. Stephanie Cook, who coaches Trinity University in Zone 7, Region 2 and who took part in the 2018 alumni tournament, graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1987 and showed in IHSA regular-season alumni classes as recently as the 2017-18 season. If Rose, Cook and Phillips return to regular season IHSA events it will be interesting to see who will sit in second, third and fourth places behind Pollack and for how long. Pollack, who was briefly also the Tufts coach in the early 1980's, also earned a sixth in alumni flat on October 13th. Pollack alerted us that her next alumni appearance would not be until March, as that was when alumni classes were to be offered again at a Zone 5, Region 5 show. Pollack hoped to jump for the first time in a regular season alumni class but those plans went out the door when all IHSA shows March 13th and later were cancelled due to covid-19. Still Pollack deserves much credit for showing the world that age has little to do with being able to make the effort (she pointed out that her competition in Ocala were 22 and 23-year-olds) and seeing as the IHSA held classes under that name as far back as the 1966-67 school year maybe other baby boomers will come out of the woodwork to give everyone a run for their money. How about breakfast at the USET Headquarters in 2021?: Though it won't be ten years since the first hunter seat alumni tournament event took place until July of 2022, the Tenth hunter seat Alumni Tournament of Champions event has a date and a location for 2021. Mark your calendars for Sunday, June 6th. The event will be held at the United States Equestrian Team foundation headquarters in Gladstone, New Jersey. Known to some as Hamilton Farm, the United States Equestrian Team was based here from 1961 until at least 2001, during which time some of the most famous USA Olympic riders trained there (including former IHSA riders Beezie Madden, Greg Best and Peter Wylde as well as well as a few olympians who later judged IHSA Nationals such as Michael Page). The Hamilton Farm barns were completed in 1916 and have been featured in equestrian publications for over 100 years. Both Andrews and Windle wanted to hold the tenth ATOC someplace special, beckoning the question what location might top this one for the actual tenth anniversary?
How about inviting all the previous Alumni Cup winners to the USET that same day for a special class?: Earlier we mentioned the previous winners of the Alumni Cup. Amy Kriwitsky (a University of Connecticut graduate) won alumni cup at the 2012 inaugural event while Heather Johnson (another Connecticut resident) was the second winner a year later. As an undergraduate Johnson rode for a school then known as Teikyo Post University but now known simply as Post University. Sara McCoy (then known as Sara Palmer which was her married name) won the 2014 ATOC alumni cup. A graduate of the University of Delaware McCoy was the first rider not from a Connecticut school to win the award. Megan Mendenhall won the cup in 2015 while Temple University graduate Bianca Lupo won it in '16. Mathews made UConn to date the only school with two ATOC cup winners when she prevailed in '17. Burke made Virginia Tech the only school with one ATOC cup winner but two cup wins in '18 and '19, and Villareale added Delaware Valley in '20. What would happen if all of these winners rode head-to-head? The opportunity to find out will be on the table at the 2021 Alumni Tourney. On October 13th there was a post on the Alumni Tournament of Champions Facebook page announcing the "Founders Battle." The division invites the past alumni cup winners to compete in a two-phased competition "for once in a decade bragging rights." The Founders Battle will be held only once every ten years and will be run "Cacchione style," with scores for both the flat and fences phases. Among other details announced included that the fences will be at least 2'3" but not to exceed 2'9" and that there will be cash awards for the first time. The champion will receive $300.00, the reserve champion $125.00 and third $75.00. However management reserves the option to either not run the class or open it to future alumni cup winners if less than six previous non-future alumni cup winners enter. The Founders Battle sounds like something that could start a trend. If all the former winners take part, could a class involving riders who won the actual Cacchione Cup at prior IHSA Nationals events go head-to-head somewhere someday? --Steve Maxwell The August 9th Hunter Seat Class-By-Class Results, listed in the order in which they were held. The Judge was Patti Zumbrun: 2'6" Fences. 1. Kayleigh Burke, Virginia Tech. 2. Tara Mathews, University of Connecticut. 3. Alexandra Bishop, Lafayette College. 4. Alyssa Kelly, University of Delaware. 5. Jacqueline Minto, Long Island University. 6. Emily Cornell, Delaware Valley University. Advanced Flat: 1. Tara Mathews, University of Connecticut. 2. Kayleigh Burke, Virginia Tech. 2. Lydia Drabik, Penn State University (State College). 4. Emily Cornell, Delaware Valley University. 5. Allyson Villareale, Delaware Valley University. 6. Jacqueline Minto, Long Island University. Future Alumni Cup (combined flat and fences phases): 1. Rachel Burton, Virginia Tech. 2. Nina Leeds, Centenary University. 3. Katie Zacharda, State University of New York at New Paltz. 4. Lauren Rinda, Penn State University. 5. Madison Gianelle, Lehigh University. 6. Anna Burke, Virginia Tech. 7. Nichole Jones, Virginia Tech. 8. Savannah Theodor, Seton Hill University. Reunion Fences: 1. Allie Morris, Elon University. 2. Megan Mendenhall, Wilson College. 3. Jackie Annatone, Lehigh University. 4. Amanda Rogowyi, Delaware Valley University. 5. Morgan Thomas, Wilson College. 6. Nina Shaffer, West Chester University. Hunter Seat Alumni Cup (combined flat and fences phases): 1. Allyson Villareale, Delaware Valley University. 2. Kayleigh Burke, Virginia Tech. 3. Catherine Hensly, Hollins University. 4. Tara Mathews, University of Connecticut. 5. Lydia Drabek, Penn State University (State College). 6. Alexandra Bishop, Lafayette College. 7. Katie Diaz, West Chester University. 8. Julie Bigham, University of Maryland (College Park). 2'3" Fences: 1. Emily Weyl, Lafayette College. 2. Carolyn Rosazza, Virginia Tech. 3. Jessie Ann Bolash, Hofstra University/Indiana University/Illinois State University. 4. Samantha Zajdel, Seton Hill University. 5. Sandy Rose, College of St. Elizabeth. 6. Katy Hannon, Rochester Institute of Technology. Alumni Flat: 1. Carolyn Rosazza, Virginia Tech. 2. Ashleigh Bieder, Binghamton University. 3. Shauna Stanley, West Chester University. 4. Constance Chave, Cazenovia College. 5. Tammy Cranouski, Westfield State University. 6. Katy Hannon, Rochester Institute of Technology. Reunion Flat: 1. Morgan Thomas, Wilson College. 2. Allie Morris, Elon University. 3. Megan Mendenhall, Wilson College. 4. Sandy Rose, College of St. Elizabeth. 5. Crystal Grayson, Tulane University. 6. Nina Shaffer, West Chester University.
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