A question-and-answer session with the Judge gave upper school high point rider honors to Antoinette D'Addario of Emerald City (holding "Pacman"). Seen here between Emerald City coaches Sara Paddock (on left) and Meg Maloney, D'Addario was a blue ribbon winner in both Varsity intermediate flat and fences while Emerald City was upper school reserve high point team in Skaneateles, New York on September 17th.

TAPS AND EMERALD CITY PREVAIL IN FIRST IEA ZONE 2, REGION 3 SHOW

Skaneateles, NY - Showing for the first time as part of a specific region, both TAPS equestrian team and Emerald City Equestrian left Heritage Farm with a high point team award. TAPS defeated Emerald City by a 26-23 margin for high point Upper School honors while Emerald City won the Middle School team competition by a narrow 22-21 score over TAPS.

Host Heritage was third in both contests, with their Upper School scoring 18 and Middle School 15. Way Farm, making their IEA debut but with several riders with IEA experience, scored 15 Upper School points while earning a single point in the final class of the day to put their Middle School team on the board.

Named for their Head Coach, Tracy Percival (now Tracy Forman), the TAPS upper school was led by senior Kierstyn Duggleby. A winner in both the varsity open flat class which kicked off the contest and varsity open fences, Kierstyn was not the only member of the Duggleby family to win a class for TAPS. Younger sister Kendra won the lone section of future intermediate on the flat. While no one without "Duggleby" in their name was a blue ribbon winner for TAPS, five of their riders earned red ribbons. Eighth grader Corrin Stellakis was second in both of her future intermediate divisions while Julia Winnicki was second in the future beginner flat class which closed out the event. A seventh grader, Winnicki is the stepdaugter of TAPS 'helper' Kelly Winnicki (Kelly is not officially the assistant coach as of yet but certainly had good advice for the TAPS riders throughout the day). Not only was today's show the first event for TAPS under the Zone 2, Region 3 moniker it was also the first TAPS show with their shortened name. Previously the team was called "TAPS of Central New York" but will be known simply as TAPS in the forseeable future.

You cannot really call them "TPFS" even though coach Tracy Percival (center) is now Tracy Forman. It simply wouldn't sound the same. TAPS riders earned the top two placings in the first class on September 17th, as junior Shannon Ames (on left) was second while senior Kierstyn Duggleby (with blue ribbon) was champion in varsity open on the flat.

Emerald City earned four blue ribbons for the day, with both upper school firsts going to sophomore Antoinette D'Addario. It was the first IEA show for D'Addario, who won both varsity intermediate flat and fences. Shannon Barry added a red ribbon in junior varsity novice flat to enhance the upper school total. Perhaps the highlight of the day for Emerald City was when all five riders entered in future novice on the flat placed in the top six. Winning that class was Casey Abbene-Meagley while Maura Cherney was second in her IEA debut. After a question-and-answer session with judge Megan MacCallum, D'Addario was named upper school high point rider over Kierstyn Duggleby for the day.

Considering how many blue ribbons they earned it was suprising to some that host Heritage was only third overall in both team competitions. Heritage riders won five of the 14 classes, with two riders just missing the high point Q & A. Freshman Morgan Hunt was a blue ribbon winner in varsity intermediate on the flat while junior Shelby Morgan won junior varsity novice flat. Both Hunt and Morgan were red ribbon winners in their jumping classes. To the chagrin of Heritage coach Mike McGowan, varsity intermediate rider Kacey Jervis was unable to keep all of her long hair from escaping her helmet during her jumping class. However senior Jervis was first in a field of six riders nevertheless.

She had perhaps the largest collection of friends and family in attendance. Kacey Jervis of Heritage Stables (holding blue ribbon and IEA bag) won her varsity intermediate over fences despite her pony tail partially escaping from under her riding helmet. Heritage earned five blue and three red ribbons over the course of 14 classes.

Though it was the debut of the Way Farm team several of their riders were members of the now-defunct "Our Lady of Mercy High School" IEA team (known simply as "Mercy" to most). Peggy Gauger coached the Mercy team and now coaches the Way Farm team (Way Farm is the name of Gauger's facility). Cassie Wihlen (a high school junior) and Rachel Panarites (a senior making her IEA debut) received seconds in consecutive sections of varsity intermediate on the flat. Several classes later Panarites repeated the placing in varsity intermediate over fences while Wihlen was again a red ribbon winner in junior varsity over fences (or crossrails as it is properly known). Finishing ahead of Wihlen in novice fences was Alexis Terruli, a junior making her IEA debut. Terruli may know a thing or two about the IEA and Way Farm for that matter, as coach Gauger is also her aunt!

A few new IEA/IHSA differences learned: This writer has such an IHSA mindset that he was confused when riders in the varsity intermediate over fences division appeared to be jumping the fences in the exact same order as varsity open fences. In IHSA the two courses would clearly differ. However in IEA the course is usually the same, save for the fact the jumps are lowered by six inches. Also the course itself seemed very long. This was because there are two practice jumps in IEA prior to the official eight fence course. Several riders went over the practice jumps and then trotted over to their coach for advice before tackling the official part of the course. It should be noted that the outdoor ring in use at Heritage Stables was very large, and because of this there was considerably more room between many of the jumps than one might find at most shows.

It was her first IEA ride and for about an hour she was undefeated! High school junior Alexis Terruli (on right) was one of two Way Farm riders to win a class at Heritage Stables on the 17th. Head Coach Peggy Gauger (on left, who also coaches the University of Rochester IHSA Team) knew Terruli long before her win in junior varsity novice crossrails, as Terruli is her niece!

Re-naming the horses just won't stick: McGowan, who is perhaps the most animated coach in the region, decided to change the name of one of his horses from "Tuna" to "Freebird" following one of the Heritage rides. It is unclear if this is because the rider tried to get Tuna to do something Tuna just won't due (the lyric from the Lynyrd Skynyrd 1974 top ten hit implies that Tuna is "Free as a bird...and this bird you cannot change") or if Tuna was simply free-spirited. In any event the name change did not last and Tuna went back to his original name in time for Jervis to win a blue ribbon on him.

Who trains where in Region 3: Heritage trains at Heritage Stables, Way trains at Way Farm, but TAPS trains at North Riding & Shady Maples, which is a facility owned by the parents of Kierstyn and Kendra Duggleby. A visit to the Emerald City Equestrian Team facebook page shows they are named for the city of Syracuse, New York, which was designated the emerald city following successful environmental efforts there. Emerald City trains at Affinity Farms in Skaneateles, making it the closest team in proximity to Heritage Stables (aside from the hosts) at today's show.

The region is really bigger than this: Though only four teams were entered at today's show there were at least two others which tried to get in but for whatever reason paperwork reached the IEA offices past the deadline. Hopefully several of these teams will be entered at the Ironwood Equestrian show in Chittenango, New York on September 24th. Several of the upcoming Zone 2, Region 3 hosts (including CNY EQ and Smoke Tree Farm) were not present today, and at least ten teams could be entered at a given Region 3 show not counting those who may cross regional boundries on occasion when a host facility allows.

---Steve Maxwell

Show Incidentals: Overcast skies, with clearing late in the day. Temperatures reaching the upper '50's. Start Time: 9:35AM. Finish: 3:10PM - includes two schooling breaks totaling exactly one hour. Judge: Megan MacCallum, Freeville, NY. Stewards: Listed in program as "Coaches Committee."

Team Totals - Upper School: TAPS (High Point Team) 26 (7); Emerald City (Reserve) 23 (5); Heritage Stables 18 (4) and Way Farm 15 (3).

Team Totals - Middle School: Emerald City (High Point Team) 22 (7); Taps (Reserve) 21 (5); Heritage Stables 7 (4) and Way Farm 1 (3).