Virginia Intermont Head Coach Eddie Federwisch (left) is happy that Kristina Macey has won the first blue ribbon of the 2004 Holiday Tournament of Champions for the cobras. Virginia Intermont earned points in seven of the eight team classes on day one of the Tourney.

VIRGINIA INTERMONT SCORES 42 POINTS, WINS HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS BY EIGHT

Long Valley, NJ - Open rider Erika Jewell, novice rider Kristina Macey and advanced walk-trot-canter rider Rachel Ellis each won blue ribbons as defending IHSA National Champion hunter seat team Virginia Intermont College won the 2004 Holiday Tournament of Champions. Virginia Intermont scored 36 points on the first day of competition, adding an additional six points during the Grand Champion phase on day two. The victory marked the second time in three seasons that Virginia Intermont placed first in the Holiday Tournament, having tied Miami of Ohio for the honor two seasons ago in Laurinburg, North Carolina.

Stonehill College, the 2003 IHSA National Champion hunter seat team, placed second with 34 points while '03 and '04 National runner-up Findlay tied one of two Skidmore College squads for third with 30. Skidmore entered the competition having won the 2004 Pre-Season Tournament of Champions at Storrs, Connecticut on September 25th.

23 schools took part in the Holiday Tournament, with Skidmore, Mount Holyoke, Penn State and host Centenary College entering two separate teams of riders in the event. Each team was made up of eight riders, with one rider in each of the eight divisions. Anyone who placed in the top three on the first day of competition returned to take part in a "Grand Champion" class for that particular division the next day. Unlike regular classes, where riders earn seven points for a blue ribbon, five points for a red, four for a yellow, etc., the Grand Champion classes add three points for a first, two for a second, three for a third and nothing for fourth through sixth. Unlike last season, when three teams jumped over 2003 day one leader Fresno State by doing well in these divisions, the Grand Champion classes benefited the day one leaders the most, as Virginia Intermont and Stonehill each added six points to their first-day totals.

Among the riders who faired best over the two-day show were open rider Genna Ruschmeyer of Fairfield, who won regular open fences and was third in the Grand Champion section for the same level; Jennifer Hutson of Miami of Ohio, who was third in regular open flat and concluded the entire show with a first in the Grand Champion open flat; Penn State freshman Jackie Geewax, second in both regular intermediate flat and regular intermediate fences; Geewax's teammate Lauren Klutchka, first on both days in advanced walk-trot-canter; Skidmore senior Erina Malarkey, first in the regular intermediate flat and second in Grand Champion of the same level; Sarah Muller of Stonehill, first on both days in novice flat; Muller's teammate Shannon Tibbits, third on day one in intermediate flat but first in the Grand Champion division of same; Holly Fatula and Pamela Ciccone of host Centenary College, the former winning both days in intermediate fences and the latter a two-time winner in walk-trot; their teammate Kelly Shepstone, third on day one in novice fences and a day two winner of the Grand Champion division in same; Kyla Makhloghi of Mount Holyoke College, second each day in open flat, and Jewell of Virginia Intermont, with perhaps the best overall performance of anyone. The junior from Pennington, New Jersey was second in both of her open fences classes, while placing first in open flat on day one and third in Grand Champion open flat on day two. Jewell thus accounted for 15 of Virginia Intermont's 42 points.

Kristine Kennedy of Drew (left, with ranger Assistant Coach Sandra Sayre) edged Jewell in section B of open fences, then finished third behind Jewell and Makhloghi in section B of open flat.

Locals make good their first time out: Drew University, competing in a Tournament of Champions show for the first time, scored 17 points. Drew joined Rutgers and host Centenary as one of three New Jersey schools participating in the first Tournament of Champions show held in the garden state since 1993. Open rider Kristine Kennedy accounted for eleven of the Drew points, with a first in open fences and third in open flat. Though 45 open riders rode at least once, Kennedy was one of only seven open riders who is currently first or tied for the top spot in their region within the open rider/Cacchione standings. Kennedy leads the Zone 2, Region 1 open rider standings, and should she hold the lead Kennedy would become the first Drew rider since Maria Garrison in 1999 to compete for the Cacchione Cup at IHSA Nationals come May.

No room at the Inn: The North Carolina State team were in for a surprise when they reached the Comfort Inn and found that the hotel was oversold! According to Head Coach Meredith Douthit the wolfpack equestrians lucked out in that open rider Lauren Hill's Mother had friends in the area, and they were able to put the team up. Intermediate flat rider Anna Rector and novice fences rider Debbie Smith earned fourth place ribbons for NC State.

Trying to beat her own legacy: Ohio State University has been a surprise to some in Zone 6, Region 1, leading the region in hunter seat at the break for the first time ever (Ohio University, Lake Erie College and Miami of Ohio were the only teams to previously lead the region by mid-December). Much of the credit belongs to first-year Head Coach Lori Cramer, who had been the Head Coach at Findlay in Zone 6, Region 3 the past four seasons. Cramer's former assistant Michelle Arnold has taken her place coaching the oilers, and also has her team in first place. Thanks in part to Cramer's recruiting efforts, Findlay is in the enviable position of having only one junior and no seniors on the hunter seat roster! The Holiday Tourney marked the first time Cramer and Arnold had the opportunity to coach against each other, with Arnold's team getting the upper hand. Sophomore Laura Baldine won intermediate fences (and placed second in the Grand Champion division of the same) while walk-trot rider Fayth Weed won her class on day one for the oilers. If both Ohio State and Findlay hold their leads, both would face the Zone 6, Region 2 high point hunter seat team at Zone 6 Zones, with only the top two teams out of three advancing to Nationals.

Is it really like riding a bicycle?: The Tournament of Champions shows also include an alumni class, and with the show located so close to many Northeastern metropolitan areas the turnout was large. 19 riders competed in the division, with the fences and flat combined into one placing. At regular IHSA shows the only criteria for an alumni to enter is that she or he must have ridden in an IHSA show once as an undergraduate. The criteria for entering an alumni class at a Tournament of Champions show is slightly different. Though not found in the official IHSA rule book, supposedly one must have ridden in a Tournament of Champions class as an undergraduate to compete in any future Tournament alumni classes. The 2004 alumni class featured six riders who earned diplomas from Fairfield University. One of those entries was Kristen Abbatiello-Neff, who was a founding member of the Fairfield team back in 1992 (the April 8, 1994 issue of Chronicle of the Horse has a very good story on the origins of the Fairfield team, including Abbatiello's efforts to start a team in spite of resistance from the school itself!). As if it were scripted out of a TV Movie on Lifetime or perhaps the Hallmark Channel, the rider who had not shown in an IHSA class for the longest time came out on top. Abbatiello, whose most recent IHSA ride was at 1995 Nationals in the individual open fences, was given first place by Judge Rita Timpanaro. Among the more interesting things Abbatiello has done since her days as an undergrad include marrying her veterinarian ("He would visit once a week to look at my horse") and serving as Fairfield Assistant Coach to Lisa Bailey in the mid-to-late 1990's.

UConn rider wins best prize of all: Though Regan Duffee of the University of Connecticut followed up her third place open fences ride with a first in Grand Champion over fences, her open-level teammate Heather Callahan may have come out ahead. Callahan entered a raffle held during the two-day event, with perhaps the top prize being custom boots from Der Dau. According to her Mother Janice Callahan, who also happens to be the University of Connecticut Coach, the junior open rider had some problems with the fit of her most recent boots, so winning the raffle for the Der Dau's will be of help sooner rather than later. Duffee, who is tied for second in the Zone 1, Region 1 open rider/Cacchione standings, will get something besides a blue ribbon. All riders who won Grand Champion classes were then measured for a custom vest comemorating the 2004 Tournament.

From Bridgewater, Massachusetts, Stonehill College senior Sarah Muller (center) poses with many of her teammates following first place in the Grand Champion novice flat division. Stonehill added six points to their team total during the Grand Champion phase, and eventually secured the reserve team champion title.

A few more first-place ribbons to go around: Julia Nichols of College of Charleston (novice fences), Lindsey Lawrence of Texas A & M (intermediate flat) and Kate Fegan of Skidmore's "White" team (in novice flat) were also blue ribbon winners.

The Blue versus the White: Fegan's first was the only real highlight for Skidmore's White team, eventually ending with eleven points. The blue team (Malarkey, Jessica Schroff, Hawthorne Hart, Courtney Clark, Alyssa Garvin, Ashley Halsey, Paris Woodward and Pearl Higgins) had the 30-point day, though surprisingly only Malarkey won a blue ribbon. Penn State also saw their blue team fair better than their white, with 23 for the blue team that included Geewax and Klutchka. However both Centenary and Mount Holyoke received better scores for their white teams, with the former earning 28 and the latter earning 21. It should be noted that the Mount Holyoke teams were only separated by one point. Imagine how good the Mount Holyoke Team would be if the Blue and White teams could merge!

A constant reminder: We wish we knew the name of the announcer for the two-day event, as he did a superior job to most announcers at IHSA shows. One thing the announcer did often was praise the riders, coaches and staff of Centenary College for the terrific job they were doing running the show. Since he never mentioned anyone by name, this writer would like to single out a few cyclone riders for a few 'thanks:' Thanks to Alison Cozine, who was the gatekeeper throughout; To Emily Vaughan, constantly in motion, including running in a new pair of stirups to the indoor after some tack gave out in the middle of a ride; Ethan Smock, a hero for the cyclones at past Nationals, now in the open level and schooling horses throughout the Tournament; Amy Gregonis, who schooled horses along with Smock; Tim Leuzarder, Timothy Backer and Cem Uzman, for directing traffic, and Centenary stock seat Head Coach Thomas Goodwin, who was handing out candy canes on day one to all who were headed for the indoor. The 'new indoor' at Centenary (the proper name for the facility is "The United States Equestrian Team Arena at Centenary College"), now four years old, impressed everyone who saw it for the first time and it is hoped that Centenary will host another Tournament show here long before another eleven years go by.

--Steve Maxwell

Show Incidentals: High Temperature in the mid 40's on day one, in the mid 50's on day two. Partly sunny skies both days. Entire show held indoors. Day one start time: 9:39AM. Finish: 4:58PM - includes 35 minute lunch break. Day two start time: 8:27AM. Finish: 11:55AM - includes 24 minute break to remove jumps and drag the ring. Judge: Rita Timpanaro, Smithtown, New York. Stewards: Karen Sykes/Drew University, Malinda Grice/Penn State University, Kelly Lamont-Francfort/Rutgers University (day one only), Meredith Douthit/North Carolina State University (day one only) and Carol J. Law/Mount Holyoke College (day two only). This show was Hunter Seat or English only.

Team Totals: Virginia Intermont College (High Point Team) 42; Stonehill College (Reserve) 34; Skidmore College - Blue Team 30; University of Findlay 30; Centenary College - White Team 28; Penn State University - Blue Team 23; University of Connecticut 22; Mount Holyoke College - White Team 21; Mount Holyoke College - Blue Team 20; Miami University of Ohio 20; Drew University 17; College of Charleston 16; Cornell University 13; Fairfield University 12; Centenary College - Blue Team 12; Texas A & M University 11; Skidmore College - White Team 11; North Carolina State University 9; Colorado State University 8; Delaware Valley College 5; University of Maryland 5; University of Wisconsin at Madison 4; Yale University 3; Rutgers University 3; Ohio State University 2; Penn State University - White Team 1 and University of Delaware 1.

Class-by-class results, in the order in which they were held:

Open equitation over fences - Section A: 1. Genna Ruschmeyer, Fairfield University. 2. Erica Rosen, Cornell University. 3. Nathalie Cooper, Mount Holyoke College - Blue Team. 4. Lindsay Passaic, Penn State University - Blue Team. 5. Elizabeth Jordan, Yale University. 6. Tim Leuzarder, Centenary College - White Team.

Open equitation over fences - Section B: 1. Kristine Kennedy, Drew University. 2. Erika Jewell, Virginia Intermont College. 3. Regan Duffee, University of Connecticut. 4. Katie Johnston, University of Findlay. 5. Kenzie Snyder, Mount Holyoke College - White Team. 6. Brittany Kekelis, College of Charleston.

Intermediate equitation over fences - Section A: 1. Laura Baldine, University of Findlay. 2. Jackie Geewax, Penn State University - Blue Team. 3. Hawthorne Hart, Skidmore College - Blue Team. 4. Kali Carlson, University of Wisconsin at Madison. 5. Karin Corbett, Mount Holyoke College - Blue Team. 6. Elizabeth Ryan, Stonehill College.

Intermediate equitation over fences - Section B: 1. Holly Fatula, Centenary College - White Team. 2. Tori Frederick, Drew University. 3. Sonia Knutsen, Fairfield University. 4. April Hall-Hough, University of Maryland. 5. Crissey Hewitt, Mount Holyoke College - White Team. 6. Erica Deahl, Yale University.

Novice equitation over fences - Section A: 1. Kristina Macey, Virginia Intermont College. 2. Leigh Murray, University of Findlay. 3. Heather Marban, Stonehill College. 4. Debbie Smith, North Carolina State University. 5. Katie Kurtz, Miami University of Ohio. 6. Ashley Harris, Penn State University - White Team.

Novice equitation over fences - Section B: 1. Julia Nichols, College of Charleston. 2. Karen Cooper, University of Connecticut. 3. Kelly Shepstone, Centenary College - Blue Team. 4. Courtney Clark, Skidmore College - Blue Team. 5. Liz Kozakeiwicz, Cornell University. 6. Lindsey Willard, University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Alumni hunter seat equitation (flat and fences phases combined): 1. Kristen Abbatiello - Neff, Fairfield University. 2. Kristen Szeliga, Centenary College. 3. Lora Abbott, University of Connecticut. 4. Jesse Quillian, Mount Holyoke College. 5. Margot Sanger - Katz, Yale University. 6. Rosemary Alonso, Mount Holyoke College.

Open equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Kelsey Amedeo, Stonehill College. 2. Alyssa Garvin, Skidmore College - Blue Team. 3. Jen Hutson, Miami University of Ohio. 4. Heather Callahan, University of Connecticut. 5. Alicyn Roy, Mount Holyoke College - White Team. 6. Kristina Christiansen, University of Delaware.

Open equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Erika Jewell, Virginia Intermont College. 2. Kyla Makhloghi, Mount Holoyke College - Blue Team. 3. Kristine Kennedy, Drew University. 4. Ashley Woodhouse, Skidmore College - White Team. 5. Melisa Voytershark, Delaware Valley College. 6. Carrie Nass, Centenary College - White Team.

Intermediate equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Lindsey Lawrence, Texas A & M University. 2. Jackie Geewax, Penn State University - Blue Team. 3. Keir Brookes, Colorado State University. 4. Anna Rector, North Carolina State University. 5. Diana Rosenbaum, Mount Holyoke College, Mount Holyoke - Blue Team. 6. Gemma Garlick, Rutgers University.

Intermediate equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Erina Malarkey, Skidmore College - Blue Team. 2. Jan Cumming, Virginia Intermont College. 3. Shannon Tibbits, Stonehill College. 4. Lindsay Barton, Miami University of Ohio. 5. Chrissey Hewitt, Mount Holyoke College - White Team. 6. Cindy Luffred, Ohio State University.

Novice equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Sarah Muller, Stonehill College. 2. Ashley Halsey, Skidmore College - Blue Team. 3. Nicole Benesch, Centenary College - White Team. 4. Diane Silcox, Miami University of Ohio. 5. Marie Hilliard, Mount Holyoke College - Blue Team. 6. Julianne Wilson, Virginia Intermont College.

Novice Equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Kate Fegan, Skidmore College - White Team. 2. Kelsey Gilmore, College of Charleston. 3. Emily Scott, Colorado State University. 4. Ashlie Soderstrom, Texas A & M University. 5. Melissa Rabbitt, Mount Holyoke College - White Team. 6. Debbie Smith, North Carolina State University.

Walk-trot-canter equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Lauren Klutchka, Penn State University - Blue Team. 2. Caroline Nobo, Mount Holyoke College - White Team. 3. Amber Garland, University of Connecticut. 4. Lacy Sproul, College of Charleston. 5. Sernea Whittington, Rutgers University. 6. Brianna Bond, University of Maryland.

Walk-trot-canter equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Rachel Ellis, Virginia Intermont College. 2. Kimberly Foley, Stonehill College. 3. Kara Grant, University of Findlay. 4. Alison Wilson, Mount Holyoke College - Blue Team. 5. Simone Shaheen, Centenary College - Blue Team. 6. Heather Roberts, Ohio State University.

Walk-trot equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Fayth Weed, University of Findlay. 2. Julianne Porter, Cornell University. 3. Danielle Johnson, Mount Holyoke College - White Team. 4. Rebecca Rodriguez, Delaware Valley College. 5. Emily Lewis, North Carolina State University. 6. Katie Lerch, Skidmore College - White Team.

Walk-trot equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Pamela Ciccone, Centenary College - White Team. 2. Michaela Downs, Miami University of Ohio. 3. Anneke Tingle, Virginia Intermont College. 4. Pearl Higgins, Skidmore College - Blue Team. 5. Caroline Gottschalk, University of Connecticut. 6. Sara Riall, University of Maryland.

Grand Champion open equitation over fences - 1. Regan Duffee, University of Connecticut. 2. Erika Jewell, Virginia Intermont College. 3. Genna Ruschmeyer, Fairfield University. 4. Erica Rosen, Cornell University. 5. Kristine Kennedy, Drew University. 6. Nathalie Cooper, Mount Holyoke College - Blue Team.

Grand Champion intermediate equitation over fences - 1. Holly Fatula, Centenary College - White Team. 2. Laura Baldine, University of Findlay. 3. Tori Fredrick, Drew University. 4. Jackie Geewax, Penn State University - Blue Team. 5. Hawthorne Hart, Skidmore College - Blue Team.

Grand Champion novice equitation over fences - 1. Kelly Shepstone, Centenary College - Blue Team. 2. Leigh Murray, University of Findlay. 3. Kristina Macey, Virginia Intermont College. 4. Karen Cooper, University of Connecticut. 5. Julia Nichols, College of Charleston. 6. Heather Marban, Stonehill College.

Grand Champion novice equitation on the flat - 1. Sarah Muller, Stonehill College. 2. Nicole Benesch, Centenary College - White Team. 3. Ashley Halsey, Skidmore College - Blue Team. 4. Kelsey Gilmore, College of Charleston. 5. Kate Fegan, Skidmore College - White Team. 6. Emily Scott, Colorado State University.

Grand Champion walk-trot-canter equitation on the flat - 1. Lauren Klutchka, Penn State University - Blue Team. 2. Rachel Ellis, Virginia Intermont College. 3. Amber Garland, University of Connecticut. 4. Kimberly Foley, Stonehill College. 5. Caroline Nobo, Mount Holyoke College - White Team. 6. Kara Grant, University of Findlay.

Grand Champion walk-trot equitation on the flat - 1. Pamela Ciccone, Centenary College - White Team. 2. Danielle Johnson, Mount Holyoke College - White Team. 3. Julianne Porter, Cornell University. 4. Michaela Downs, Miami University of Ohio. 5. Anneke Tingle, Virginia Intermont College. 6. Fayth Weed, University of Findlay.

Grand Champion intermediate equitation on the flat - 1. Shannon Tibbits, Stonehill College. 2. Erina Malarkey, Skidmore College - Blue Team. 3. Lindsey Lawrence, Texas A & M University. 4. Keir Brookes, Colorado State University. 5. Jackie Geewax, Penn State University - Blue Team. 6. Jan Cumming, Virginia Intermont College.

Grand Champion open equitation on the flat - 1. Jen Hutson, Miami University of Ohio. 2. Kyla Makhloghi, Mount Holyoke College - Blue Team. 3. Erika Jewell, Virginia Intermont College. 4. Kelsey Amedeo, Stonehill College. 5. Kristine Kennedy, Drew University. 6. Alyssa Garvin, Skidmore College - Blue Team.