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RESULTS FROM THE 32ND ANNUAL HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS Blacksburg, VA - The question at every Tournament of Champions event that comes along three or four times a year has become not IF Savannah College of Art & Design will win but rather by HOW MUCH will Savannah College of Art & Design win?! SCAD has dominated these Tournament invitationals, and while the Bees won many a TOC event prior to the end of 2017 it is their incredible run which started in the fall of 2018 that steals the headlines. Through May 1, 2021 (when the Bees hosted the only IHSA-related TOC event of the season that covid wiped out) SCAD won eleven consecutive TOC events. Then last September at Virginia Tech the streak ended when Emory and Henry (the previous IHSA National Champion, which would go on to win the title again in 2021-22) won by a 38-34 score over SCAD's "Gold Team." Even on that occasion the Bees had two teams to Emory and Henry's one, with the "Black Team" placing fourth with 28 points. Then SCAD proceeded to win the Holiday and Winter Tournaments before ending their long run of TOC appearances by sitting out the Spring 2022 event at Findlay. SCAD once again showed they are in a league of their own when it comes to these events, winning at Virginia Tech by a 47-39 score over Goucher College on December 3rd to make it 13 of the last 14 they were entered in. SCAD riders won six team classes, including two wins for Hattie Bradford (in the limit divisions). A senior from Johnson City, Tennessee, Bradford impoved on her pre-season tournament effort. On September 1st Bradford won both of her limit classes in Plymouth, Michigan but was second to Emmalyn Mirarchi of Mount Holyoke College in the Low Medal division. On December 3rd in Blacksburg, Virginia Bradford won the Low Medal (Mirarchi rode in the High Medal, placing seventh). SCAD produced the High Medal division champion at the Holiday Tournament, as Celia Cram prevailed. A sophomore from Aiken, South Carolina, Cram won the High Medal for the third time in four appearances. Cram also won her only team class appearance on December 3rd, pulling the Bees even with Hollins University with a blue in the second section of open fences at the start of the day.
Goucher College has been the TOC Bridesmaid of 2022-23 so far, having finished second to the Bees at both events. The third Goucher ride of the day kick-started the Gophers, as Cole Jackson won the first section of open flat. A senior from Denver, Colorado who won the High Medal on two previous occasions, Jackson was third at the end of the day in the High Medal to go along with a fifth in open fences on December 3rd. Jacob Connell, a junior from Ellicott City, Maryland earned 12 of the Gopher's points with a second in limit fences and a first in limit flat. The way the schedule worked Connell's win in limit flat came in the next-to-last team class of the day while teammate Kristen Wilhelm won the second and final section of novice right afterward. A junior from Columbia, Maryland, Wilhelm's blue ribbon meant that Goucher added 14 points at the last possible moment, jumping from 25 to 39 and leaping from fourth to second in the process. Rounding out the top five were host Virginia Tech (35 points), Hollins University (32) and Sacred Heart University (31). Charleez Simcik led the way for the Hokies, the junior from Taneytown, Maryland winning her open flat while placing second to Cram in open fences. Karlee Angel, a sophomore from Glen Allen, Virginia won her introductory class to give Virginia Tech a second blue ribbon. Hollins won a pair of blues as well. Blacksburg's own Courtney Wilson led off the day with a win in open fences (and was second to Simcik in open flat) while Emma Branche won her limit fences. Sacred Heart won a blue in their seventh team ride of the day thanks to Kelly Mecatl. A sophomore from Monroe, Connecticut in her first season of IHSA competition, Mecatl won her introductory class less than three months removed from even touching a horse for the first time in her life. No school colors (or memorable nicknames): For the first time this decade (heck, perhaps in over a decade) there were no cases of a school fielding two teams at a tournament event. Usually SCAD will field a Gold team and a Black team, which represents their school colors. Mount Holyoke usually comes up with funny names (in 2005 they even used the names of real people, fielding a "Team Bob" and a "Team Maxwell" - the latter of which was reserve champion despite being named for this writer) while Penn State is often the Blue and the White. But on December 3rd 14 schools fielded exactly one team each.
Getting to know you: Two schools made their Tournament of Champions series debuts on December 3rd. Washington and Lee University, the defending Zone 4, Region 2 Region Champion located not far north of Blacksburg was an early invite by Tournament Series creator Jim Arrigon having won their region last season for the first time in program history. The University of Dayton is currently third in Zone 6, Region 2 but was invited when they were second in the region through two shows (Kenyon College has inched ahead of the Flyers through four shows; One must remember that Arrigon has to make some of his decisions on Holiday Tournament invitations at a time when many regions might have no more than one show under their belts). Dayton is coached by the Mother/Daughter combination of Noelle and Madeline Davis, the latter of which rode with Jim Arrigon and his wife Gwen at Beckett Run Farm in the Cincinnati, Ohio area prior to enrolling at Randolph College. When Randolph later announced they would drop riding Maddie Davis transferred to Ohio University, where Jim and Gwen Arrigon had just become the Co-Coaches. However a health scare late in her only season riding for the Bobcats nearly took Maddie from all of us. A brain tumor which Maddie named "Earl" after the Dixie Chick's 1999 recording "Goodbye Earl" has for all intensive purposes seen the same fate as the subject in the song, and those who had never been told of her ordeal might not have noticed anything different about Maddie at the Holiday Tournament (Editor's note: The Dixie Chicks officially dropped the "Dixie" from their name in mid-2020). Is there a ride-off?: One of the riders in the bleechers asked this writer if there would be a ride-off for high point. I had to explain that at one time there was a ride-off at the end of each TOC (if necessary) but it was replaced by the Medal Division in 2007. Then in turn the Medal was split into a High Medal and a Low Medal. There have even been cases where a school does not enter a full team but one or two riders from that school take part only in a Medal class. Not Green with envy, but Green with Seielstad!: Riley Seielstad, a Otterbein University senior from Albion, New York was the Reserve Champion behind Bradford in the Low Medal while Samantha Green was the runner-up to Cram in the High Medal. A sophomore from Richmond, Virginia, Green now has a history of choice ribbons when riding in the Alphin-Stuart Livestock Arena during a TOC event. 15 months ago Green won her intermediate flat while placing second in intermediate fences at the 2021 Pre-Season Classic as it is called. If the Hokies hosted the pre-season event in the fall of 2021 and the holiday event in the late fall of 2022 wouldn't logic say they will host the Winter Tournament next season and the Spring Tournament the following season? Green would still be an undergraduate at each of those events!
Do I hear 299?: Wilhelm won the exact same novice flat class on May 1, 2021 which coincidentally was also the last team class held on that day. At SCAD in 2021 Wilhelm won wearing the number 301. At Virginia Tech on December 3rd Wilhelm won wearing the number 300! What's next?: SCAD will again host the Winter Tournament of Champions on January 28th of the new year in Hardeeville, South Carolina. Among the schools that will be appearing in a TOC event for the first time this season include Stanford University, Skidmore College, Boston University, Louisiana State University and the University of Delaware. Three schools - Mount Holyoke, Goucher and host SCAD - will have yet to miss a tournament this season when they enter the ring that Saturday. Though the Winter Tourney has been held in a number of places over the years (many in the state of Virginia) this will in theory be SCAD's third time in a row - or maybe the fourth - hosting this event. Though SCAD did not host a January 2021 show they did host the May 1, 2021 event that Arrigon now lists as a Winter Classic within the list of previous Medal Class winners in the Holiday Tournament show program. ---Steve Maxwell Show Incidentals from the 2022 Holiday Tournament of Champions invitational, held at the Alphin-Stuart Livestock Arena in Blacksburg, Virginia on December 3rd, 2022: Rain and temperatures in the high 40's to start the day, with clearing and a high in upper '50's. Entire show held indoors. Start time: NA. Finish: NA. Judge: Laura Norment, New Bern, North Carolina. Stewards: Jennifer Smith/Goucher College; Tabatha Taylor, St. Mary of the Woods College and Noelle Davis/University of Dayton. This show was Hunter Seat or English only. Class-by-class results, in the order in which they were held: Open equitation over fences - Section A: 1. Courtney Wilson, Hollins University. 2. Marina Trepeta, Penn State University (State College). 3. Helena Weiss, Mount Holyoke College. 4. Zoe Meyer, Lafayette College. 5. Cole Jackson, Goucher College. 6. Kylie Schoelen, Delaware Valley University. Open equitation over fences - Section B: 1. Celia Cram, Savannah College of Art & Design. 2. Charleez Simcik, Virginia Tech. 3. Elizabeth Orosz, Otterbein University. 4. Jillian Rosenwasser, Washington and Lee University. 5. Leah Driscoll, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. 6. Taylor Beebe, University of Dayton. Intermediate equitation over fences - Section A: 1. Victoria Coale, Delaware Valley University. 2. Mallory Francis, Hollins University. 3. Allison Hines, Washington and Lee University. 4. Noelle Boltz, University of Dayton. 5. Emmalyn Mirachi, Mount Holyoke College. 6. Madisyn Courtney, St. Mary of the Woods College. Intermediate equitation over fences - Section B: 1. Francesca Nervick, Savannah College of Art & Design. 2. Elena Grinblatas, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. 3. Kylie Hwalek, Sacred Heart University. 4. Makaylin Shoop, Goucher College. 5. Amy Lewis, Virginia Tech. 6. Isabella Catto, Penn State University (State College). Open equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Cole Jackson, Goucher College. 2. Zoe Cass, Washington and Lee University. 3. Evan Holt, Delaware Valley University. 4. Alex Cernelich, Otterbein University. 5. Helena Weiss, Mount Holyoke College. 6. Nina Eglund, St. Mary of the Woods College. Intermediate equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Emma Pell, Penn State University (State College). 2. Emmalyn Mirarchi, Mount Holyoke College. 3. Mallory Francis, Hollins University. 4. Allison Hines, Washington and Lee University. 5. Sofia Henson, Otterbein University. 6. Daisy Wheeler, Lafayette College. Open equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Charleez Simcik, Virginia Tech. 2. Courtney Wilson, Hollins University. 3. Raegan Olson, Sacred Heart University. 4. Alison Pugliese, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. 5. Grace McEneaney, Lafayette College. 6. Kristiana Walters, University of Dayton. Intermediate equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Madison Aguilar, Savannah College of Art & Design. 2. Carina Muratore, Sacred Heart 3. Erin Phillips, Virginia Tech. 4. Elsa Sellmeyer, Goucher College. 5. Caitlyn Culbertson, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. 6. Madisyn Courtney, St. Mary of the Woods College.
Limit equitation over fences - Section A: 1. Emma Branche, Hollins University. 2. Jacob Connell, Goucher College. 3. Elli Pope, Washington and Lee University. 4. Kristina Torkelson, Lafayette College. 5. Emma Begley, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. 6. Isabella Schluper, Sacred Heart University. Limit equitation over fences - Section B: 1. Hattie Bradford, Savannah College of Art & Design. 2. Brooke Wolfinger, Delaware Valley University. 3. Annika Rocchiccioli, Virginia Tech. 4. Riley Sielestad, Otterbein University. 5. Cate Bates, Mount Holyoke College. 6. Emily Maniscalco, Penn State University (State College). Novice equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Lexie Stoebenau, Savannah College of Art and Design. 2. Kyley Pelfrey, St. Mary of the Woods College. 3. Elisabeth Matthews, Washington and Lee University. 4. Maddy Gaber, Otterbein University. 5. Lauren Yadvish, Penn State University (State College). 6. Emma Cantalupo, Mount Holyoke College. Limit equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Hattie Bradford, Savannah College of Art and Design. 2. Isabella Ruisi, Sacred Heart University. 3. Cate Bates, Mount Holyoke College. 4. Emma Herbruck, Otterbein University. 5. Tabitha Phillips, Virginia Tech. 6. Hope Gillaspie, St. Mary of the Woods College. Introductory equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Karlee Angel, Virginia Tech. 2. Bradley Shepherd, Savannah College of Art & Design. 3. Genevieve Hogan, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. 4. Harmony Deal, St. Mary of the Woods College. 5. Julia Luzzio, Washington and Lee University. 6. Kelly Hastings, Delaware Valley College. Introductory equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Kelly Macatl, Sacred Heart University. 2. Morgan Kingsbury, Goucher College. 2. Christina Lee, Penn State University (State College). 4. Linsey Orlovsky, Otterbein University. 5. Kaelin Shirley, Hollins University. 6. Yunsi Li, Mount Holyoke College. Limit equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Jacob Connell, Goucher College. 2. Anna Paulsen, Lafayette College. 3. Brooke Wolfinger, Delaware Valley University. 4. Gabriella DaSilva, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. 5. Elyssa Parker, Hollins University. 6. Isabella Catto, Penn State University (State College). Novice equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Kristen Wilhelm, Goucher College. 2. Abigail Marsh, Sacred Heart University. 3. Charlotte Denecke, Virginia Tech. 4. Emma Sylvester, Lafayette College. 5. Ella Cznarnecki, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. 6. Claire Genovese, University of Dayton. Low Medal Division: 1. Hattie Bradford, Savannah College of Art & Design. 2. Riley Seielstad, Otterbein University. 3. Hallie Phillips, Mount Holyoke College. 4. Cora Floyd, Hollins University. 5. Sara Walter, Penn State University (State College). 6. Kayla DeStephanis, Sacred Heart University. 7. Cordelia Edwards, Goucher College. 8. Molly Drass, Penn State University (State College). High Medal Division: 1. Celia Cram, Savannah College of Art & Design. 2. Samantha Green, Virginia Tech. 3. Cole Jackson, Goucher College. 4. Lilly Bove, Sacred Heart University. 5. Caroline Sullivan, Mount Holyoke College. 6. Elizabeth Orosz, Otterbein University. 7. Emmalyn Mirarchi, Mount Holyoke College. 8. Elisabeth Marek, Washington and Lee University. 2022 Holiday Tournament of Champions Team Totals: Savannah College of Art & Design - 47 Points (High Point Team) Goucher College - 39 Points (Reserve High Point Team) Virginia Tech - 35 (Third Place) Hollins University - 32 (Fourth Place) Sacred Heart University - 31 (Fifth Place) Washington and Lee University - 25 (Sixth Place) University of Massachusetts at Amherst - 23 (Seventh) Delaware Valley University - 22 (Eighth) Penn State University (State College) - 21 (Ninth-Won Tiebreaker) Mount Holyoke College - 21 (Tenth-second in Tiebreaker) Otterbein University - 21 Lafayette College - 17 St. Mary of the Woods College - 12 University of Dayton - 6 (For more info about the Tournament of Champions series please e-mail JimArrigon@hotmail.com or visit the Equestrian Talent Search page on Facebook)
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