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SCAD (AGAIN) HAS CHAMPION AND RESERVE CHAMPION TEAM HONORS AT HOLIDAY TOURNMENT OF CHAMPIONS ON DECEMBER 7TH Blacksburg, VA - With a pair of first-place ribbons from Peter Cavagnac (both limit divisions) and one each from Celia Cram (open fences) and Alex Alston (open flat) the Savannah College of Art & Design Team using the name 'Bee-Strong' won high point team honors at the annual Holiday Tournament of Champions invitational. The field included six teams which were among the top eight at 2024 IHSA Nationals and nine schools which won Region Titles last season. SCAD was the only program present among the 15 schools to field two teams, and their Bee-Lieve team rallied late to take second place, winning a tiebreaker with Sacred Heart University. Blue ribbons for Addison Keyworth (in intermediate fences), Taylor Fox (introductory equitation) and Ella Luhn (limit flat) helped Bee-Lieve put 31 points on the board. With the first tiebreaker being blue ribbons Bee-Lieve had a three-to-one edge on Sacred Heart. Both teams finished ten points behind Bee-Strong, which had the lead through two divisions and never trailed. Dating back to January of 2018 at least one SCAD team has claimed high point team honors at 17 of the past 19 Tournament of Champions events in which they were entered (and the only three TOC events the Bees did not enter were the Spring Tournaments the past three seasons - Editor). The High Medal and Low Medal classes, held seperately from the regular team classes, have been a part of the TOC series for over a decade now (replacing the ride-off for high point rider that was previously held). Cram entered the day tied with former SCAD rider Brady Martino for most-ever Medal Classes won with six each (Martino earned his in the Low Medal, and he might have won more had the pandemic not eliminated a few events that would have taken place his senior year). But after both the flat and fences phases Cram set the new record with seven. The senior from Aiken, South Carolina won the high medal, doing so for the second time this season. Cram's win at the Pre-Season Tournament of Champions in September made her the only rider in TOC history to win a Medal Class in four separate school years. The High Medal reserve champion was Amy Lewis, a Virginia Tech senior from Fairfax Station, Virginia who won red ribbons in both of her team open classes to claim a red ribbon every opportunity she had. The Low Medal winner was Corinne Hause, an Otterbein University sophomore from Centerburg, Ohio. At the pre-season TOC Hause won her limit fences to help the Cardinals upset SCAD by a 42-40 margin on September 21st. Ani McIntyre, a Skidmore College sophomore from Andover, New Hampshire who had placed sixth in the same division at the pre-season tournament (which Otterbein hosted) was the reserve champion.
The Holiday Tournament of Champions also featured an Equestrian Talent Search Medal Class. This ETS class is specifically for riders still in school (usually in high school though one entry on December 7th was an eighth grader). The rules are the same as for the other two Medals, with riders all getting the chance to show on the flat with eight called back to show over fences. The winner was Sadie Swift, a senior at Great Mills High School in Great Mills, Maryland. The reserve champion was Katie Deaner, a junior at Nazareth Area High School of Nazareth, Pennsylvania. Each of the thirteen riders entered in the ETS had the opportunity to work with an IHSA coach during the competition, walking the course with them for example. According to assignments sent out ahead of the event Deaner was matched with head coach Beth Sheely from host Virginia Tech while Swift worked with Lizzie Fisch from Sweet Briar College, the latter of which was to host a separate Equestrian Talent Search clinic with Tournament of Champions series founder Jim Arrigon the very next day. Eight different schools won at least one team class on December 7th, which with two SCAD teams entered is more than usual. Beyond the two SCAD rosters only Mount Holyoke College left the Alphin-Stuart Livestock Arena with more than one blue ribbon, earning two of them which figured big in the Lyons' taking seventh place. Cate Bates (senior, from Montclair, New Jersey) was a winner in open flat while Megan Bliamptis (senior, from Lexington, Massachusetts) prevailed in introductory equitation to earn 14 of Mount Holyoke's 22 points. Sacred Heart, the only other New England school to make the trip to Blacksburg, briefly tied SCAD Bee-Strong as Kylie Hwalek (junior, from Vernon, Connecticut) won the section of open fences which followed Cram's win to start the day. The Pioneers scored at least a point in all eight team classes to tie SCAD Be-Lieve. With Be-Lieve winning the tiebreaker the end result was similar to 2024 IHSA Nationals, when SCAD was high point team and Sacred Heart the reserve champion.
Otterbein University, which hosted and won the Pre-Season Tournament of Champions on September 21st, was fourth with 28 points. While Hause won an individual medal class Emma Herbruck (senior, from Chagrin Falls, Ohio) won the first of two sections of intermediate flat. Technically this gave the Cardinals two blue ribbons but only one in a team class. With Sacred Heart not having appeared at the Pre-Season event Otterbein would currently be second in the race for the Tournament Series Trophy. TOC series founder Jim Arrigon allows the annual series winner to keep the trophy over the summer. To win this honor the top two scores for a team during the four TOC events will be combined. Whoever has the best average is the winner while the second best average takes the reserve championship. A team is only eligible if they compete in at least two of the events. So far eight teams (SCAD, Otterbein, Mount Holyoke, Skidmore, Goucher, Lynchburg, Albion and Penn State) have competed twice with Sacred Heart, Delaware Valley, Purdue and Hollins scheduled for their second TOC series events of 2024-25 next month. The University of Lynchburg was one of three Zone 4, Region 2 schools to compete in the Holiday Tournament. Hollins University was invited for having won the past two Region 2 region championships. Lynchburg won their first two shows of the year and was likely invited for that reason (and have so far gone undefeated in their region, with a 4-and-0 record. But thanks to some narrow victories Hollins is only 22 points out with at least four shows remaining). Virginia Tech is third in the region and also was the host school on December 7th. Lynchburg went on to place fifth overall, which made the Hornets the only Zone 4, Region 2 school to ribbon at this event. Clair Humphreys, a sophomore from Buchanan, Virginia won her novice class to account for seven of Lynchburg's 27 points. Skidmore College was sixth with 24 points. Though they did not record any blue ribbons the final two Thoroughbreds both placed second. Red ribbons went to Alice Wrede (in introductory) and Stella Allen (in novice) as Skidmore pointed in seven of the eight divisions. Following Mount Holyoke in seventh place was Sweet Briar College. The Vixens were actually tied with Purdue University at 21 points each but won the tiebreaker thanks to a first for Emily Roberts in intermediate flat. While Purdue earned a ribbon in seven of the eight team classes no Boilermaker was first. Thus the tiebreaker went Sweet Briar's way. Two riders from teams out of the top eight also left Blacksburg with blue ribbons. Beatrice Eng-McDonald of Albion College won the first section of novice equitation to earn seven of the Britons' 17 points. Isabella Quill of Penn State University earned seven of the Nittany Lions' eleven points with a first in section A of limit fences.
They are not meddling with the other riders they are medaling!: With Cram's seventh win in the high medal it was worth counting how many times a SCAD rider has won either a high medal or low medal class at TOC events. It turns out that on 15 occasions a SCAD rider has won the high medal and on 14 occasions a low medal. The high medal division was introducted in the fall of 2005 (though the information from a few shows in 2005-07 is currently believed lost; however SCAD was not entered at those Tournament events) while the low medal appears to have been introduced mid-season at the January 2016 winter classic II. The low medal winners have been Brady Martino (six times), Tess Mroczka (three times), Quinn Lowsky (who won that first low medal in January of 2016), Meredith Denny, Anna Royal, Hattie Bradford and "Addie" Keyworth as she was known at the January 2024 Winter Classic rather than the more formal Addison in the Virginia Tech program on December 7th. The high medal has been awarded to Ryan Genn (the first SCAD rider to win a medal, doing so at the December 2014 Holiday Tournament), Rose Kauffman - Skloff, Maddy Keck (twice), Adam Edgar (twice), Alston (twice so far) and Cram (seven times). Cram could possibly be entered in the high medal at the Winter Tournament which would probably be her last TOC event unless SCAD breaks tradition and shows at the Spring Tournament in Findlay, Ohio on March 22nd. In case you are wondering: Further observation of the previous high and low medal winners in the December 7th show program reveals that no rider from any school has won both a low medal and a high medal class since both were held starting in 2016. Eleventh hour change of Judge: Due to a family emergency a replacement Judge was needed on less than a week's notice. That judge turned out to be Ashley Holsinger, who was Ashley Mayes when she rode for Bridgewater College. After graduating in 2005 Bridgewater head coach Sarah Irvine soon appointed Mayes Holsinger as an assistant coach. According to a bio that Jim Arrigon forwarded to others Holsinger currently serves on the equitation committee for the Virginia Horse Shows Assocation and the Board of Directors for the Southwest Virginia Hunter Jumper Association. A Director one day, a Judge on another: The University of the South made its' first appearance at a TOC event since well before the pandemic. On hand along with the Sewanee riders were head coach Aelin Hill (herself class of 2019 at the school) and director of riding Alice Coke. Coke took on the director's role in September, adding to an extensive resume that includes judging the Devon Horse Show, the Capitol Challenge, the Regional Maclay Finals, the Pennsylvania National Horse Show and IHSA Nationals. When the next Tournament of Champions event takes place in January Coke will be sitting in the Judge's chair. This will not present a conflict of interest as Sewanee will not be entered in the Winter TOC event.
What's next?: On January 25th Savannah College of Art & Design will again host the Winter Tournament of Champions at their Ronald C. Waranch Equestrian Center in Hardeeville, South Carolina (a bridge away from their Savannah, Georgia campus). This will make it six seasons in a row that SCAD has hosted the winter event (including the unusual May 1, 2021 invitational that was the lone TOC event of the covid-impacted 2020-21 school year). While nine teams will be back from the December show at Virginia Tech Midway University, the University of Delaware and the University of Vermont will each make their first appearance of this season at a Tournament of Champions event. Both Delaware and Vermont fielded full teams at 2024 IHSA Nationals, meaning seven of the schools entered in January will have also tried to win it all in Tryon last May 3rd-5th. If you are planning way ahead the University of Findlay will host the Spring Tournament of Champions on March 22nd while Goucher College is currently listed as host for the September 2025 Pre-Season TOC and Centenary University (NJ) for the Holiday TOC in December 2025. Then SCAD and Findlay do it again in the winter and spring, respectively, of 2026. ---Steve Maxwell Show Incidentals from the 2024 Holiday Tournament of Champions invitational, held at the Alphin - Stuart Livestock Arena in Blacksburg, Virginia on December 7th, 2024: Sunny skies, with temperatures reaching the low '40's. Entire show held indoors. Start time: 10:07AM. Finish: Sometime before 5:30PM. Judge: Ashley Mayes Holsinger, Waynesboro, Virginia. Stewards: Eddie Federwisch/Savannah College of Art & Design; Chris Mitchell/Albion College and Kari Briggs/Otterbein University. This show was Hunter Seat or English only. Class-by-class results, in the order in which they were placed: Open equitation over fences - Section A: 1. Celia Cram, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Strong. 2. Emma Linton, Otterbein University. 3. Kenya Sanders, Skidmore College. 4. Maggie Booth, Sweet Briar College. 5. Hope Verschleiser, Goucher College. 6. Emma Sameth, University of the South. Open equitation over fences - Section B: 1. Kylie Hwalek, Sacred Heart University. 2. Amy Lewis, Virginia Tech. 3. Margaret Stell, University of Lynchburg. 4. Anna Cahill, Purdue University. 5. Kayla Bardgett, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Lieve. 6. Cara McFadden, Penn State University (State College). Intermediate equitation over fences - Section A: 1. Jordan Atwell - Purcell, Hollins University. 2. Alex Miller, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Strong. 3. Nicolas LaPlante, Purdue University. 4. Carolyn Albright, Skidmore College. 5. Hallie Phillips, Mount Holyoke College. 6. Sarah Pastula, Sweet Briar College. Intermediate equitation over fences - Section B: 1. Addison Keyworth, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Lieve. 2. Anna Huard, Albion College. 3. Anna Szefc, Virginia Tech. 4. Kayla DeStephanis, Sacred Heart University. 5. Alexandra Russell, University of Lynchburg. 6. Rachael Wingard, Otterbein University. Open equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Alexander Alston, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Strong. 2. Amy Lewis, Virginia Tech. 3. Emma Sameth, University of the South. 4. Sarah Southard, Sweet Briar College. 5. Anna Huard, Albion College. 6. Jacob Connell, Goucher College. Intermediate equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Emma Herbruck, Otterbein University. 2. Erin Phillips, Sacred Heart University. 3. Hallie Eskey, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Strong. 4. Bella Janovsky, University 9f the South. 5. Abby Talcott, Purdue University. 5. Maci Iddings, Penn State University (State College). Open equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Cate Bates, Mount Holyoke College. 2. Evan Holt, Delaware Valley University. 3. Anna Cahill, Purdue University. 4. Emma Linton, Otterbein University. 5. Kylie Hwalek, Sacred Heart University. 6. Lucy Metzler, University of Lynchburg. Intermediate equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Emily Roberts, Sweet Briar College. 2. Grace Allen, Delaware Valley University. 3. Willa Scrimgeour, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Lieve. 4. Alexandria Russell, University of Lynchburg. 5. Charlotte Lyon, Skidmore College. 6. Jordan Atwell - Purcell, Hollins University.
Limit equitation over fences - Section A: 1. Isabella Quill, Penn State University (State College). 2. Alana Deacon, Virginia Tech. 3. Sophia Poling, Sacred Heart University. 4. Corinne Hause, Otterbein University. 5. Jacob Jaworski, Albion College. 6. Iris Schweiger, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Lieve. Limit equitation over fences - Section B: 1. Peter Cavagnac, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Strong. 2. Ava Jackson, University of Lynchburg. 3. Molly McGarvey, Hollins University. 4. Ani McIntyre, Skidmore College. 5. Emily Roberts, Sweet Briar College. 6. Emi Graff, Mount Holyoke College. Novice equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Beatrice Eng - McDonald, Albion College. 2. Maya Samlan, Otterbein University. 3. Emma Veitz, Hollins University. 4. Christina Whiteman, Goucher College. 5. Kaylee Shindel, Sacred Heart University. 6. Lexie Stoebenau, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Strong. Limit equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Peter Cavagnac, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Strong. 2. Jessica McElhaney, University of Lynchburg. 3. Maggie Mitchell, Delaware Valley University. 4. Grace Trahnstrom, Hollins University. 5. Ani McIntyre, Skidmore College. 6. Emi Graf, Mount Holyoke College. Introductory equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Taylor Fox, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Lieve. 2. Alice Wrede, Skidmore College. 3. Caroline Holland, University of the South. 4. Morgan McCrave, Sacred Heart University. 5. Haley Attard, Penn State University (State College). 6. Melany Duenas - Lopez, Albion College. Limit equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Ella Luhn, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Lieve. 2. Virginia Martin, Sacred Heart University. 3. Natalie Nawa, Otterbein University. 4. Evelyn Clark, Sweet Briar College. 5. Emily Levi, Purdue University. 6. Elise Gierhart, University of the South. Introductory equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Megan Bliamptis, Mount Holyoke College. 2. Max Davis, Goucher College. Kelsey Olivadoti, Purdue University. 4. Kameron Riggs, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Strong. 5. Cameron Fox, Sweet Briar College. 6. Dorian Meekins, Hollins University. Novice equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Clair Humphreys, University of Lynchburg. 2. Stella Allen, Skidmore College. 3. Bessie Huggins, Mount Holyoke College. 4. Madison Poulin, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Lieve. 5. Aveena Rawai, Purdue University. 6. Tony Calderon - Gonzalez, University of the South. Equestrian Talent Search (ETS) Medal Division: 1. Sadie Swift, Lexington Park, Maryland. 2. Katie Deaner, Nazareth, Pennsylvania. 3. Aine Carey, Carmel, New York. 4. Tiiu Nomm, Severna Park, Maryland. 5. Eleanor Beichner, Essex, Connecticut. 6. Presley Magnuson, Blountville, Tennessee. 7. Zelly Main, Fairfax County, Virginia. Low Medal Division: 1. Corinne Hause, Otterbein University. 2. Ani McIntyre, Skidmore College. 3. Claire Dillard, University of the South. 4. Fiona Barnett - Cross, Otterbein University. 5. Iris Schweiger, Savannah College of Art & Design. 6. Isabella Ruisi, Sacred Heart University. 7. Anna Szefc, Virginia Tech. 8. Willa Scrimgeour, Savannah College of Art & Design. High Medal Division: 1. Celia Cram, Savannah College of Art & Design. 2. Amy Lewis, Virginia Tech. 3. Phoebe Martin, Albion College. 4. Cora Floyd, Hollins University. 5. Emma Sameth, University of the South. 6. Kennedy Teasdale, Sacred Heart University. 7. Alex Alston, Savannah College of Art & Design. 8. Anna Huard, Albion College. 2024 Holiday Tournament of Champions Team Totals: Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Strong - 41 Points (High Point Team) Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Lieve - 31 Points (Reserve High Point Team - Won Tiebreaker) Sacred Heart University - 31 Points (Third Place) Otterbein University - 28 Points (Fourth Place) University of Lynchburg - 27 (Fifth Place) Skidmore College - 24 (Sixth Place) Mount Holyoke College - 22 (Seventh Place) Sweet Briar College - 21 (Eighth Place - Won Tiebreaker) Purdue University - 21 Hollins University - 19 Virginia Tech - 19 Albion College - 17 Delaware Valley University - 15 University of the South - 14 Penn State University (State College) - 11 Goucher College - 11 (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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