Seen here after capturing first place in the high medal division at the December 2023 Holiday Tournament of Champions, Savannah College of Art & Design junior Celia Cram was the first of twelve SCAD riders to win a class at the January 27th Winter Tournament of Champions invitational which the Bees hosted. And three of the 12 winners won more than once!

SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN HOSTS WINTER TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS, HAS TOP TWO TEAMS AND SETS RECORD IN MEDAL CLASSES

Make it 18 of the last 20 Tournament of Champion events in which they have partipated. Make it three-for-three in Tournament shows this season. Savannah College of Art & Design did it again, claiming high point team honors and reserve high point team honors. Only 56 days from having won the Holiday Tournament the Bees "Yellow" team prevailed 54-49 over their "Black" team. Hattie Bradford (a senior from Jonesborough, Tennessee) won both of her limit classes to lead the way for the Yellow Team while Ella Luhn (a freshman from Woodinville, Washington) won both her intermediate fences and limit flat classes for the Black Team. The host Bees were the only school with two teams entered.

Many thought senior open rider Celia Cram might make history while riding in the high medal division, as she had previously won this division five times to set an all-time record while tieing former SCAD rider Brady Martino who had five Low Medal wins. But instead SCAD teammate Alex Alston came away with the High Medal champion ribbon while Cram was second. From New Albany, Ohio it was the second time this season that Alston claimed first in the high medal as he also won at the Pre-Season TOC. Ryan Kenny of SCAD was third in the high medal, giving the Bees the top three in a class that pinned to eighth place.

While the different phases of the High and Low Medal classes took part throughout the show the results of these classes were announced just prior to the team placings that concluded the event. The Low Medal sections took place after the high medal rides, but the results for the Low Medal were announced first. The Low Medal was won by SCAD freshman Addison "Addie" Keyworth. From Deep River, Connecticut it was the first Medal win for Keyworth. Most importantly SCAD teammates Peter Cavagnac and Iris Schweiger placed second and third, respectively, in the low medal. This meant that once Kenny, Cram and Alston learned their placings it meant that for the first time in TOC history the top three placings in Both Medal Divisions went to riders from the same team. Never before had one school earned all six of the top three medal ribbons awarded at a single Tournament of Champions event.

SCAD won 15 of the 18 classes (made up of College Students). Hollins University placed third in part due to their winning two of the three classes SCAD did not win. One of the Hollins winners is Elyssa Parker (pictured). Seen here after winning individual novice equitation at Zone 4 Zones last April, Parker won the first section of limit fences and later placed third in limit flat for the current Zone 4, Region 2 leaders.

The Bees were so strong that only three riders Not from SCAD won college-level classes all day. Stanford University freshman Rafi Wolf nearly won two classes, prevailing in open flat while placing second to Cram in the open fences class which started the event at 9:19AM. Hollins University had not one but two blue ribbon winners! Mallory Francis (a sophomore from Courtland, Virginia, whose mother Carla rode for Ferrum College in the early 1990's) won her open flat over runner-up Alston while Elyssa Parker (a junior from Richmond, Virginia) won the first section of limit fences for eventual third place team Hollins. Receiving two blue ribbons to Stanford's one probably made the difference between third and fourth place, for the Cardinal only trailed Hollins 33-31 when it was time for the team awards.

Today's event was a rare case where all eight IHSA Zones had at least one team entered. When SCAD hosted last January Zone 6 was without a school entered, but this time Miami University of Ohio took care of that. From Zone 8 you had Stanford, from Zone 7 Purdue, from Zone 5 South Carolina and the host school, from Zone 4 Hollins, From Zone 3 Penn State, from Zone 2 Skidmore and from Zone 1 there were three schools. While Mount Holyoke and Sacred Heart usually appear at least twice if not three times annually at TOC events the University of Vermont made their first appearance in over a decade. Vermont, Stanford, Hollins and the University of South Carolina were each making their first appearance of the 2023-24 season with a full team at a TOC event. And though we are not sure about two schools it is safe to say that nine of these eleven teams currenly lead their respective IHSA regions in the hunter seat team standings.

There was also an Equestrian Talent Search class for high school riders. Khloe Smith, from Argyle, Texas was selected by judge Megan Taylor as the ETS Medal Class champion from a field of 12 riders who took part. A ninth grader in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Smith was in the ribbons as an eighth grader nearly a year ago to the day (1/29/23 to be exact) the last time SCAD held the ETS class. Sarah Howard, a high school junior from Elkridge, Maryland was the Reserve Champion.

Sacred Heart University was fifth with 30 points, only a point in back of fourth place Stanford and three behind Hollins. Reagan Waggoner of the Pioneers (center, with her parents at the Holiday Tournament of Champions in December) earned five points with a second in intermediate fences early in the day. SHU has consistantly been a top seven team (including first place last season at the Spring Classic) at TOC events the past two and a half seasons.

What's next?: The State of Ohio will (probably) be home to no less than three TOC events over the next fourteen months. The University of Findlay will host the Spring Classic on Saturday, March 23rd to conclude the 2023-24 TOC schedule. Otterbein University will likely host the Pre-Season Classic in September and Findlay will likely host the Spring Classic in March of 2025. Each of the past two seasons Findlay has hosted the Spring Classic, and both times SCAD opted to sit out this particular event (the Bees already had the Series Champion trophy won, with their top two scores certain to be better than any who might win all of their classes at Findlay). However if you visit the SCAD Athletics web site and go to their schedule page you will note that it lists the Bees as competing at Findlay in the TOC on March 23rd. If the Bees compete in the Spring Classic one can only imagine what records might be broken. Will Cram win her sixth High Medal? Or will Alston win his third? And just how many classes in a row can SCAD win? After Parker of Hollins won the Yellow and Black Bees ran off seven team class wins in a row with two Medal wins thrown in for good measure. And don't forget no school has ever won four TOC events in the same season.

--Steve Maxwell

Show incidentals: Foggy conditions early, then clearing with temperatures in the mid-70's. Judge: Megan Taylor, Hilton Head, South Carolina. Stewards: Kathryn Kraft, Purdue University; C.J. Law, Mount Holyoke College and Sherri West, Hollins University. 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. Celia Cram, Savannah College of Art & Design - Yellow Team. 2. Rafi Wolf, Stanford University. 3. Isabella Carr, University of Vermont. 4. Mallory Francis, Hollins University. 5. Camryn Lubner, University of South Carolina. 6. Kenya Sanders, Skidmore College.

Open equitation over fences - Section B: 1. Lindsay Hurley, Savannah College of Art & Design - Black Team. 2. Mary Roskens, Miami University of Ohio. 3. Eleese Shillingford, Sacred Heart University. 4. Emmalyn Mirarchi, Mount Holyoke College. 5. Cara McFadden, Penn State University. 6. Abby Cole, Purdue University.

Intermediate equitation over fences - Section A: 1. Ella Luhn, Savannah College of Art & Design - Black Team. 2. Reagan Waggoner, Sacred Heart University. 3. Morgan Seibert, Stanford University. 4. Isabella Catto, Penn State University. 5. Isabella Novelli, University of South Carolina. 6. Gabrielle Goshtigian, Hollins University.

Intermediate equitation over fences - Section B: 1. Morgan Fullam, Savannah College of Art & Design - Yellow Team. 2. Abby Talcott, Purdue University. 3. Becca Polzin, University of Vermont. 4. Sadie Nesbitt, Skidmore College. 5. Roberta Cullinan, Miami University of Ohio. 6. Cate Bates, Mount Holyoke College.

Open equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Rafi Wolf, Stanford University. 2. Lindsay Hurley, Savannah College of Art & Design - Black Team. 3. Isabella Karr, University of Vermont. 4. Harper Sanford, Skidmore College. 5. Camryn Lubner, University of South Carolina. 6. Carina Muratore, Sacred Heart University.

Intermediate equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Ryan Kenny, Savannah College of Art & Design - Yellow Team. 2. Peyton Preblick, Penn State University. 3. Roberta Cullinan, Miami University of Ohio. 4. Alexis Kern, University of Vermont. 5. Cate Bates, Mount Holyoke College. 6. Brooke Ballhaus, Stanford University.

Open equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Mallory Francis, Hollins University. 2. Alex Alston, Savannah College of Art & Design - Yellow Team. 3. Anna Cahill, Purdue University. 4. Sofie Olson, Miami University of Ohio. 5. Lauren Marchetti, Penn State University. 6. Helena Weiss, Mount Holyoke College.

Intermediate equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Addison Keyworth, Savannah College of Art & Design - Black Team. 2. Peyton Snider, University of South Carolina. 3. Erin Phillips, Sacred Heart University. 4. Marissa Jones, Hollins University. 5. Isa Jensen, Skidmore College. 6. Eva Sargent, Purdue University.

Limit equitation over fences - Section A: 1. Elyssa Parker, Hollins University. 2. Anabella Eriksen - Brottet, Miami University of Ohio. 3. Haylie Johnson, Purdue University. 4. Carly Bitler, Mount Holyoke College. 5. Peter Cavagnac, Savannah College of Art & Design - Black Team. 6. Alice Shea, University of South Carolina.

Limit equitation over fences - Section B: 1. Hattie Bradford, Savannah College of Art & Design - Yellow Team. 2. Elise Sigety, Skidmore College. 3. Molly Drass, Penn State University. 4. Kayla Destephanis, Sacred Heart University. 5. Ellie Aasted, Stanford University. 6. Sarah Simone, University of Vermont.

Alex Alston of Savannah College of Art & Design is seen here after winning his open flat class at the December 2nd Holiday TOC in Long Valley, New Jersey. Though he finished second in that division on January 27th Alston won the High Medal championship later that day. Riders flat, then eight are called back to jump. Then they are placed from first through eighth. In less that three semesters at SCAD Alston has won the High Medal twice while placing third at last season's Winter TOC which SCAD also hosted.

Novice equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Madison Poulin, Savannah College of Art & Design - Black Team. 2. Jordan Atwell - Purcell, Hollins University. 3. Jenna Mansueto, Stanford University. 4. Ava Flannery, Sacred Heart University. 5. Cece Dubose, University of Vermont. 6. Kayla McNab, Miami University of Ohio.

Limit equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Ella Luhn, Savannah College of Art & Design - Black Team. 2. Julie Mallia, University of South Carolina. 3. Elyssa Parker, Hollins University. 4. Anabella Eriksen - Brottet, Miami University of Ohio. 5. Haylie Johnson, Purdue University. 6. Hallie Phillips, Mount Holyoke College.

Introductory equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Taylor Fox, Savannah College of Art & Design - Black Team. 2. Kelly Mercatl, Sacred Heart University. 3. Ilaria Chen, Stanford University. 4. Dorian Meekins, Hollins University. 5. Layla Walkaraj, University of South Carolina. 6. Grace Ryan, Miami University of Ohio.

Introductory equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Brad Shepherd, Savannah College of Art & Design - Yellow Team. 2. Emma Jennison, Skidmore College. 3. Ursula Walczak, University of Vermont. 4. Allison Miller, Purdue University. 5. Christina Lee, Penn State University. 6. Lingdang Zhang, Mount Holyoke College.

Limit equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Hattie Bradford, Savannah College of Art & Design - Yellow Team. 2. Isabella Ruisi, Sacred Heart University. 3. Morgan Seibert, Stanford University. 4. Julia Furst, Penn State University. 5. Addie Robinson, University of Vermont. 6. Charlotte Lyon, Skidmore College.

Novice equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Lexie Stoebenau, Savannah College of Art & Design - Yellow Team. 2. Taylor Sikert, University of South Carolina. 3. Yasmin Pirbhai, Purdue University. 4. Stella Allen, Skidmore College. 5. Anno Kostava, Mount Holyoke College. 6. Sara Bowe, Penn State University.

Equestrian Talent Search Medal Results: 1. Khloe Smith, Argyle, Texas. 2. Sarah Howard, Elkridge, Maryland. 3. Ava Gronczewski, Princeton, New Jersey. 4. Annika Vogel, Mentor, Ohio. 5. Brynne Lepine, Harrison Township, Michigan. 6. Palin Sandow, St. Simons Island, Georgia. 7. Greta Johnson, Greensboro, North Carolina. 8. Emese Madzsar, Gates Mills, Ohio.

Low Medal Division Results: 1. Addison Keyworth, Savannah College of Art & Design. 2. Peter Cavagnac, Savannah College of Art & Design. 3. Iris Schweiger, Savannah College of Art & Design. 4. Olivia Wilson, Miami University of Ohio. 5. Sydney Brock, University of South Carolina. 6. Abby Shelchuk, Purdue University. 7. Isa Jensen, Skidmore College. 8. Bella Brawley, Penn State University.

High Medal Division Results: 1. Alex Alston, Savannah College of Art & Design. 2. Celia Cram, Savannah College of Art & Design. 3. Ryan Kenny, Savannah College of Art & Design. 4. Emmalyn Mirarchi, Mount Holyoke College. 5. Emma Grimes, Sacred Heart University. 6. Abby Talcott, Purdue University. 7. Camryn Lubner, University of South Carolina. 8. Rafi Wolf, Stanford University.

2024 Winter Tournament of Champions Team Totals:

Savannah College of Art & Design - Yellow Team - 54 (High Point Team)

Savannah College of Art & Design - Black Team - 49 (Reserve High Point Team)

Hollins University - 33 (Official Third Place)

Stanford University - 31 (Official Fourth Place)

Sacred Heart University - 30 (Official Fifth Place)

University of South Carolina - 24 (Official Sixth Place - Won Tiebreaker)

Miami University of Ohio - 24 (Official Seventh Place - Second in Tiebreaker)

Purdue University - 24 (Official Eighth Place - Third in Tiebreaker)

University of Vermont - 24

Skidmore College - 23

Penn State University - 22

Mount Holyoke College - 15

(For more info about the Tournament of Champions series please e-mail JimArrigon@hotmail.com or visit the Equestrian Talent Search page on Facebook)