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A 50/50 PROPOSITION: SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN TIES ITSELF FOR FIRST PLACE AT 2025 WINTER TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS WHILE TAKING TOP TWO IN BOTH THE HIGH AND LOW MEDAL DIVISIONS Hardeeville, SC - In January of 2019 the first Tournament of Champions invitational scheduled for the calendar year was canceled due to snow. On January 22nd of 2025 snow looked like it might again force a cancelation. Savannah College of Art & Design was scheduled to host the annual Winter Tournament of Champions invitational on January 25th, exactly five years after hosting the event for the first time. Save for the pandemic season of 2020-21 (when SCAD hosted the event on May 1st) the school located in Savannah, Georgia with the facility located in Hardeeville, South Carolina had hosted the Winter tourney every time so far this decade. But what turned out to be a record snowfall (of over three inches) fell three days ahead of the event. Snowfall is rare in this area, with only about nine snowfalls accounted for in the past 60 years. Therefore without traditional snow removal equipment found in the northern United States the host school could only do so much to remove or melt the snow other than wait out rising temperatures on Thursday and Friday leading up to Saturday's show. Meanwhile the Savannah - Hilton Head airport had similar issues clearing snow and canceled all flights in or out through Thursday night. But in the end things turned out as planned. A combination of people involved at SCAD were able to remove some of the snow while much of it melted by Saturday morning. The covered arena was accessable on Friday and the horses were in fact schooled in it for much of the day. The Airport re-opened for a few incoming flights on Friday though it is believed that with 48 hours notice most teams re-routed into Jacksonville two hours south (where there had been no snow at all) while others drove from their campuses. After a two-plus hour delay on Saturday morning to let the temperature rise above freezing the Winter tourney went on with all of the 13 invited schools ready to go. And then normalcy set in. SCAD, with two teams entered, trounced the field. SCAD Team - Bee-Lieve and SCAD Team Bee-Strong finished tied for high point team with 50 points each. And as was the case the previous January SCAD riders placed 1-2 in the High Medal and Low Medal divisions. Senior Celia Cram (from Aiken, South Carolina) won the high medal for a record eighth time one place ahead of teammate Alex Alston (from New Albany, Ohio) who won the same exact class over then-second place Cram a year ago. Kenzie Paul (a sophomore, from Rochester Hills, Michigan) won the low medal for the first time while teammate Karma Redman (a senior, from Raleigh, North Carolina) was second. According to Tournament of Champions founder Jim Arrigon the tiebreaker situation could not be settled by the three criteria in place for decades (most blue ribbons followed by most jumping points followed by points over fences. SCAD was still tied with itself). The decision was made to create new criteria, which would be points over fences in each division. Cram and Alston both won their respective open fences classes so Bee-Strong and Bee-lieve remained tied. However Alex Miller won intermediate fences for Bee-Lieve while Nicolas LaPlante of Purdue University won the earlier section. Thus Bee-Lieve was declared the official champion team.
Purdue University was the closest to SCAD, scoring 36 points. LaPlante (a junior, from Carmel, Indiana) won the first section of intermediate over fences while Abby Talcott (a junior, from Waldorf, Maryland) won the first section of intermediate flat. It appears that Purdue's third place ribbon is their best showing at a Tournament event in program history. 2024 IHSA Nationals reserve high point team Sacred Heart University earned fourth place. Virginia Martin, a sophomore from Ayer, Massachusetts, won her section of limit flat to lead the way for the Pioneers who put 31 points on the scoreboard. Elsa Heacock of Delaware Valley University won the final non-individual ribbon of the day, the freshman from Schwenksville, Pennsylvania placing first in the second section of novice equitation. This enabled the Aggies to place fifth over all with 29 points. The University of Lynchburg was technically sixth as the Hornets won a tiebreaker with Hollins University. Lynchburg held the edge thanks to blue ribbons for both Ava Jackson (a junior, from Apex, North Carolina) and Clair Humphreys (a sophomore, from Buchanan, Virginia). Jackson won section A of limit fences while Humphreys won section A of novice equitation, a division in which SCAD did not earn a blue ribbon on this day. At Tournament events team ribbons are awarded to eighth place. Penn State University was eight points behind seventh place Hollins and sixth place Lynchburg, but the Nittany Lions' 20 points were one more than the University of Delaware, Mount Holyoke College and Skidmore College. Therefore the school from roughly the geographical middle of the state of Pennsylvania claimed eighth place. The Search is over!: If there are four Tournament events during a given school year usually three of them will feature an Equestrian Talent Search class. Arrigon corralled what he believes to be the best gathering of current high school and even middle school riders who had previously taken part in his Equestrian Talent Search clinics to take part at SCAD in this two-phased division. ETS clinics as they are often abbreviated are held by Arrigon around ten times a year in different geographic areas at such schools as Mount Holyoke, St. Mary of the Woods, the University of Findlay, Virginia Tech and others. At these clinics over a dozen riders are taught by both Arrigon and a coach from the hosting school what IHSA coaches are looking for. Arrigon will try to help match riders to schools based on what they hope to major in while also competing for an equestrian team. At the end of each ETS clinic (also called an "ETS Boot Camp" on occasion) Arrigon and the coach will choose the "Most Outstanding Rider" from the group. In his press release on the 2025 Winter Tournament Arrigon said this "was the best group ever, with twelve high school riders from ten different states competing in the same format as the collegiate medals." Six of the entries were former "Most Outstanding Riders" while four others were either champion or reserve champion in a prior Tournament of Champions ETS class. Two high school sophomores during the 2024-25 school year came out on top. Ayla Finfrock from Mahomet, Illinois worked with the Skidmore team during the chilly January event and the former "Most Outstanding Rider" at a clinic in Urbana - Champaign, Illinois a year earlier was the winner. At home Finfrock trains with Jamie Gerardi, who won individual open over fences at 1989 IHSA Nationals as a member of the University of Connecticut equestrian team. Isla Bone of Marietta, Georgia worked with the Lynchburg team during the event and claimed reserve high point in the ETS Medal. Deuces wild: SCAD had the top two teams and the top two riders in both the High Medal and the Low Medal. A month earlier Cram became the first rider in Tournament history (which dates back to 1991) to win seven Medal classes when she won the very same class at the Holiday Tournament in Blacksburg, Virginia. Cram made it eight at today's event, which with the late start saw all of the ribbons given out after sunset. Cara McFadden, a Penn State University senior from Long Valley, New Jersey was third behind Cram and Alston in the high medal. Ani McIntyre, a Skidmore College sophomore from Andover, New Hampshire was third behind Paul and Redman in the low medal. And for those who think things happen in twos SCAD now had the high point team and reserve champion at the two most recent Tournament events.
Hornets, not Bees, claim Spring Tourney High Point Honors: After not taking part in the Spring Tournament of Champions hosted each time by the University of Findlay the past few seasons SCAD traveled to Ohio on March 22nd to compete against eight schools (ten actual teams) in an attempt to win a third consecutive Tournament event. Unlike the past two events SCAD had one single team entered. Perhaps the Bees only have the magic when they bring two teams, for just like their last trip to Ohio at Otterbein in September SCAD was not the champion. It turned out that five teams would outscore SCAD at Findlay including two teams entered by the host school. Lynchburg, with Humphreys again winning novice equitation, prevailed by a single point 29-28 over the University of Findlay's Orange team. With eleven teams entered and only one section of each division held the University of Lynchburg was the only team with at least one point in each of the eight divisions. Surprisingly the Hornets earned only one blue ribbon but earned one more point than at SCAD almost two months earlier. By contrast the University of Findlay Orange Team earned 21 of their 28 with three firsts! Eliza Zara rode to victory in both open fences and intermediate flat while Alexis Gorant kept any of the other school's open riders from a team blue ribbon with a first in open flat. Purdue was third again, not far off the top spot with 26 points. The Boilermakers accomplished this without a blue ribbon but earning three red ones. Nila Rothman of Skidmore College won the introductory equitation class late to boost the Thoroughbreds to fourth place and 22 points. Rounding out the top eight were the Findlay Black team with 19 (fifth), SCAD - without Cram or Alston present - with 16 (sixth), Goucher College with 14 (seventh) and the University of Michigan winning a tie-breaker with Michigan State University's White team for eighth with seven points. The Wolverines faired better in the high medal division, as Madison LaPine survived two tests without stirrups to prevail over Gorant (fourth) and both Harper Sanford (third) and Kenya Sanders (reserve champion) of Skidmore College. Isa Jensen, a Skidmore sophomore from Albany, New York won the low medal, apparently with a high-enough over fences score that no further testing was involved. Goucher's Christina Mlynarski (reserve champion) and SCAD's Olivia Jurado rounded out the top three. Carlee Hove, a high school senior from Kankakee, Illinois made it two straight ETS Medal Class championships for riders from the Land of Lincoln. And for the second consecutive ETS event the runner-up was not only from Georgia but from the same household! Sarah-Kate Bone, a high school sophomore finished one placing ahead of twin sister Isla in the Findlay, Ohio ETS class. Show Incidentals from the 2025 Winter Tournament of Champions invitational, held at the Ronald C. Waranch Equestrian Center in Hardeeville, South Carolina on January 25th, 2025: Overcast skies with temperatures reaching the low '50's. Judge: Alice Coke, Sewanee, Tennessee. Stewards: Belinda Colgan, Skidmore College; Phillip Williamson, University of Lynchburg, Ciara Menkens Tjong, Delaware Valley University and perhaps others. 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. Maci Iddings, Penn State University (State College). 3. Maggie Lawrence, University of Delaware. 4. Cate Bates, Mount Holyoke College. 5. Kayden Gundry, Midway University. 6. Elle Nutting, University of Lynchburg. Open equitation over fences - Section B: 1. Alex Alston, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Lieve. 2. Emma Branche, Hollins University. 3. Evan Holt, Delaware Valley University. 4. Kylie Hwalek, Sacred Heart University. 5. Anna Cahill, Purdue University. 6. Isabella Karr, University of Vermont. Intermediate equitation over fences - Section A: 1. Nicolas LaPlante, Purdue University. 2. Ella Luhn, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Strong. 3. Isa Jensen, Skidmore College. 4. Alexandra Russell, University of Lynchburg. 5. Bella Catto, Penn State University (State College). 6. Sarah Simone, University of Vermont. Intermediate equitation over fences - Section B: 1. Alex Miller, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Lieve. 2. Kayla Destephanis, Sacred Heart University. 3. Anna Birney, University of Delaware. 4. Kerrin Long, Delaware Valley University. 5. Reese Dorsey, Midway University. 6. Jordan Atwell - Purcell, Hollins University. Open equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Celia Cram, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Strong. 2. Evan Holt, Delaware Valley University. 3. Anna Cahill, Purdue University. 4. Cate Bates, Mount Holyoke College. 5. Cara McFadden, Penn State University (State College). 6. Alexis Kern, University of Vermont. Intermediate equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Abby Talcott, Purdue University. 2. Hallie Eskey, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Lieve. 3. Erin Phillips, Sacred Heart University. 4. Grace Allen, Delaware Valley University. 5. Jordan Atwell - Purcell, Hollins University. 6. Maci Iddings, Penn State University (State College). Open equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Alex Alston, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Lieve. 2. Kylie Hwalek, Sacred Heart University. 3. Emma Branche, Hollins University. 4. Alexandra Russell, University of Lynchburg. 5. Abbie Wright, Midway University. 6. Maggie Lawrence, University of Delaware. Intermediate equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Kayla Bardgett, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Strong. 2. Isa Jensen, Skidmore College. 3. Jessica McElhaney, University of Lynchburg. 4. Anna Birney, University of Delaware. 5. Kallista Musselman, University of Vermont. 6. Eliza Mutz, Mount Holyoke College. Limit equitation over fences - Section A: 1. Ava Jackson, University of Lynchburg. 2. Peter Cavagnac, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Lieve. 3. Lauren Dunnett, Purdue University. 4. Rhiannon Swimelar, Delaware Valley University. 5. Sophia Poling, Sacred Heart University. 6. Cece Dubose, University of Vermont. Limit equitation over fences - Section B: 1. Willa Scrimgeour, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Strong. 2. Molly McGarvey, Hollins University. 3. Makaylah Kindoll, University of Delaware. 4. Ani McIntyre, Skidmore College. 5. Emi Graf, Mount Holyoke College. 6. Josephine Rodriguez - Thomas, Midway University. Novice equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Clair Humphreys, University of Lynchburg. 2. Lexie Stobenau, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Lieve. 3. Nevaya Carr, Penn State University (State College). 4. Aveena Rawal, Purdue University. 5. Bessie Huggins, Mount Holyoke College. 6. Stella Allen, Skidmore College. Limit equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Virginia Martin, Sacred Heart University. 2. Ella Luhn, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Strong. 3. Haylie Johnson, Purdue University. 4. Ani McIntyre, Skidmore College. 5. Summer Fraughhaugh, Hollins University. 6. Sophia Quattrocchi, Midway University.
Introductory equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Kameron Riggs, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Lieve. 2. Kelsey Olivadoti, Purdue University. 3. Megan Bliamptis, Mount Holyoke College. 4. Bianca Rosiak, University of Vermont. 5. Marinna Leidle, Midway University. 6. Haley Attard, Penn State University (State College). Introductory equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Taylor Fox, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Strong. 2. Dorian Meekins, Hollins University. 3. Kelly McCatl, Sacred Heart University. 4. Nila Rothman, Skidmore College. 5. Madison Heitman, Delaware Valley University. 6. Carly Bamberger, University of Delaware. Limit equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Peter Cavagnac, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Lieve. 2. Isabella Olejniczak, Penn State University (State College). 3. Kate Smith, Mount Holyoke College. 4. McKenzie Burch, University of Lynchburg. 5. Maggie Mitchell, Delaware Valley University. 6. Charlotte Bassow, University of Vermont. Novice equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Elsa Heacock, Delaware Valley University. 2. Madison Poulin, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Strong. 3. Emma Veitz, Hollins University. 4. Ella Hutcherson, Midway University. 5. Charlotte DiFalco, University of Delaware. 6. Julia Parlapiano, Sacred Heart University. Equestrian Talent Search Medal Results: 1. Ayla Finfrock, Mahomet, Illinois. 2. Isla Bone, Marietta, Georgia. 3. Abigail Evans, Chagrin Falls, Ohio. 4. Katie Deaner, Nazareth, Pennsylvania. 5. Hailey Nixon, Greensboro, North Carolina. 6. Khloe Smith, Argyle, Texas. 7. Nola Jones, Montgomery, New York. 8. Angelica Brinkman, Boynton Beach, Florida. Low Medal Division Results: 1. Kenzie Paul, Savannah College of Art & Design. 2. Karma Redman, Savannah College of Art & Design. 3. Ani McIntyre, Skidmore College. 4. Emily Walter, Penn State University (State College). 5. Olivia Jurado, Savannah College of Art & Design. 6. Kallista Musselman, University of Vermont. 7. Audrey Hostrawser, Purdue University. 8. Charlotte Lyon, Skidmore College. High Medal Division Results: 1. Celia Cram, Savannah College of Art & Design. 2. Alex Alston, Savannah College of Art & Design. 3. Cara McFadden, Penn State University (State College). 4. Nikki Albert, Sacred Heart University. 5. Isabella Karr, University of Vermont. 6. Evan Holt, Delaware Valley University. 7. Cate Bates, Mount Holyoke College. 8. Lauren Radl, Sacred Heart University. 2025 Winter Tournament of Champions Team Totals: Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Lieve - 50 Points (High Point Team - Won Tiebreaker) Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee-Strong - 50 Points (Reserve High Point Team) Purdue University - 36 Points (Third Place) Sacred Heart University - 31 Points (Fourth Place) Delaware Valley University - 29 Points (Fifth Place) University of Lynchburg - 28 (Sixth Place) Hollins University - 28 (Seventh Place) Penn State University (State College) - 20 (Eighth Place) Skidmore College - 19 University of Delaware - 19 Mount Holyoke College - 19 Midway University - 13 University of Vermont - 10 (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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