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CASTLETON STATE COLLEGE WINS AN IHSA SHOW FOR THE FIRST TIME Etna, NH - Since the middle of the decade four teams in Zone 1, Region 2 have consistantly finished the season in the top four. Three of those teams, Dartmouth College, Mount Ida College and the University of Vermont have captured Region Titles in that time. The University of New Hampshire keeps coming closer, and headed into today's show the Wildcats were ahead. While Colby-Sawyer College has consistantly finished fifth, a few notches below fourth but reasonably ahead of sixth in that time, none of the other schools have demonstrated the consistancy to land inside the upper echelon of Region 2. One perennial also-ran has been Castleton State College. Located in Castleton, Vermont, the Spartans first fielded an IHSA team only recently, finishing eighth out of eleven schools while scoring 82 points during the 2004-05 season. The numbers improved for a season, with the '06 team seventh out of 14 (remember Acadia and Nova Scotia's brief IHSA appearances that season?) with 110 points. In '07 the Spartans were seventh out of 11 with 98, then in 2007-08 the team existed but did not compete in any IHSA shows. Last season Castleton State scored 97 to finish seventh out of 12.
Though it is not clear how many points Castleton State earned at the October 10th Middlebury show, it is evident that the program has taken a tremendous turn for the better based on the events at today's show. Castleton State had a full card (as did all but one of the seven schools at Morton Farm on this day) with multiple riders in all but open fences and walk-trot. Only one of their six riders in the over fences classes finished as low as fourth while four riders went on to win flat classes. Amberly Ondria, a freshman from Poultney, Vermont won the Spartan's first blue ribbon of the day in the third section of intermediate flat (this being the lucky 13th class of the day). A short time later Julia Shaw won novice flat, becoming the first rider with a first and a second (The junior from Rutland, Vermont was second in novice fences). Jessica Sullivan, a sophomore from Newfields, New Hampshire won the section of novice flat which followed Shaw's. Lynn LeBlanc was one of two Spartans entered in the walk-trot-canter divisions, the sophomore from Lebanon, New Hampshire best in a field of seven in section 2B-A. While Meghan Hutchins did not win the final class of the day before the ride-off, the sophomore from West Haven, Vermont was second in walk-trot to ice the victory and bring Castleton State's total to an even 40. It is believed that Castleton State had never before scored in the 30's let alone the 40's. Campus Equestrian even persuaded Head Coach Judy O'Rourke, who has been with the Castleton State program since its formation, to pose for a photo with Meghan Hart of the Spartans after the latter was second in open fences to start the day (the photo of the normally camera-shy O'Rourke with Hart - who transfered from Endicott College - will appear at a later date - Editor). The Castleton State performance left considerable doubt as to who the real front-runner is. Three schools finished six behind the Spartans, including host Dartmouth. Helping the Big Green to 34 points on this day were Helena Witte, a freshman from Fairfield, Connecticut who won advanced walk-trot-canter; Liz Wilkerson, a junior from north of the Houston, Texas area, who won her novice fences, and Katherine Lindzey, another Texan (from Austin) who won her novice fences while placing second in novice flat. Lindzey, a freshman, qualified for her first IHSA ride-off, competing for reserve honors against Shaw who was the only other rider with 12 points. The Big Green also earned red ribbons via Cristina Herren in intermediate fences, Linda Cummins in novice fences and Rochelle Brown in advanced walk-trot-canter. A sophomore from Chicago, Illinois, Herren pointed out of intermediate fences with her red ribbon. At the Middlebury show a week earlier Mount Ida College tied Dartmouth for second with 30 points. At today's show the Mustangs tied Dartmouth for second with 34 points, with both teams moving into first place overall (for one day at least) tied at 64. Lila Pemberton, a senior from Acton, Massachusetts won both of her open classes and received the High Point Rider ribbon from today's show as the only participant with two firsts. Pemberton has gotten off to a hot start, having scored 12 points at Middlebury to qualify for the reserve ride-off last week (though she is an open rider, Mustang teammate Kaley Curtis, a freshman novice making her IHSA debut, beat Pemberton in the October 10th reserve ride-off). While Autumn Iverson, a senior from Sharon, Massachusetts won her intermediate flat for the Mustang's only other blue ribbon, teammates Taylor Bergquist (in intermediate fences), Curtis (in novice fences), Lillian Robinson (in novice flat) and Hannah Chandler de Vos (in beginner walk-trot-canter) were red ribbon winners for Assistant Coach and former Mustang Becky Osinga, who was in charge while Head Coach Laura Reed took part in a world event in Oklahoma City with her own horses.
The University of Vermont rounded out the tie for second. Ironically the Cattamounts remained two points behind both Dartmouth and Mount Ida, while moving one point ahead of the University of New Hampshire. Vermont received the most blue ribbons, with Reese Green winning the first class of the day. A sophomore from East Montpelier, Vermont, Green won open fences while Kendall Bear (senior; Bristol, Rhode Island, in intermediate fences), Sophie Allen (junior; Stowe, Vermont, in open flat), Risa Reichelt (freshman; Portland, Oregon, in intermediate flat), Emily Eck (freshman; Westford, Massachusetts, in novice flat), Meg Riddle (freshman; Milton, Vermont, in walk-trot) and Julianna Kattermann (sophomore; Branchville, New Jersey, also in walk-trot) rounded out the blue ribbon winners. Only Krista Pulie (in novice flat) and Meredith Porter (in advanced walk-trot-canter) won red ribbons for the defending Region Champion Cattamounts. In total contrast the University of New Hampshire dominated the red ribbons, at one point winning four in a row and six over seven classes stretched across the lunch break. Kim Lynch (both open divisions), Ashley Hemendinger (intermediate flat), Lauren Wentworth (same), Kate Corda (same), Erinn Schneider (novice flat) and Kate Frazier (novice fences) each placed second, with Hemendinger, Wentworth, Corda and Schneider comprising the four-class red ribbon streak. Very surprisingly the Wildcats were the only school entered at today's show that did not leave Morton Farm with a blue ribbon. The good news for New Hampshire is that they only fell three behind the leaders with much of the season still to come. New Hampshire was one of two teams to score 25 points at today's show, with the other being Middlebury College. The Panthers roster is currently dominated by riders from the west coast, including two open riders and two beginner walk-trot-canter riders from California. Brendan O'Connell, a sophomore from Placerville, California (between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe according to O'Connell) won the first section of beginner walk-trot-canter while teammate Oona Ziegler, a freshman from Mill Valley, California won the beginner walk-trot-canter section that followed. Hannah Howell, a second semester freshman from Eliot, Maine (about as far from California as you can get) won the fourth of four sections of novice fences. Middlebury's final rider of the day, walk-trot rider Lisa Mulcahy won the Panthers' lone red ribbon of the contest.
It is rare to attend any IHSA show and find as many as six full point cards. If Colby-Sawyer College had a rider in open fences all seven teams entered would have handed in full cards. The Chargers may have had that elusive full card one day later, as Sarah Juel-Larson won intermediate fences. A junior from Storrs, Connecticut, Juel-Larson was Colby-Sawyer's first rider to compete at Dartmouth and the first to point up. Samantha Ray, a junior from Weare, New Hampshire won novice fences while Tracey Proctor, a junior from Concord, New Hampshire won novice flat. Colby-Sawyer earned only one red ribbon, as Margarette Gousse was second to O'Connell in beginner walk-trot-canter. The Chargers finished the day with 19 points. Remember the Maine: According to the official IHSA web site (IHSAinc.com) there are five IHSA programs registered to compete from the state of Maine: Bates College, Bowdoin College, Colby College, the University of Maine and the University of New England. For reasons that are not clear four of these five schools did not compete at today's show (recently several of these schools have competed at a limited number of IHSA shows each season). Bates was listed in the front of today's program but apparently scratched during the week. An unconfirmed report at today's show is that a flu bug (not the Swine or N1H1) was making the rounds on the Bates campus. In any event it is hoped all the Maine schools are back in the Region 2 saddles for the remainder of the season. The Ride-Off: Lady luck was with Castleton State right up to the end of today's show, as Shaw bested Lindzey in the reserve ride-off. It was the first IHSA ride-off of any kind for Shaw.
More Castleton State: When LeBlanc won her advanced walk-trot-canter it marked not only her first IHSA blue ribbon but her first time competing in a horse show of any kind in three years. Teammate Sullivan had an even better story, having not shown since she was 13 (Sullivan is now 19)! Perhaps Castleton State might want to pound the pavement on campus to find other riders who have not shown for many years! Even more Castleton State: Kara Simanskas, a sophomore from Londonderry, Vermont was second to Pemberton in open flat. This completes the list of today's red ribbon winners from all seven teams. The event should be well documented!: This writer has never seen so many cameras - both for video and still photos - at an IHSA show. Parents and teammates were busy on the hill leading up to the indoor (which was not used today as the sun was out most of the time) getting pictures of the event for posterity. One can always count on the unexpected when Dartmouth hosts, as several male Dartmouth students showed up to lend support in a most unusal way. When Dartmouth senior Samantha Parsons was about to enter the ring for open fences these students removed their shirts at the opposite end of the ring to reveal the word 'Horse' spelled out in green paint on their combined chests. These students then chanted 'HORSE' while caterwauling before and after the ride. The Dartmouth students (referred to by some in attendance as the 'Naked Guys' or 'Half-Naked Guys' though their pants stayed on at all times in the below-40 degree weather at the time) remained at the far end of the ring for section B of open fences, but after several horses appeared to spook close to the students Dartmouth Head Coach Sally Batton asked them to move onto the hill with everyone else. Dartmouth also presented a halftime show, which was a short singing routine involving all the riders new to the Big Green team this fall. These Dartmouth riders wore wigs and funny hats, with one of the hats also passed from one Dartmouth winner to the next throughout the day. One good show deserves another: A day later Colby-Sawyer hosted at Double Clear Farm in Warner, New Hampshire, a new venue for a Colby-Sawyer hosted IHSA show. The hosts went on to tie Middlebury and the University of Vermont for high point team, with all three schools scoring 30 points. According to an e-mail we received from Batton later that day the University of Vermont now leads with 92 points, the University of New Hampshire is second with 89, Middlebury is third with 86 (which may mean the Panthers scored more points at the first show than the schools we listed as second and third that day), Dartmouth fourth with 82, Castleton State fifth with 81 and Mount Ida sixth with 79 (we do not know Colby-Sawyer's overall total at the moment; Sorry - Editor). With three more fall shows and an unknown number of spring shows still to come it would be hard to rule out any of the seven teams which competed at Dartmouth from potentially taking a full team to Zones. For now, parity rules! ---Steve Maxwell Show Incidentals: Partly sunny skies, with temperatures reach the upper '40's. Start Time: 9:45AM. Finish: 2:53PM - includes 61 minute lunch break/Coaches & Captains meeting. Point Cards posted in this region? Yes. Alumni Classes held in this region? No. Judge: Kim Ablon Whitney. Stewards: Payson/Colby-Sawyer College, Selby/Middlebury College and Osinga/Mt. Ida College. Team Totals: Castleton State College (High Point Team) 40; Dartmouth College (TIE-Reserve) 34; Mount Ida College (TIE-Reserve) 34; University of Vermont (TIE-Reserve) 34; Middlebury College 25; University of New Hampshire 25 and Colby-Sawyer College 19. High Point Rider - Lila Pemberton, Mount Ida College
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