University of Vermont prevails comfortably

Williston, VT - Aided by the return of open rider John Pigott, the University of Vermont won their show comfortably, scoring 43 points and taking the lead for at least a day within zone 1, region 2. Pigott was first in open flat and second in open fences, while Carolyn McGuinness (intermediate flat and novice fences) and Justine Morrison (novice flat and fences) won both of their classes for the cattamounts. Liz Austin, the daughter of Vermont head coach Madeleine Austin, was a winner in her first IHSA flat class (the dressage phenom better than seven others in open flat) while Rachel Puccetti (intermediate flat), Amber Bennett (advanced walk-trot-canter), Chelsea Tomat (beginner walk-trot-canter) and Jenna Johnson (walk-trot) also won classes as the cattamounts were ten better than reserve Dartmouth in the first of two shows for the region this weekend.

The big green broke 30 points for the second show in a row and their 35 points-per-show average would have them in first in several other regions. Katie Colfer (novice flat) and Jill Carr (advanced walk-trot-canter) were the only blue ribbon-winners for Dartmouth. However Sara Glazer (open flat), Abigail Donahue (novice flat) and Yibei Shen (walk-trot) were all second in their respective classes for Sally Battons' big green. Others to win classes on the day were Sarah Berkowitz (open fences), KT Mertes (intermediate fences) and Mercy Trent (same) of Middlebury; Ellen Lampman (open fences, ahead of Pigott), Helen Peparo (novice fences) and Kate Provencher (intermediate flat) of Colby-Sawyer; Liz Hopkins of the University of Maine (novice flat) and Heather Paulsen (novice flat), Sarah Levins (advanced walk-trot-canter), Nicola Hewson (walk-trot) and Becky Osinga (novice fences) for third-place Mount Ida, only a point behind Dartmouth with a respectable 32 on Saturday.

"Yes. I'm nervous": Though Liz Austin made this statement moments before her first IHSA class, the freshman and daughter of head coach Madeleine Austin (both pictured) need not have worried. Although she is novice fences but open flat (due to her dressage credentials), the younger Austin was second to Peparo in the fourth and final novice fences class of the day. Her debut in the open flat was even better, as Austin placed first, even besting the current Cacchione leader in the region, Colby-Sawyers' Ellen Lampman. Lampman had finished one point ahead of Pigott in the open fences, and for a while there was a crowded field of riders with a first and a second vying to be high point rider for the day.

"Section 7B, Open Flat. Take two": Following Austins' open flat victory, the second section of open flat took place - twice. Glazer of Dartmouth had a horse that was acting up. "He jumped a pile of dirt," said Glazer, "Then he bucked." Glazers' draw then made some dressage moves, crossing one leg over the other, until Glazer was instructed to bring her horse to the center of the ring. After the other six riders reversed and cantered the other direction, the class was stopped. After a short pause, everyone was told the class would start over from the beginning. Glazer was given a new horse, Pigott went on to win, and Glazer rode her second mount well enough for reserve.

Wildcats are back: The University of New Hampshire, which has not always fielded a team over the past ten years, suddenly have a rider for every division. Coached by Cindy Wentzell, the wildcats put 22 points on the board at Maine a week ago and 15 today. Amy Lafave, a freshman making her IHSA debut, placed second in advanced walk-trot-canter for the wildcats. Also riding at that level is Erin Holmes, who won a red ribbon as well. The University of New Hampshire did not compete last season, while the 2000-01 team scored a grand total of 2 points for the entire season. If the wildcats were able to score 24 or more at Middlebury on Sunday, they would have surpassed the 1999-2000 team, which scored all of 60 points. In the 1980's, New Hampshire fielded some very good teams (at least one set of wildcats reached nationals) and given time they might make a run at a region 2 title if they develop more depth.

Hush Hush, Sweet Charlotte: Perhaps it was a good day to be from Charlotte, Vermont. Justine Morrison, a senior at the University of Vermont who only joined the team this season, was able to win both her novice flat and fences classes. Morrison, who is from Charlotte, then avoided a ride-off with teammate Carolyn McGuinness when it was decided a coin toss would break the tie for the ribbon. Morrison's luck continued when McGuinness (from Doylestown, PA) guessed tales and the coin came up heads. Earlier in the day, Ellen Lampman of Colby-Sawyer was one of several riders with a first and a second. Until Morrison won a second time, Lampman was in the running for reserve high-point rider. Lampman took the lead in the high point open rider standings, as the Charlotte resident now sits one point ahead of Elizabeth Pemmerl of Bates, the charger rider on top for at least a day with 23 points.

No way to describe it: Several members of the Dartmouth team entertained themselves with sticky name tags. The tags were used to write Anagrams of each riders' names. Anagrams are described in the third edition of Websters' New World Dictionary as "A word or phrase made from another by rearranging its letters" and "A game whose object is to make words by arranging letters from a common pool or by forming anagrams from other words." Some of these turned out to be more pseudonym than anagram. Kelsie Clark became "I. Sleek." Abigail Donahue became "Big Alia." Ashley McCaughan perhaps feared beer, as she became "Ale-shy." Sara Glazer had two names, "Glazenuts" and "Rasa" while Lindsay Clayton did likewise, becoming "L. Claytonian" and "Lady Sin"! At least none of the tags read "My name is Slim Shady." Glazenuts ended the day third in the race for the Cacchione, three behind "Palm Mall" and two in back of "I. Pleaze" if you can figure out who they are.

Three dates planned in '03: Bates College, which at one time was going to host the first weekend in October, has chosen March 1st for their show at Chez Chevaux in Durham, Maine. Dartmouth will host March 29th at Morgan Farm while Middlebury will host March 15th, with the site still to be determined.

Show Incidentals: High Temperature in the upper 60's. Overcast in the morning, then sunny and breezy in the afternoon. Start time: 9:23AM. Finish: 2:33PM - includes 51 minute lunch break/coaches & captains meeting. Point Cards posted in this region? Yes. Alumni Classes held in this region? No. Judge: Betsy Joyce. Stewards: Corey/University of Maine, Selby/Middlebury College and Wentzel/University of New Hampshire.

Team Totals: University of Vermont (High Point Team) 43; Dartmouth College (Reserve) 33; Mount Ida College 32; Colby-Sawyer College 24; Middlebury College 24; University of New Hampshire 15; University of Maine 13 and Bates College 10.

High Point Rider - Justine Morrison, University of Vermont
Reserve High Point Rider - Carolyn McGuinness, University of Vermont