Chieftains come from behind, take Region 4 opener at Holly Hill

HANOVER, MA - Through six divisions Boston University had the lead. After seven divisions Boston University was tied for first with Stonehill College. And when it was all over, the Stonehill chieftains had prevailed by a narrow 42 to 40 margin over the terriers. The next to last class of the day was the tiebreaker, as Stonehills' Amanda Welker won the walk-trot class outright while Danielle Horling of Boston University was second. The chieftains actually faired best in the late afternoon, as Erin Fletcher (novice flat), Sara Payton (advanced walk-trot-canter) and Welker all won classes with their names listed on the point cards. While not pointed, Stonehill open rider Samantha Vopat had one of her best days ever, as the Plympton, MA resident won both of her open classes while winning the "Holly Hill Challenge" class and earning reserve high point rider honors in the ride-off. In contrast Boston University was aided by newcommers Jessica Long (open) and Melissa Alpert (novice), both of whom won twice (and were pointed) and became part of the Holly Hill Challenge and the ride-off (a five-way affair).

The chieftains entered the day with perhaps the most talent at open as anyone in the country. Kelsey Amadeo and Dee Dee Rucco were freshman phenoms last season, while Lauren Colwell and Kalyn Healey are freshman to watch. Vopat and Heather Hunt have been known to block some points (sometimes even those of the chieftains), while transfer Renee Theriault was leading Amanda Forte of Brown through two shows last season as a member of the Salve Regina team in region 1. "We even have two open riders we had to leave at home today," said Stonehill head coach Sheila Murphy. Colwell and Vopat won two of the three open fences classes while Vopat and Theriault (pictured above) won half the open flat sections. Others for Stonehill into the blue ribbons today were Thomas Brennan (intermediate fences) and Fletcher a second time (novice fences).

Boston University used three freshman in the open division, with impressive results. Jessica Long, from Barrington, RI won twice while Cayce Harrison of Burr Ridge, IL (whose first name is pronounced "Casey") won her open flat class. Another open newcommer to the terriers is Lucy Brush of Duxbury, MA, who was second to Vopat in her IHSA debut (open fences). BU returnee Christy Jeffries (from White Lake, MI; how do the terriers get so much talent from the midwest?) started the day as open flat/intermediate fences. While Jeffries did not pin in open flat, her first in intermediate fences put her over the 35 point barrier in that division, thus making her "open/open" as some call it when a rider points out of a division twice. Noticably absent was two-time region champion open rider Caitlin Venezia, who has "Turned professional" according to Boston University head coach Phyllis Cervelli. Besides the open riders and Alpert, Vanessa LaPierre also won a blue ribbon for Boston University, her victory in advanced walk-trot-canter.

Power Gulls surprised: Several members of Endicott College were surprised to see their team place as high as third. At most shows over the past few seasons, Stonehill, Tufts and Boston University have generally placed in the top four from show to show, with Wellesley, Wheaton and UMass-Dartmouth often placing in the top six. Westbrook, CT's Steffanie Isacson placed second to Theriault in Section 7A, while North Kingston, RI's Mikhaela Barbera placed second to Long in Section 7C. Besides these two red ribbons won in open flat, Steph Andreottolas' power gulls won several classes after the fences were taken down. Kate Sorensen (intermediate flat), Caitlyn Pilch (advanced walk-trot-canter), Megan Piermarini (beginner walk-trot-canter), Liz Duboc and Stacy Locke (both walk-trot) all placed first while Lauren Eldridge (intermediate flat), Meg O'Brien (same) and Jessica Harrington (advanced walk-trot-canter) all placed second in their respective classes to aid the 35 point third-place effort.

Wheaton's Stewart has the best debut of all!: Marie Stewart, a freshman from Plainville, MA became the first rider from a school other than Stonehill or Boston University to win a class when she won the ninth class of the morning, her IHSA debut over intermediate fences. The Wheaton rider won her intermediate flat class and then surprised many by besting Long, Vopat, Alpert and Fletcher in the ride-off for the days' high point rider. Her only forgetable moment was not placing in the Holly Hill challenge class, but everything else she did was right on!

Paint the elephant red: The Tufts jumbos, first in 2000, third in 2001 and second within the region in 2002 were only fourth overall today but find themselves only nine points behind Stonehill headed into Windcrest on October 26th. Tufts won a remarkable eight red ribbons (Stuart Mueller in novice flat and intermediate fences, Andrea Savage in novice flat and fences, Kate Stewart in novice fences, Jessie Auritt and Caitlin Moss, both in advanced walk-trot-canter and Rachel Vaskevitch in open flat) while Valerie Wood (advanced walk-trot-canter), Robert Webb (beginner walk-trot-canter) and Kate Stewart (novice flat) won blue ribbons for Charlotte McEnroes' team from Medford, MA.

Others to win blue ribbons were Martha Rendeiro of Wellesley (novice fences), Brianna Ewert of Harvard (advanced walk-trot-canter) and Elizabeth Lepine, Karyn Taylor and Katie Mattos of Renise Beauchenes' University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth team, which won each of their classes in succession! Lepine won the final intermediate flat division while Taylor and Mattos won back-to-back novice flat classes.

Other highlights: Framingham States' Deborah Giangarra was second in her beginner walk-trot-canter class while Harvard freshman Sara Eckhouse (from Des Moines, IA) was second in both open flat and fences, good enough to end the day third in the open rider standings.

Alumni turnout larger than some expected: Adriana Bekeris, a 2001 graduate of Boston University, was surprised to find more than two opponents. "I thought they needed me to fill the (alumni fences)," she said. However five wound up entered into the class. Shirley Murphy, the sister of Stonehill head coach Sheila Murphy, had often filled in when an alumni had scratched, but todays' appearance was her first in proper attire since the 1990s'. Holly Helbig, who rode for the defending national champion Ohio University team last season (and competed at 2002 IHSA Nationals in the Cacchione Cup competition) had relocated from Akron, OH to the Boston area and decided to keep riding in the IHSA. Jenny Workman, a 2001 University of Pennsylvania graduate, rode alumni once or twice last season in zone 3, region 2 and now attends law school at Franklin Pierce in New Hampshire. There is no alumni division within zone 1, region 2 at this time so Workman traveled south to compete. And until recently Leah Kane rode for Sheila Murphy at Stonehill. The first alumni fences class of the season went to Helbig, while Murphy was second, Workman (who had not jumped a horse in several months) was third, Kane fourth and Bekeris fifth. The alumni flat was even larger, as Stephanie Simmons and Lauren Dennis of Wellesley and Tracy Wallace of UMass-Dartmouth also joined in. This time Murphy won while Helbig was second, followed in order by Bekaris (another midwesterner who went to Boston University), Workman, Wallace and Kane. Workman will not be at Windcrest (the three hour and 15 minute drive is too long for her, at least this time) so it is hoped that the others who jump all take part again to insure the class is official.

What is the Holly Hill Challenge class?: Named for the barn at which Boston University practices and hosts, the Holly Hill Challenge is for each undergraduate rider who wins a jumping class. The class, which is held between the two alumni classes, pits the nine over fences winners against each other. This time it was Samantha Vopat victorious, with novice Melissa Albert finishing second ahead of at least two open and three intermediate riders for reserve.

Show Incidentals: High Temperature in the upper 50's. Mostly cloudy, occassional sunshine. Start time: 9:22AM. Finish: 4:51PM - includes 43 minute schooling break (coaches & captains meeting held after the show). Point cards posted in this region?: Yes. Alumni Classes held in this region? Yes. Judge: Margo Lynch. Stewards: NA.

Team Totals: Stonehill College (High Point Team) 42; Boston University (reserve) 40; Endicott College 35; Tufts University 33; Wheaton College 30; Wellesley College 29; University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth 18; Harvard University 13; Framingham State College 10 and Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1.

High Point Rider - Marie Stewart, Wheaton College
Reserve High Point Rider - Samantha Vopat, Stonehill College