Megan Connolly (left) and Karin Corbett of Mount Holyoke placed one-two in the first section of intermediate fences. Connolly would eventually be high point rider for the day.

MOUNT HOLYOKE EDGES UMASS AS BOTH BREAK 40 AGAIN

South Hadley, MA (3/6/04) - Led by sophomore intermediate rider Megan Connolly, Mount Holyoke College reached the 40's for the sixth time in seven tries, edging the University of Massachusetts at Amherst 46-43 on March 6th. Besides a pair of firsts for Connolly, Caroline Cobb (open fences), Kyla Makhloghi (open flat), Karin Corbett (intermediate flat), Diana Rosenbaum (same), Ainsley Cathcart (novice fences), Anne Meade (same), Crissey Hewitt (same), Marie Hilliard (advanced walk-trot-canter), Lauren Bonvini (beginner walk-trot-canter) and Jessie Sollog (walk-trot) all came away with blue ribbons for the lyons. With their highest team score since opening day, Mount Holyoke now leads the University of Massachusetts at Amherst by 45 points with one show remaining before Regionals.

For the second week in a row, the minutemen put more than 40 on the board. Open rider Amy Lowrey won both of her classes to take a seven point lead in the open rider standings. Jennifer Lober (open flat), Kim Miller (intermediate fences), Erin Horrigan (novice flat), Lindsey Ahl (same), Chelsea Brooks (same) and Annie Bickford (walk-trot) also joined Lowrey with firsts. UMass, in the forties for the third time this season, now averages 36.7 points per show, while Mount Holyoke averages 43.1.

Smith College had their second best day of the season, posting 32 points and earning three blue ribbons. Amanda Downing (novice flat), Lily Joseph (same) and Samantha Leland (advanced walk-trot-canter) won classes while several others, including Co-Captains Maureen Loa and Jessica Willis, advanced to Regionals. It should be noted that Smith riders sent the "noise meter" up the highest when their entrees either won or clinched a spot in the post-season.

Williams College, which entered the day with more riders qualified for Regionals than Smith was next with 26 points. The ephs excelled in the advanced walk-trot-canter, as both Vanessa Badino and Courtney Bearns won their sections. Bearns pointed into novice with her blue ribbon.

Also over 20 points was Amherst College, with 21. Ashley Arana won the lone Amherst blue ribbon of the day in novice fences. Amherst has reached 20 points or more at every show this season.

Other riders with a blue ribbon on this day were Kaitlin Scahill of Elms College (in beginner walk-trot-canter) and JoAnna Lou of Holy Cross (in walk-trot), which had only three riders entered as this was the crusader's spring break week.

And then there were four: Though Lowrey won twice, three others remain in the race for Region 3 high point open rider honors and a trip to IHSA Nationals in the Cacchione Cup Competition. Makhloghi did not place over fences, and trails Lowrey by seven. Lober was reserve in her open fences (the same section Cobb won and in which Makhloghi did not place) which leaves her ten back. Lauren Morlock of Mount Holyoke is also ten behind Lowrey. Morlock was fifth in open fences (the same section as the others) and third in open flat. Morlock, Lober and Lowrey all have one more semester of IHSA eligibility next season (all can claim to be first semester seniors this spring) though it is unclear if all three will take advantage of it. By contrast, Makhloghi is a sophomore with two full seasons ahead of her to win high point open rider/Cacchione honors if she does not accomplish the feat this time.

Just when you think it's over: The ride off between Lowrey and Connolly for today's high point rider honors took a solid fifteen minutes. Judge Barbara Filippelli had each rider walk, trot and canter in each direction. Then both were asked to take their feet out of their stirrups for more cantering. Later Filippelli had both riders line up and gave them a test (which was not read over the loudspeakers). Both riders seem to perform the test identically (this included a figure eight). It also seemed as if Filippelli asked each rider a question at the end, but since we could not hear we are not sure. It wasn't David beats Goliath, but Connolly the intermediate did get the high point ribbon versus Lowrey the open.

Against the tide: While Alumni ridership is up 40 percent nationally, once again Region 3 did not have alumni classes. Though alumni participated at one fall show, this will mark the first season in at least eight that no one from the region will qualify to ride alumni at Regionals (or Zones for that matter). One familiar alumni who still might find her way to Nationals is Andrea Bill, who rode alumni within the region last season and went on to be National Champion in Alumni Flat. The 2001 Mount Holyoke graduate, who was schooling at today's show, needs five points on March 28th at William & Mary's Zone 4, Region 1 show to qualify for Regionals in alumni flat. Since Region 1 of Zone 4 is the only region in that Zone with alumni, Bill would clinch a trip to Nationals, as only one other rider in that region is mathematically alive to qualify alumni flat.

Do we have time to mention it? We do! OK: The Public Address Announcements were handled by a variety of Mount Holyoke riders throughout the day. Some of the announcements were humorous, at times not unlike the play-by-play at a fashion show. The big brother effect was also felt. Upon entering the building, we heard "Campus Equestrian is with us today. Hello." My apologies for not remembering which direction to wave! Thumbs up to whoever was playing music over the PA before showtime. Early arrivals got to hear eighties modern rock from the likes of Duran Duran, though the music between classes was mostly Billy Joel. People with the power to do something about this in Murfreesboro May sixth through ninth please take note! Mix this stuff in with Simple Plan, Outkast, Hillary Duff, etc for the May shindig.

---Steve Maxwell

Show Incidentals: High Temperature in the upper 50's. Overcast in the morning, then sunny in the late afternoon. Entire show held indoors. Start time: 9:25AM. Finish: 3:59PM - includes 18 minute schooling break. Point Cards posted in this region? No. Alumni Classes held in this region? Yes, but not today. Judge: Ms. Barbara K. Filippelli. Stewards: Jankelson/Landmark College, Payne/Smith College and Ehrlich/Westfield State College.

Team Totals: Mount Holyoke College (High Point Team) 46; University of Massachusetts at Amherst (Reserve) 43; Smith College 32; Williams College 26; Amherst College 21; Westfield State College 19; Becker College 15; College of the Holy Cross 9; Elms College 8, Springfield College 6 and Landmark College 5.

High Point Rider - Megan Connolly, Mount Holyoke College
Reserve High Point Rider - Amy Lowrey, University of Massachusetts at Amherst