She won the individual walk-trot class at the Holiday Tournament of Champions invitational her previous time out. Erika Oziemina (right, with Head Coach Chris Mitchell) won her walk-trot class again today to put Cornell ahead for good.

BIG RED HOLD ON TO BEAT SKIDMORE 37-36

Ithaca, NY - Heading into their February 18th hunter seat show at the Oxley Center, the Cornell Big Red had yet to win an IHSA show during the 2006-07 season. Yet because they had finished a close second to Skidmore at three of the four fall shows the Big Red found themselves only 25 points out of first place. Though it had been over two months, Cornell could also claim to have finished ahead of Skidmore at the Holiday Tournament of Champions held at Cazenovia College on December 3rd. On that date the Big Red earned Reserve High Point Team honors, finishing behind Virginia Intermont by a 37-36 score while Skidmore was third with 31.

Strange but true today's show also saw Cornell involved in a 37-36 decision. However this time around the Big Red finally had no one to look up to on the scoreboard. Aided by firsts from Dana Kendrick (in open fences), Heather Sherman (intermediate fences), Zoe Samuel (novice flat) and Erika Oziemina (walk-trot), Cornell led throughout but had to wait out the final walk-trot section to be certain victory was in fact theirs.

Skidmore was in fact coming off a completely different Tournament of Champions competition, having taken part in the Winter Tournament show in Athens, Georgia on January 27th. The Thoroughbreds won a tiebreaker for sixth place with College of Charleston that day, but did have the Medal Class Champion in open rider Ashley Woodhouse, the 2005 IHSA Nationals Cacchione Cup winner, finishing ahead of 31 others at the invitational in a division comparable to a ride-off for high point. Though they came in second at today's show the Thoroughbreds did secure the most blue ribbons, as Woodhouse, Jessica Schroff, Nicole Malone, Jennifer Wilkins (all in open flat), Megan Martin (open fences), Ashley Halsey (intermediate flat), Amelia Rubenstein (intermediate fences), Sarah Webb (novice flat) and Krystina Smith (advanced walk-trot-canter) all won classes. At one point Wilkens, Woodhouse, Schroff and Malone won consectutive open flat classes, leaving Skidmore undefeated in that level on this day.

We thought about posting this off the homepage, in a "Write the Caption" section, but the photo is just too timely. Ithaca College freshman Julie Kruger (right) and Bombers Head Coach Connie Sawyer are relatively happy following Krugers' first IHSA blue ribbon. The Verona, New Jersey resident had ridden "Jack" to victory in the third section of open fences.

Though Cornell and Skidmore earned the top two team ribbons the Colgate Raiders nearly did as well. Marie Artakis' blue ribbon in the second and final section of walk-trot raised the Raiders' total to 35 points (and kept Skidmore from getting to 38 - Editor). Earlier Kate Kokanovich had won both her intermediate flat and intermediate fences classes, securing a place in the ride-off. Colgate now has 151 points through five shows, leaving them only nine behind Hartwick and 14 behind Morrisville State in the race for third place.

Binghamton College came in fourth for the day with 32 points, this in spite of being without a novice fences rider. Sophomore Ali Levy won her section of open fences while freshman advanced walk-trot-canter riders Samantha Zimmer and Tasha Hayes won consecutive classes. In addition Bearcat intermediate rider Kelly Palmer finished second twice. Save for a surprisingly low score at Skidmore the Bearcats have scored at least 26 points at the other four shows.

The State University of New York at Cobleskill and Morrisville State College tied for fifth at todays' show with 28 points each. Cobleskill won one more blue ribbon, as Ashley St. John won her novice flat while both Andrea Sheer and Kaitlyn Korpics won separate sections of novice fences. Morrisville's Megan Hathaway won the section of novice fences before Korpics' turn while Kaelya Sommer was a winner in the second section of open fences earlier. The Mustangs have finished each of the previous three seasons in third place and continue to hold that position with 165 points and three shows still to come.

Did you know that the German word "Zimmer" translates into "Room" in english? Neither did Samantha Zimmer of Binghamton University (left). As long as Zimmer and Binghamton teammate Tasha Hayes (right) keep riding the way they do there will be room on the roster for both! Both incidentally are freshman and their blue ribbons in advanced walk-trot-canter on February 18th were their second firsts in IHSA competition.

Hartwick had a respectable day with 27 points. Beth Brandt was the only rider not from Skidmore to win an open flat class while freshman Erika Mohr was second in both of her open classes. In addition Laura Clough (intermediate flat), Megan McCue (intermediate fences), Hannah Wiest (novice flat), Catherine Moore (same) and Victoria Broderick (advanced walk-trot-canter) also won red ribbons for the Hawks.

The State University of New York at Albany was next with 24 points, a new team record for points scored at an IHSA show. It was in fact one year ago this month that Albany made their IHSA debut, and only a year later the Great Danes have seven of eight places filled on their point sheet. Lynn Faust was the first Albany rider to compete at today's show, and though Faust thought she had leaned forward too much over the intermediate fences her round was good enough for a blue ribbon, her first time winning an IHSA fences class. Some time later teammate Danielle Hutchinson won her section of intermediate flat while Katy McCall was a winner in advanced walk-trot-canter. One interesting sidebar is that Faust received a Cornell drinking glass with her blue ribbon while Hutchinson received a Cornell coffee mug. After Faust and Hutchinson realised that there were two different "Drinking Utensils" they opted to swap, with Faust getting the mug and Hutchinson getting the glass. In addition Hutchinson and advanced walk-trot-canter rider Sarah Moscowitz earned red ribbons, with Hutchinsons' effort in novice fences briefly making her a contender for a ride-off.

Siena College also reached the 20's, scoring exactly 21 points for the third time this season. Competing without a walk-trot or open fences rider, the Saints were led by freshman Kara Rothermal, a winner in both the novice flat and fences at todays' show. Rothermal has been a big part of the Siena scoring so far in 2006-07, having won three straight novice flat classes and never placing below third on any occasion. Rothermal's win in novice fences was her first in an IHSA jumping class and eliminated the need for what would have been a large ride-off for reserve. Erin Wagner (in intermediate flat) and Laura Daubman (in novice fences) were red ribbons for the Saints.

From Rochester, New York, Colgate sophomore Kate Kokanovich (left) poses with teammate and birthday girl Mackenzie Bower, who turned 19 on this day. Kokanovich was a winner in both of her intermediate classes while the Raiders scored a season-high 35 points, only one less than Skidmore and two less than high point team Cornell.

Though Ithaca College scored only 19 points, several individuals did well for the Bombers. Intermediate rider Ella Nace placed first on the flat and second on the fences, at one point a candidate for a reserve ride-off until Rothermal won a second time. A nice go over the open fences gave freshman Julie Kruger her first IHSA blue ribbon while Ashley Hogan was a red ribbon-winner in intermediate fences.

Hamilton College earned eight points, with Emily Chamberlains' third in intermediate fences the highest ribbon of the day for the Blue. Both RPI and Elmira earned three points, the lowest score of the season so far for any Region 3 hunter seat team. Each had a good reason for the low score, as six of the eight levels on their point sheets were empty this weekend. Both however had their moments. RPI freshman Sarah Laprade was second in intermediate flat, her best showing in this division to date. Bethany Klein of Elmira was also a red ribbon winner, placing second in advanced walk-trot-canter. Kleins' teammate Meredith Mohun had the honor of being the first Elmira rider to enter the ring all day at roughly quarter after three in the afternoon, and Mohuns' third in advanced walk-trot-canter made her only the second rider in the programs' history to qualify for Regionals.

She wins, then she gets elected!: Zone 2, Region 3 elected a new alumni rep during the lunch break of today's show. Former Pace University rider Angela Netoskie (who was known as Angie Stone in most Zone 2, Region 1 programs as an undergraduate) was elected the new Region 3 alumni representative. Alumni fences was the final class before the lunch break, and Netoskie was best in a field of five riders. However former Stonehill standout Emily Unger won the alumni flat two hours later. Unger swapped places with Netoskie, with the new rep earning the yellow ribbon on the flat. 2005 Ithaca graduate Audra Ravo was second in both alumni divisions, while 2006 RPI graduate Elyssa Klein won a pair of fourths and Cobleskill alum Lynn Boomhower-Silva left the Oxley Center with a pair of fifths. Ithaca graduate Autumn Greenburg flated only and took sixth. Ravo, who entered the day with more points in either alumni division than any other Region 3 rider, moved up to 28 points overall on the flat, securing a ride at Regionals.

Elmiras' Meredith Mohun (left) pointed out of advanced walk-trot-canter. Teammate Bethany Klein (right) earned the highest ribbon of the day for Elmira with a second also in advanced walk-trot-canter. Assistant Coach Sara Spencer (center) taught them everything they know, unless Head Coaches Allyson Thibodeau (not pictured) or Mary Lou Spencer (Saras' Mother, also not pictured) taught them first.

The Ride-Off: If you attended today's show and tried to track who would be in the ride-off you were kept very busy. Kendrick placed second to Brandt in the first open flat section, giving her a first and a second. Woodhouse equaled the feat with a first two classes later. Malone did likewise two classes after that.

Then Kokanovich won her second blue ribbon of the day to start intermediate flat, thus creating a three-way tie for reserve. Nace proceeded to win the second section of intermediate flat, making it a four-way tie. Two classes later Hutchinson won, balooning the number to five. Three sections of novice came and went before both Rothermal and Korpics rode in the final section, each with a chance to eliminate the five riders with firsts and seconds or to perhaps ride against all of them. Rothermal won, thus forcing herself and Kokanovich to ride again.

Both Kokanovich and Rothermal were asked to canter and trot without stirrups. Rothermal, in her first IHSA ride-off, was awarded reserve while Kokanovich, competing in her third IHSA ride-off, won the overall blue ribbon for the first time.

Woodhouse looking to make it three trips to Nationals: Woodhouse's 12 points raised her total to 64 while teammate Schroff added 11 to climb to 56. Levy also added 11, moving up to 52 while Kendrick jumped from 36 points to 48. With no other rider within 20 points of Woodhouse and three shows to go it appears that the race to represent Region 3 at IHSA Nationals in the Cacchione Cup Competition May 3rd through 5th in Springfield, Massachusetts is at best a four-way race. Should Woodhouse hold onto the lead the senior from Wayzata, Minnesota would have a chance to become only the fourth rider to win the award twice. Woodhouse won the cup as a sophomore and, if qualified, will look to improve on her 10th place finish last season.

The Team Race: With Skidmore still up by 24 after losing by a point to the proverbial second place team in the region it is doubtful the race for high point team or reserve will change through the final three shows. The race for third could be very interesting however, with Morrisville only five ahead of Hartwick and 14 in front of Colgate. If Skidmore wins the region it will be the Thoroughbreds' ninth consecutive Region Championship, including two while still a member of Zone 2, Region 2.

---Steve Maxwell

Show Incidentals: Snow flurries. Cloudy and windy, with temperatures reaching 20 degrees. Entire show held indoors in a heated facility. Start time: 8:48AM. Finish: 4:32PM - includes 53 minute lunch break/Coaches & Captains meeting and several schooling breaks totaling an additional 20 minutes. Point cards posted in this region? Yes. Alumni Classes held in this region? Yes. Judge: Kerry Kocher. Stewards: Hanlon/Siena College, Pernat/State University of New York at Cobleskill and Eklund/Morrisville State College.

Team Totals: Cornell University (High Point Team) 37; Skidmore College (Reserve) 36; Colgate University 35; Binghamton University 32; State University of New York at Cobleskill 28; Morrisville State College 28; Hartwick College 27; State University of New York at Albany 24; Siena College 21; Ithaca Ithaca College 19; Hamilton College 8; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 3 and Elmira College 3.

High Point Rider - Kate Kokanovich, Colgate University
Reserve High Point Rider - Kara Rothermal, Siena College