Centenary's Jen Elrod won open fences to start the day. Ten more Centenary riders would also win as the Cyclones were 41-35 winners over Pace.

CENTENARY WINS FOR THE FOURTH TIME IN FOUR TRIES

Readington, NJ - It is not always easy to write a story about an IHSA show when you are not sure what was going on at the previous shows in that same region. Upon arriving at the October 28th all-region show (named such as all Zone 2, Region 1 teams are co-hosts) this writer learned that Centenary College was in fact undefeated through the first three shows. The more interesting fact was who had finished reserve.

Only a day earlier the United States Military Academy had hosted a show at Centenary, with William Paterson University earning reserve high point team honors. This is remarkable as William Paterson went several seasons without fielding an IHSA team earlier this decade and had only four divisions filled at today's show. The WPU program has vanished and returned several times since the late 1960's, so it is not clear if this was their first time inside the top two.

Two weeks earlier Stevens Institute had hosted at Centenary, with Bard College and the State University of New York at New Paltz tieing for reserve. This absolutely was Bard's first time with a share of the reserve high point team ribbon. New Paltz may have accomplished this feat once before since their team was formed in the late 1990's, though at best this is only their second time with the red ribbon.

And way back on October 7th Drew and Sarah Lawrence co-hosted at Briarwood Farm, also the site of today's show. On that occasion Drew finished second and the USMA was third. That would be considered closer to the norm if you are a frequent attendee of Zone 2, Region 1 shows over the past few seasons. And the norm often includes Centenary College, champions of their region for 18 consecutive seasons and counting, in the winner's circle.

Jaimee Merriman (who moved up from beginner to advanced walk-trot-canter a day earlier) holds the William Paterson University reserve high point team ribbon awarded at the October 27th USMA show. It might not be William Paterson's first-ever reserve high point team award but it is certainly their first in well over a decade.

Perhaps it was being back at Briarwood, but the team results for today's show were again more traditional of Region 1. Led by freshman Kelly Arvidson, who was the only rider to earn a pair of firsts, Centenary College won for the fourth time in four tries, earning 41 points while Pace earned their first RHPT ribbon of 2007-08. The Setters finished with 35 points, just ahead of Drew with 34 and USMA with 33.

While Arvidson was high point rider, four schools were represented with reserve high point rider ribbons. Sarah Lawrence open rider and defending Region 1 Cacchione Cup rider Liz Stitzel, Stevens Institute open rider Kathleen Weatherall, Centenary intermediate rider Molly Brown, Drew open rider Tori Frederick and Drew open flat and intermediate fences rider Rachel Denning all won a class while finishing second in another.

The Cylcones won eleven individual blue ribbons, easily the most of any school on this day. Jen Elrod (open fences), Alexa Lass (intermediate fences), Victoria Eckart (novice fences), Jaclyn Pavlos (novice flat), Taylor Lee-Stiles (same), Heather Bowen (advanced walk-trot-canter), Katelyn Flemming (same), Jenna McEwan (same), Brown (intermediate flat) and Arvidson (novice flat and intermediate fences) were tops in their respective classes while nine riders won red, second-place ribbons. Though we were unable to get a photo of Arvidson, Cyclones coach Andrea Wells mentioned she is a freshman from South Jersey while co-coach Michael Dowling called Arvidson "A really nice young lady, a good student and a good rider."

Pace University had perhaps their best day of the season to date. Caroline O'Connell (intermediate flat) and Rebecca Page (novice fences) won the Setter's lone blue ribbons of the day. However Pace also won four red ribbons, including two for Hillary Quinn in the open divisions. Pace Head Coach Lisa Tomaselli was also a red ribbon winner in the alumni fences, though technically her ribbon is credited to Virginia Tech, which is where Tomaselli was an undergraduate.

Stevens Institute Head Coach Patti Zwaan (left) holds onto Ducks open rider Kathleen Weatherall after the latter won her open flat class. The senior from Hoboken, New Jersey was second over fences and became one of five riders with a first and a second place ribbon on this day.

Though Drew University finished a point behind Pace, the Rangers had much to be happy about. Open riders James Fairclough and Frederick both won open flat classes, and with the latter gaining a point on her teammate thanks to a second in open fences she believes both are tied for the lead in the Region 1 USEF Cacchione Open Rider Standings. Also earning blue ribbons for Drew were Nathan Band (advanced walk-trot-canter) and Denning (intermediate fences). Band's blue ribbon was his first in three seasons as a member of the Drew team. Ranger riders also won four red ribbons while 2006 Drew graduate Kristine Kennedy was a winner in both of her alumni classes, including the only section of alumni fences which was made up of ten riders.

The USMA earned three red ribbons through the first 23 undergraduate sections, but caught fire to win four of the final eight blue ribbons. Paul Sperli (novice flat), Stephanie Whitaker (beginner walk-trot-canter), Kimberly Cowan (walk-trot) and Nic Walker (same) won outright for the Black Knights, with Walker pointing into walk-trot-canter in the process. Army also finished with five red ribbons, awarded to Brittany Fraser (intermediate flat), Natalie Heimel (novice fences), Reggie Woronowicz (same), Corinne Noble (advanced walk-trot-canter) and Jessica Huggins (walk-trot).

Stevens Institute of Technology was fifth with 28 points. In addition to Weatherall's first in open flat Rosemary Garofalo was a winner in intermediate flat while Constance Maglaras won the final section of walk-trot to conclude the afternoon. Weatherall and Jamie Fishbein also won red ribbons, with Weatherall second in open fences to Stitzel in the former and Fishbein second to Pavlos in novice flat in the latter.

Only a point behind Stevens was the State University of New York at New Paltz. Carolyn Smith (open flat), Katharine Majestic (novice fences), Lindsay Giglio (same) and Chelsie Richards (beginner walk-trot-canter) all won blue ribbons while Sara Dolber was second (in another section of beginner walk-trot-canter) for SUNY-New Paltz. With 27 today and at least one reserve high point team ribbon through four shows one wonders how high the Hawks are in the Region 1 team standings.

Sarah Lawrence finished with 24 points, this despite not having any intermediate riders enterred. Stitzel led the way for the Gryphons with a first in open fences and a second to Frederick in open flat. Stitzel is either six or seven points behind Fairclough and Frederick in the Region 1 Cacchione race depending on who you talk to. Galina Pavel (novice fences), Emma Greenberg (beginner walk-trot-canter) and Stephanie Armitage (walk-trot) all placed second in their respective divisions for the Gryphons.

When we took this photo of Drew Head Coach Karen Sykes (right) we thought she had the region's current leading open rider in James Fairclough (left). It is true Fairclough is in first, however he is tied for the honor with teammate Tori Frederick (not pictured). Both Fairclough and Frederick are looking to advance to Nationals for the first time.

Like Sarah Lawrence, Bard College did not have any intermediate riders enterred at today's show. Open rider Elizabeth Ford came up big in the second class of the day, winning her open fences. The Raptors finished the day with 19 points.

William Paterson may be the first team we have talked about so far which did not win a blue ribbon on the 28th, but no doubt the Pioneers will be talking about the 27th for some time to come. On the 28th novice rider Kaitlyn Lang was twice a yellow ribbon winner while Jaimee Merriman did likewise in advanced walk-trot-canter. The Pioneers scored 14 on this day, though only half their card was filled.

Oneonta State College, part of the SUNY system, easily has the longest drive to Zone 2, Region 1 shows. Because of the large number of riders in Zone 2, Region 3, Oneonta was asked to make their IHSA debut in Region 1 at the final 2006-07 show. Though perhaps at some point in the future Oneonta could be in with the Upstate New York schools for now they travel to Briarwood and Centenary for most of their meets. Apparently the Oneonta team did enjoy their evening at the three-level Bridgewater Commons Mall between the Saturday and Sunday shows, so some decent shopping may have come out of it. Melissa Bellock (open flat), Darcy DeSpain (novice flat), former Centenary rider Jocelyn Schimmel (same) and Meredith Kurz (beginner walk-trot-canter) all placed fourth to tie for Oneonta's highest ribbon en route to 11 points.

Though Marist finished with eight points to round out the scoring, the Red Foxes did have a blue ribbon winner. Freshman Christina Handshy won the third of five novice flat classes, perhaps earning seven of Marist's points in one shot.

Though we are in the dark regarding the overall alumni points in Region 1, the graduates are turning out in large numbers throughout the Northeast and the New York Metropolitan area in general. Twelve alumni took part in today's show, with Centenary alumni rider Amy Gregonis a winner in the first section of alumni flat. Gregonis was third to Kennedy in first and Tomaselli in second over the fences, while another Drew alumni, former open rider Kate Baer, was second to Gregonis in alumni flat. Gregonis's former teammate Suzanne Rausa was second to Kennedy in the second section of alumni flat.

From left to right are Pace Head Coach (and Virginia Tech alumni rider) Lisa Tomaselli, Pace freshman Rebecca Page, and Page's parents. The sun shone brightly on Page and the Setter's in general. Page won the third of four sections of novice fences while Pace earned reserve high point team honors for the first time this season.

Saturday's show still much on everyone's mind: The USMA show was not just another day at the office for the IHSA. The October 27th competition was the first IHSA regular season hunter seat show ever to feature two judges who were judging separate classes which were part of the same show (at 1979 IHSA Nationals, there were two judges, one of which judged all the hunter seat team classes and another which judged all the hunter seat individual classes, but the similarities end there). In one ring was Mary Jane Mitchell, the Mother of current Cornell University Head Coach Chris Mitchell and herself a former IHSA Coach with Marymount College and Westchester Community College. In another was Wendy Chapot, part of the well-known Chapot family who are synonymous with the horse world. Mitchell judged a certain group of classes while Chapot judged another. Some feared that schools with only one coach might struggle to watch two rings at the same time. This did not become a problem, as several classes were held as to allow a coach to walk from Centenary's old indoor down to the new indoor, or vice versa. According to USMA Coach Peter Cashman their were 330 rides at his show, and things went so well the entire event was over around 3PM. This was even more impressive when one remembers the rainey conditions getting to the show and having to dodge raindrops running between Centenary's two indoors. This writer hopes the IHSA promotes this idea, and that more shows utilize multiple rings and judges to provide a higher number of entries where the horseflesh exists.

---Steve Maxwell

(Two stories for the price of one: Jamie Fishbein's mother Janice was kind enough to submit a story on the USMA's two western shows held on Saturday, November 3rd. Though we don't have the overall points, Cashman told us on the 28th that Centenary was leading the western standings, and that Bard and Stevens Institute were also fielding teams. It is unclear if the USMA moved from second back into their familiar first-place spot in the Region 1 western team standings after the November 3rd competitions, though from Fishbein's story we can say that Centenary College freshman Randi Cashman is doing her best to make sure her Father and Mother (Peter and USMA Co-Coach Sherry Cashman) do not take a full western team to the post-season for only the second time since 1999. - Editor)

The third and fourth western shows of the season for Region 1, Zone 2 took place today at Morgan Farm, the home of the United States Military Academy, located in Highland Falls, NY. Although the day was cold and blustery, the riders persevered. The judges, Dave Thomas and Gary Thomas, experts in western riding, stood close to the action. The results included...

Show 1 High Point School: USMA; Reserve High Point School: Centenary College.

High Point Rider: Randi Cashman, Centenary College

Reserve High Point Rider: Ashleigh Davidson, USMA

Show 2 High Point School: USMA; Reserve High Point School: Centenary College.

High Point Rider: TIE between Randi Cashman, USMA and Jamie Fishbein, Stevens Institute of Technology

USMA Coaches Peter and Sherry Cashman have been hosting Region 1 western shows at Morgan Farm for some time. Peter Cashman noted that Stevens Institute of Technology entered its first team this season with team members Jamie Fishbein and Katherine Crane participating.

Western riding has a growing presence in Region 1, Zone 2, with more participation expected in the Spring of 2008.

---Janice Fishbein

October 28th Hunter Seat Show Incidentals: Sunny skies and windy, with temperatures rising to the upper '50's. Start time: 8:44AM. Finish: 3:36PM - includes 35 minute lunch break/Coaches & Captains Meeting. Point cards posted in this region? Yes. Alumni Classes held in this region? Yes. Judge: Michelle Morosky. Stewards: Tomaselli/Pace University, Nussinow/Bard College, Dowling/Centenary College and Zwaan/Stevens Institute of Technology.

Hunter Seat Team Totals: Centenary College (High Point Team) 41; Pace University (Reserve) 35; Drew University 34; United States Military Academy 33; Stevens Institute of Technology 28; State University of New York at New Paltz 27; Sarah Lawrence College 24; Bard College 19; William Paterson University 14; Oneonta State College 11 and Marist College 8.

High Point Rider - Kelly Arvidson, Centenary College.
Reserve High Point Rider - TIE: Kathleen Weatherall, Stevens Institute of Technology; Liz Stitzel, Sarah Lawrence College; Rachel Denning, Drew University, Tori Frederick, Drew University and Molly Brown, Centenary College.