From left to right are Centenary College co-coach Heather Clark, Jenni Kuder, Britt Cunnane, Ali Krecker, Samantha Whitley and co-coach Michael Dowling. The intermediate flat class was one of three occasions on April 3rd when Centenary riders earned the top three placings. Intermediate flat champion Cunnane was one of six Centenary riders to win a class that day.

CYCLONES DOMINATE REGIONALS, SECURE 18 INDIVIDUAL RIDES AT ZONES

Readington, NJ - A year earlier Centenary College dominated their Regional show. Known as Zone 2, Region 1 at that time the Cyclones advanced 16 of a possible 24 rides to Zone 2 Zones six days later at their Equestrian Center. If one wanted to tempt fate by saying 'it doesn't get any better for Centenary than this' well then fate certainly rose to the occasion 12 months later.

On April 3rd Centenary riders secured 18 of a possible 24 rides at 2011 Zone 3 Zones to be held again at their equestrian center six days later. Cyclone riders earned the top three placings in three of the eight divisions held while earning two Zones rides in four other divisions. Though Jennifer Washel was Centenary's only rider entered in the walk-trot division, the senior from Warrington, Pennsylvania won the division outright. Washel was one of six Centenary riders to win a class at the Zone 3, Region 3 Regional show.

As had been the case thoughout the regular season, Centenary had strength in numbers. Five of the eight riders in open fences were from Centenary. Seven of the 14 novice fences competitors were Cyclones. Four of the eight open flat riders go to school in Long Valley, New Jersey. The odds favored Centenary advancing the most riders before the show began.

However the first class of the day provided not Centenary but Drew University with the top honor. Katie Kramer, a junior from Los Angeles, California who had placed third in open fences at 2010 Regionals, won the division while Centenary's Randi Cashman was reserve champion. Cashman, who will compete at 2011 Nationals in the individual AQHA Trophy division for the fourth season in a row, advanced individually to Zones for the second time (a senior from Highland Falls, New York, Cashman was third in novice fences at 2009 Regionals). Judge Barbara Filippelli had asked Jenni Kuder and Marissa Cohen of Centenary to return to the ring for a test, and when the placings were announced Kuder was fourth while Cohen advanced to Zones in third. This alerted everyone in attendance that tests might not involve a first or second place rider.

The man on the left is know simply as the "Drew Superfan." He attends as many Drew University sporting events as possible each week. Superfan poses with Katie Kramer (center) and Rangers head coach Karen Sykes after Kramer won the first class of the day, which was open fences.

The individual intermediate over fences followed, and once again two Centenary riders and a Drew rider extended their seasons at least six more days. Filippelli tested both Jessica Pabst of Centenary and Emilie Raynor of S.U.N.Y. - New Paltz, with Pabst finishing a place higher with a third. Emma Richard of Drew was reserve champion while Samantha Whitley of the Cyclones was the blue ribbon winner. A junior from Virginia Beach, Virginia, Whitley was making her IHSA Regionals debut. Both Whitley and Richard, the latter a sophomore from Carlisle, Massachusetts, will be making their first appearance at an IHSA Zones show.

The third and final fences class saw Centenary sweep the top three. Though Lina Kavaliunas of Vassar College and Kristin Blatt of Centenary were both tested, once again the Centenary rider earned higher marks in the test. Blatt, a senior from Nesconsett, New York was third while another Centenary senior from Long Island, Claire Mayer (from Hewlett, New York) was reserve champion. The rider who won the division does not even go to Centenary anymore. Julie Connors, from Hebron, Connecticut and who graduated in December 2010 with a degree in Equine Studies, won novice fences. Connors is no stranger to the post-season, having competed in team classes each of the past two seasons at IHSA Nationals. Connors won team novice fences at 2010 Nationals.

Open flat was the first of five flat classes after the lunch break. Of the eight riders who were entered, Filippelli excused four of them at one point. Then after a few requests, Fillipelli excused Centenary freshman Kathryn Haley. The remaining three riders were put through more tests before being excused. A short time later all eight open flat riders were lined up in the awards area set up near the Briarwood Farm gazebo. This time Cohen, a senior from West Chester, Pennsylvania who will represent Region 3 at Nationals in the Cacchione Cup division, was fourth. Cori Reich, a sophomore from Ivyland, Pennsylvania who was fourth in individual intermediate flat at 2010 IHSA Nationals, was third. Roberta Woronowicz, a United States Military Academy freshman from Bellevue, Washington was reserve champion. Woronowicz is the first United States Military Academy open rider to reach Zones since Jared Marinos in the middle of the last decade. It turned out that Haley, a freshman from Orchard Park, New York had been excused early since it was clear to Filippelli she was the clear-cut winner.

Though ten riders were listed in the program as having qualified to compete in the intermediate flat division only seven were in attendance (one rider, Kelly Herron, had transferred from Pace University to Central Connecticut State in Zone 2, Region 5 mid-season). Five of the seven riders were excused at one point, with Sarah Colmer of Drew and Whitley of Centenary tested further. For the third time in the past four divisions the Centenary rider survived a one-on-one test with a non-Centenary rider. A pair of Centenary riders from Massachusetts earned the top two spots. Britt Cunnane, a junior from Medway, Massachusetts won the division while Ali Krecker, from Martha's Vineyard was reserve champion. Neither rider is a stranger to the post-season, with Cunnane having competed in individual novice flat at 2010 Nationals while Krecker won team intermediate flat in Lexington last season.

The United States Military Academy advanced three riders to Zones, and remarkably all three hail from the state of Washington. USMA freshman Kat Knapp (center, between coaches Peter and Sherry Cashman), who was second in walk-trot, hails from Olympia, Washington.

Thirteen riders were spread out across two separate heats for novice flat. Of the five Centenary riders who qualified only three were among the eight called back to test. Filippelli appeared to remain consistant in her judging style, which meant that the eight riders called back were then trimmed down to four for further testing. At this point two of the three Centenary riders who had been called back in the first place were still in the ring. However when the placings were announced fifth place went to Joseph Curtin of the USMA while fourth went to Kathryn Colavito of S.U.N.Y. - New Paltz. Both had been tested twice which meant that the eventual winner was among the group excused early. Kaitlyn Bohlke, a Centenary junior from Fredon, New Jersey who was making her Regionals debut placed third. Pabst, the sophomore from Oak Ridge, New Jersey who had already placed third in intermediate fences was the reserve champion here. Sydney Eggleston, a Centenary sophomore from Spokane, Washington who had been excused after the first test was the novice flat champion. It will be Eggleston's first time competing at a Zones show. Pabst joined Whitley as the only two Centenary riders to earn two individual rides at Zones.

19 riders qualified for Regionals in the advanced walk-trot-canter division, which was therefore split into three separate heats (and in contrast to many of the other divisions, 100 percent of the qualified riders were present). Filippelli called back three riders from each heat, and eventually five of the nine riders called back were excused. Two of the remaining four riders were from Centenary while USMA and Pace had one rider each still on the rail. Eventually all four riders were lined up and excused. Everyone gathered in the awards area and USMA Head Coach Peter Cashman announced the results. Tori-Ann Lena of Pace finished in fourth place for the Setter's top ribbon of the day. Third went to Devon Simone, a Centenary senior from Olney, Maryland. It was Simone's first appearance at a Regional show and the yellow ribbon means she batted a thousand at advancing from Regionals to Zones as an undergraduate. Second place went to Debbie Smith, a Centenary sophomore from Newtown Square, Pennsylvania who was making her first Regionals appearance (Smith was Centenary's team walk-trot-canter rider at 2010 Nationals). For the first time since Kramer won open fences a rider from a school other than Centenary claimed the top prize. Aryn Davis, a United States Military Academy senior from Klickitat, Washington, improved on her second in walk-trot at 2010 Regionals with a first here.

There were only seven riders entered in the walk-trot division, with six different schools represented. After each rider had walked and trotted in each direction, Filippelli excused three riders and had the remaining four hold the two point position for a reasonable duration. Eventually it was time for the final ribbon presentation of the day. Michelle Yip earned William Paterson University's top ribbon of the day with a fourth. Julia Cederroth, who was one of only two Stevens Institute of Technology riders to qualify for Regionals, was third. The junior from Westfield, New Jersey alowed Stevens to join the USMA, Drew and Centenary as Region 3 schools with riders at the Zones show. Kat Knapp was nearly the third consecutive rider from the state of Washington to win a class. The USMA freshman from Olympia, Washington was the reserve champion (very unusually the Evergreen State, three thousand miles west of the nearest Zone 3, Region 3 school, claims four of the 24 Region 3 individual Zones qualifiers. By contrast New Jersey can claim only two region 3 qualifiers). Washel was the walk-trot champion, becoming the 16th Centenary rider on this day to earn an individual ride at Zones at the end of the week.

Does anyone suddenly want to go to McDonald's for something to eat? Kristin Blatt (on left), Julie Connors (center) and Claire Mayer will tell you there is no subliminal message here, just three Centenary riders getting their photo taken in the awards area after clinching a trip to Zones in novice fences.

Three other schools had riders present at today's show. Kerin Lawlor was the lone rider from Sarah Lawrence College to compete. The sophomore from Bellport, New York was called back to test in novice flat and eventually placed sixth. Marist College had three riders at Briarwood, with Whitney Viola earning the Red Foxes top ribbon. The junior from Madison, Connecticut was fifth in novice fences. And of the two Bard College riders entered Rosina Williams faired the best. The senior from Jersey City, New Jersey was eighth in intermediate fences but will be remembered more for something she did before the show. Williams sang an operatic version of the Star Spangled Banner from the entrance to the Briarwood indoor that left many spellbound. It was one of those moments when you had to find out where the singing was coming from and observe the singer in performance. This writer has been attending IHSA shows for 20 years and Williams' redition of the National Anthem was the best bar none.

Superfan, the Drew Equestrian team needed you!: Prior to the start of the show the Drew University "Superfan" as he is known visited the Drew bus to give every member of the Rangers' equestrian team a high five. The Superfan was only able to stay until 10:00AM as he had another Drew sporting event to visit around lunchtime back in Madison. Some may say it was only coincidence, but while the Superfan was at Briarwood Kramer won her open fences class while Richard completed her intermediate fences round. Superfan left a short time before Richard was awarded second. Seeing as the remaining three Drew riders did not finish in the top three one can only hope that Superfan sticks around all day at 2012 Regionals and that whichever Drew sports team he visited after leaving Briarwood benefited from his presence.

--Steve Maxwell

Show Incidentals: Sunny skies, with temperatures reaching the mid '50's. Start time: 10:16AM. Finish: 3:40PM - Includes 48 minute lunch break/Coaches and Captains meeting and an awards ceremony. There was an additional schooling break as well. Judge: Barbara Filippelli, Pawling, New York. Stewards: Dowling/Centenary College, P. Cashman/United States Military Academy, Rakoczy/Sarah Lawrence College and Sykes/Drew University.

Class-by-Class results, in the order in which they were held, with the top three in each class advancing to Zone 3 Zones on April 9th in Long Valley, New Jersey:

Open equitation over fences: 1. Katie Kramer, Drew University. 2. Randi Cashman, Centenary College. 3. Marissa Cohen, Centenary College. 4. Jenni Kuder, Centenary College. 5. Rachel Denning, Drew University. 6. Cori Reich, Centenary College. 7. Caroline O'Connell, Pace University. 8. Nicole Mandracchia, Centenary College.

Intermediate equitation over fences: 1. Samantha Whitley, Centenary College. 2. Emma Richard, Drew University. 3. Jessica Pabst, Centenary College. 4. Emilee Raynor, State University of New York at New Paltz. 5. Ellen Rauchbach, Centenary College. 6. Rhiannon Deremo, Centenary College. 7. Caitlin Heller, Marist College. 8. Rosina Williams, Bard College.

Novice equitation over fences: 1. Julie Conners, Centenary College. 2. Claire Meyer, Centenary College. 3. Kristin Blatt, Centenary College. 4. Lina Kavaliunas, Vassar College. 5. Whitney Viola, Marist College. 6. Kathryn Colavito, State University of New York at New Paltz. 7. Joseph Curtin, United States Military Academy. 8. Megan Pritchard, Centenary College.

Open equitation on the flat: 1. Kathryn Haley, Centenary College. 2. Roberta Woronowicz, United States Military Academy. 3. Cori Reich, Centenary College. 4. Marissa Cohen, Centenary College. 5. Katie Kramer, Drew University. 6. Nicole Mandracchia, Centenary College. 7. Rachel Denning, Drew University. 8. Caitlin Heller, Marist College.

Intermediate equitation on the flat: 1. Britt Cunnane, Centenary College. 2. Ali Krecker, Centenary College. 3. Samantha Whitley, Centenary College. 4. Sarah Colmer, Drew University. 5. Emilee Raynor, State University of New York at New Paltz. 6. Melissa Meyers, William Paterson University. 7. Jenni Kuder, Centenary College.

Novice equitation on the flat: 1. Sydney Eggleston, Centenary College. 2. Jessica Pabst, Centenary College. 3. Kaitlyn Bohlke, Centenary College. 4. Kathryn Colavito, State University of New York at New Paltz. 5. Joseph Curtin, United States Military Academy. 6. Kalen Larson, United States Military Academy. 7. Ashley Christiano, State University of New York at New Paltz. 8. Danielle Decker, William Paterson University.

Walk-trot-canter equitation: 1. Aryn Davis, United States Military Academy. 2. Debbie Smith, Centenary College. 3. Devon Simone, Centenary College. 4. Tori-Ann Lena, Pace University. 5. Cassandra Orr, Centenary College. 6. Kerin Lawlor, Sarah Lawrence College. 7. Janae Bell, United States Military Academy. 8. Julia Bowler, Pace University. 9. Kathleen Marcason, Pace University.

Walk-trot equitation: 1. Jennifer Washel, Centenary College. 2. Kat Knapp, United States Military Academy. 3. Julia Cederroth, Stevens Institute of Technology. 4. Michelle Yip, William Paterson University. 5. Caitlin Korren, State University of New York at New Paltz. 6. Carolina Sanchez, William Paterson University. 7. Emma Rose Chermidlin, Drew University.