Samantha DeVenuta (sixth from right) holds the High Point Rider ribbon while standing in front of Cedar Crest College Head Coach Jane Lucrezi. When the Cedar Crest team posed for this photo they were under the impression they had placed third overall at Briarwood Farm on September 25th. However a 'found' point for another team meant Cedar Crest started the season fourth in a field of nine.

DEFENDING REGION CHAMPION LAFAYETTE WINS SEASON OPENER

Readington, NJ - For the eleventh season in a row (ten in Zone 3, Region 4) East Stroudsburg University hosted the season-opener in their region. Warriors Head Coach Pat Speziale said that ESU prefers to host the opener as the team "has all summer to plan." At the 2010 opener the weather cooperated, with temperatures climbing into the 80's. No one fell off. It wasn't even all that windy at Briarwood Farm. The Warriors planned things well!

About the only thing East Stroudsburg could not plan was a Warrior victory (with a team of six and only five divisions filled at today's show the Warriors' chances of finishing on top were negligible). Instead the first Region 4 school to earn a high point team ribbon was defending Region champion Lafayette College. It was the Leopard's third opening-day win in four seasons and their widest margin of victory in an opening-day event. Jess Grabowski, a junior from West Orange, New Jersey won the first of the Leopard's six blue ribbons by taking the first section of intermediate fences. Danielle Miranda, a junior from Mendham, New Jersey prevailed in open flat two classes later while Emily Odle, a junior from Mountain Lakes, New Jersey won in intermediate flat two classes after that. Julie Doyle (a sophomore from Pittstown, New Jersey) won her novice flat while Holly Sandelands (a sophomore from Morristown, New Jersey) won the final section of walk-trot. Though it is not an official class, Ramona Fittipaldi was best in a field of four in the Maiden Fences division (the Maiden Fences is a practice class made up of four crossrails jumped up to eight times. This class is for riders not yet ready to jump a traditional course yet capable of clearing crossrails while making progress in lessons - Editor). Caroline Goss (in advanced walk-trot-canter) and Lindsay Marko (in beginner walk-trot-canter) were red ribbon winners. The Leopards defeated Kutztown for the blue ribbon, 34-28, eclipsing their 2007 opening day margin of 34-29 over Scranton.

From Warrenton, Virginia, Lehigh freshman Rachel Giampa (center) won her first two classes in IHSA competition. Giampa rode 'Parker' (on right) to victory in novice fences and later won her novice flat to become part of the ride-off. Teammate Maggie Gordon (on left) was second in both of her open classes as the Mountain Hawks scored 21 points to finish third for the day.

For only the second time in four years Kutztown University was the opening day Reserve Champion. The Golden Bears earned more blue ribbons - eight - than any other team present. Jess Benner, a senior from West Chester, Pennsylvania won the lone section of open fences to start the day and the second section of open flat four classes later. While riding her draw "Eddie" out of the ring following her open fences round, Benner was overheard saying "I like this Horse!" Jamie Valentine (sophomore, Easton, Pennsylvania, in beginner walk-trot-canter), Crystal Piaskowski (freshman, Lititz, Pennsylvania, also in beginner WTC), Alexa MacArtney (freshman, Glassboro, New Jersey, in advanced walk-trot-canter), Ann McGinness (freshman, Bear, Delaware, also in advanced WTC), Alyssa Piccoli (freshman, Media, Pennsylvania, in novice fences) and Carolyn Robinson (sophomore, Boyertown, Pennsylvania) also won blue ribbons for Kutztown. During the 2009-10 season Robinson won only one blue ribbon. She equaled that total in her first ride of the year, besting seven others in intermediate fences. Robinson said it was her new riding jacket that did the trick. "I had a green jacket last season. This year I have a blue jacket," said Robinson. Kim Reily (in walk-trot) and Piccolo (in novice flat) added red ribbons for the Golden Bears.

Lehigh University finished with 21 points to take third place honors. While junior Maggie Gordon (who was fifth in intermediate fence at 2010 IHSA Nationals) finished second in both of her open classes, freshman Rachel Giampa made quite a splash in her IHSA debut for the Mountain Hawks. From Warrenton, Virginia Giampa won both of her novice classes to join the ride-off. Giampa has been riding since age three and can claim former Elon University Coaches Colleen Kelly and Sue Peltier as her trainers back home. Nicole Pirozzi, a freshman from Robbinsville, New Jersey was a winner in novice flat. Because their walk-trot rider was scratched after the program went to print Lehigh achieved third place with only five divisions filled. The Mountain Hawks were also without a rider in either intermediate division on this day.

Though they managed seven red ribbons the Rutgers Scarlet Knights earned only two blues. Emily Wittenberg (on right, with teammate Ciat Doran) was the first Rutgers rider to win a class in 2010-11. Wittenberg received a pink crop and some candy along with her blue ribbon after prevailing in novice fences.

East Stroudsburg had ribbons made not only for high point and reserve high point teams, but for all the teams which placed sixth or higher. At the end of the day it appeared that Cedar Crest College had tied Lehigh for third. However upon further review it turned out one point had been left off the Lehigh point card. Though Cedar Crest had already been photographed with the yellow ribbon (which was exchanged for a white one) the Falcons still had a very good opening day with 20 points. Samantha DeVenuta, a junior from Slatington, Pennsylvania won both of her novice classes to join Benner and Giampa in the ride-off. Jessica Price, a senior from Kennett Square, Pennsylvania won the first of two sections of walk-trot while Kayleigh Gross, a freshman from Hellertown, Pennsylvania won the section of beginner walk-trot-canter that immediately followed. Gross's ride resulted in her first blue ribbon of any kind since she started riding. Tatiana Ballreich (in beginner walk-trot-canter) and Jen Preston (novice fences) won red ribbons for the Falcons. Like Lehigh, Cedar Crest was without an intermediate rider. However DeVenuta pointed up in one of the two novice divisions to bring the Falcons closer to a full card when Kutztown hosts.

Bloomsburg University (which was listed in the front of today's program not as 'Bloomsburg' but as 'Bloomsburg Entries'!) scored a healty 18 points to earn fifth place honors. The Huskies accomplished this very quietly, with Elaine Tierney (in novice flat) and Emily Wohl (in beginner walk-trot-canter) earning seconds for Bloomsburg's best ribbons. Bloomsburg was without a rider in open fences or intermediate flat at today's show.

Though they were without a rider in either open division, intermediate fences or walk-trot, the Moravian Greyhounds still scored 16 points. Senior Emma Cougle (center, between her Mother on left and Head Coach Allison Fiorot on right) was the first Moravian rider into the ring on September 25th, placing second in intermediate flat.

Moravian College made the most of a half-full point card, scoring 16 points and earning some quality ribbons along the way. Moravian's day did not start until the intermediate flat, when Emma Cougle finished second to Odle. Marissa Zondag, a sophomore from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania won her novice flat while Stephanie Testai was second to DeVenuta in another section of novice flat.

Rutgers University brought the most riders (25) of any team in attendance yet two blue ribbons and seven red ones only translated to 14 points on the scoreboard. The Scarlet Knights were lead by Emily Wittenberg, a sophomore from Little Silver, New Jersey who won her novice fences and Kelsey Lynch, a sophomore from East Brunswick, New Jersey who was a winner in advanced walk-trot-canter. Rutgers earned the most red ribbons of any program present, as Shannon Thieme (intermediate fences), Kate Felter (same), Samantha Klink (novice fences), Jillian Cutone (same), Shea Murrell (novice flat), Pam Brzezynski (advanced walk-trot-canter; second in the section Lynch won) and Katie Grosso (same) each came oh-so-close to topping the field. Though Rutgers came in seventh for the day do not underestimate the Scarlet Knights, as the talent is clearly there and despite occasional blips such as today the team from New Brunswick almost always finds a way to go top-three overall when the season wraps up.

Though the University of Scranton had riders in seven of eight divisions the Royals finished in a tie for eighth with host East Stroudsburg. Scranton earned three red ribbons, as Meghan McAliney (novice fences), Natalie Gower (novice flat) and Brittany Collins (walk-trot) finished second in their respective classes. Scranton is expected to have a full team at future shows.

Jess Benner (center, between teammates Alexis Wirth on left and Kyra Foley on right) won twice for Kutztown and leads the Region 4 open rider standings through one show. Benner was only reserve champion in the ride-off, yet the senior from West Chester, Pennsylvania seems happy to have won a nice red blanket via her late afternoon effort.

Host East Stroudsburg University earned one top-two placing. Candice Girandola, a junior from Easton, Pennsylvania finished second behind Benner in open flat. East Stroudsburg and Scranton finished with 12 points each.

Earn those points while you can: Region 4 Alumni Representative and 2004 Lehigh graduate Lena Andrews had a good day, winning the alumni flat class while placing third in alumni fences. Though she will miss several fall shows due to work-related commitments Andrews has already earned more points on the flat than last season (a total of five in 2009-10). Rachel Suna, who was a teammate of Andrews for at least a season, won the alumni fences while placing third on the flat. While 2000 Mount Holyoke College graduate Amber Summers had a difficult draw for alumni flat (which resulted in fifth place), the 1997 Nationals Champion in team advanced walk-trot-canter finished second to Suna in alumni fences. Dartmouth graduate and Rutgers professor Stacy Klein was second in alumni flat and fifth in alumni fences. 2009 Bloomsburg graduate Jenna Breitinger made her alumni debut with fourths in both divisions.

The Ride-Off: Though Benner was an open rider going up against a pair of novices the Kutztown senior had to settle for the Reserve High Point Rider ribbon. Though DeVenuta had been in one prior IHSA ride-off, she believed this was her first time with two firsts heading into the ring. Judge Leslie Post selected DeVenuta over Giampa and Benner for the top individual blue ribbon of the day.

Jess Grabowski (pictured) won Lafayette College's first blue ribbon of 2010-11, earning a first in intermediate fences. The Leopards were today's high point team and opening day champion for the third time in four seasons (including both 2009 and 2010).

Ziegler a busy athlete: 2009-10 Zone 3 Zones qualifier Eryn Ziegler (listed in today's program as 'Eryn Leah Ziegler') does not limit herself to one sport at Cedar Crest. Ziegler changed into her Field Hockey jersey prior to the Coaches & Captains meeting (though at that point she still had her britches and boots on). "I have a field hockey game at 3PM," Ziegler said. Besides competing in both field hockey and equestrian, Ziegler is a member of the Cedar Crest lacrosse team. Ziegler stated that she wants to make a living in the horse industry and that equestrian is likely her preferred sport.

Don't go out of business just yet!: Besides Robinson purchasing a new show coat during the off-season, Benner also purchased a blue jacket with a plaid pattern on it. However Benner was most impressed with how the lining of her new jacket matched her eyes! Once Benner and Robinson started talking about their new jackets several other Kutztown riders started talking about their summer purchases. "We are single-handedly saving the economy," said Golden Bears beginner walk-trot-canter rider Erica Franklin.

Leopards represent zone 3 at Pre-Season Tournament of Champions: Though 14 schools took part in the annual Pre-Season Tournament of Champions hosted by Goucher College on September 26th, Lafayette College was the only school in all of Zone 3 to participate. Considering that the Goucher Campus is in the Baltimore suburb of Towson, Maryland - and that much of Zone 3 is within a three-hour drive of Goucher - this was very surprising. Because Tournament shows are not 'official' IHSA shows schools have the option to use riders at a higher level than they are accustomed to. This explains how Linnea Carver, a Lafayette freshman from Muscatine, Iowa won an intermediate flat class at the tournament yet was third in her IHSA debut in novice flat a day earlier. Though Lafayette appeared to tie split squads brought to the tournament by Virginia Intermont College and Ohio University, respectively, at 17 points each it later turned out this should have been 16 as the Leopards were credited on the scoreboard with a sixth in novice fences they did not really have (there appear to have been other mistakes on the scoreboard as well, but this was the only one to affect Lafayette). Nevertheless the Leopards rode well and look as solid as in recent seasons through one weekend.

--Steve Maxwell

Show Incidentals: Sunny skies with temperatures in the low 80's. Start time: 8:43AM. Finish: 2:56PM - includes 46 minute lunch break/Coaches & Captains meeting. Point cards posted in this region? Yes. Alumni classes held in this Region? Yes. Judge: Leslie Post. Stewards: Kalmar/Lehigh University, Casale/Kutztown University and Lucrezi/Cedar Crest College.

Team Totals: Lafayette College (High Point Team) 34; Kutztown University (Reserve) 28; Lehigh University 21; Cedar Crest College 20; Bloomsburg University 18; Moravian College 16; Rutgers University 14; East Stroudsburg University 12 and University of Scranton 12.

High Point Rider - Samantha DeVenuta, Cedar Crest College
Reserve High Point Rider - Jess Benner, Kutztown University