Virginia Intermont College held a jump-painting contest several days prior to their November 11th IHSA show. VI open rider Brittany Denton poses with the jump she painted to honor the late Jon Conyers. Denton went on to win a three-way ride-off for high point rider while the hosts were also high point team.

VIRGINIA INTERMONT WINS BY 11 AT HOME, TAKES 29 POINT LEAD IN REGION 3 TEAM STANDINGS

Bristol, VA — Virginia Intermont College, currently on a nine-year winning streak of Zone 4, Region 3 hunter seat Region Titles, won or tied for high point team for the fourth time this season in as many regular season competitions. VI open riders Brittany Denton and Ashley Miller joined novice rider Andrea MacQueen in the ride-off as the hosts were 47-36 winners over both the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Virginia Tech.

It has taken Virginia Intermont several shows to open up daylight on their Region 3 competition. The season opener at St. Andrews Presbyterian College nearly went the hosts' way. VI needed a first from their walk-trot rider in the final class of the day to win over the Knights by 42-41. The next time out at Virginia Tech VI had to settle for a three-way tie with the hosts and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Each of the three finished with 38 points, which meant VI led St. Andrews and Charlotte by 80-75 with Tech at 72 at the time. The third show of the season was hosted by Duke University, and at this meet VI won a little more comfortably. The final score was 47-34, with North Carolina State, Tech and Charlotte each tied for second. VI led Charlotte 127-109 through three contests, still leaving a shadow of doubt as if a trip to Zones was a lock for the Cobras.

But after winning at home on a chilly Tuesday the defending region champs have opened up a 29 point lead. No school has piddled away a lead this large this late in the season anywhere in the IHSA over the past five seasons. VI leads Charlotte by 174-145, with Tech at 142 and St. Andrews at 135. Though their regular season is only half over, it would not be a stretch to think VI will be competing against schools from Regions 1 and 2 in the Team Competition at Zone 4 Zones in Fredericksburg, Virginia on April 5th.

Rachel Meserve (left) and Alexa Herrstrommer (right) pose with University of North Carolina at Charlotte teammate Lauren Bongers after she placed second in the fourth of five sections of novice fences. A sophomore from Southern Pines, North Carolina, Bongers would later win her novice flat class. The 49'ers tied for Reserve High Point Team and sit in second place overall headed into the winter break.

VI also has no worse than a 50/50 shot to send a rider to Nationals in the Cacchione class. Through four shows Miller leads the Region 3 hunter seat open rider race by a 48-46 margin over teammate and two-time defending Region 3 Cacchione entry Denton. However Maggie Wahl of the 49'ers has been in the race since day one. Wahl held the lead through two shows and carries 40 points into the new calendar year. Brett Flower of Virginia Tech and Kelsi Peterson of St. Andrews are next with 35 and 30 points, respectively. Since 2003 the Region 3 Cacchione qualifier has been a Virginia Intermont rider, though remarkably in that time only two riders, Denton and 2006 graduate Erika Jewell, have shown at Nationals in the Cacchione class.

Miller has done her best to stay ahead of Denton. After Denton won the first section of open fences, Miller won the third. After Denton won the first section of open flat, Miller won the second. VI had two other riders showing in the open divisions, both of whom won red ribbons. Jordan Shelburne was a runner-up in open fences while Lauren Fay could make the same claim in open flat.

Aside from the open division VI claimed an additional seven blue ribbons. Winners below open were Chelsea Dressler (novice fences), Faith Corsaro (novice flat), Jill Karbowicz (same), Krista Hayes (advanced walk-trot-canter), MacQueen (both novice divisions) and Jennifer Kelly (intermediate flat). A senior from Boca Raton, Florida, Kelly was competing in her final regular season IHSA show, as she will graduate early this December. VI also snared five additional red ribbons via Rebecca Kaczmarek (walk-trot), Katie Bott (advanced walk-trot-canter), Claire Mawdsley (novice flat), Aubrey Cecil (intermediate flat) and Megan Ebling, a sophomore who was second over novice fences in her IHSA jumping debut. VI won 11 of the 33 classes for the most blue ribbons of any school at today's event.

Virginia Tech won five blue ribbons in tieing for reserve status. Leading the way for the Hokies was Paige Messick, who won her novice fences while placing second in intermediate flat. A sophomore from Bear, Delaware, Messick trains at home with University of Delaware Head Coach Bryan Bradley. Allison Jones (intermediate fences), Ashley Perry (novice fences), Lindsey Williamson (intermediate flat) and Brent Knoll (walk-trot) were the other Tech blue ribbon winners. Flower was second to Denton in open flat while Abbey Chase, a junior who rides on the Virginia Tech Interscholastic Dressage Association team, was second to Williamson in her IHSA debut. Rachel Grosse earned the final Virginia Tech red ribbon of the day with a second in advanced walk-trot-canter.

Though Virginia Tech senior Lindsey Williamson (on right) has been riding in the IHSA for some time, teammate Abbey Chase (on left) was making her IHSA debut. Chase, a junior who is a member of the Hokie IDA team, was second to Williamson in the same section of intermediate flat. Save for the ride-off, this was the only time all day where one school placed first and second in the same section.

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte managed three blue ribbons in tieing Virginia Tech at 36 points each. Things started out very well for the 49'ers, as freshman Jocelyn Eckman was second to Denton in open fences, followed by a first by Wahl also in open fences. Lauren Bongers (pronounced "Bon-Jeres"), a sophomore from Southern Pines, North Carolina, was a blue ribbon winner in novice flat while placing second to MacQueen in novice fences. Rachel Meserve, a sophomore from Chicago, Illinois won the third section of intermediate flat. The 49'ers joined the IHSA in the Fall of 2005 and have finished the regular season as high as third overall. Should Charlotte stay in second place it would be a new program-best year-end finish.

Both St. Andrews Presbyterian College and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill were next with 32 points each. And like Virginia Tech both schools earned the second-most blue ribbons to VI with five. Audrey Hayden, a sophomore from Kansas City, Kansas had the best day of any St. Andrews rider, winning the final section of intermediate fences while placing second to Kelly in intermediate flat. Jaci Ayers (intermediate flat), Audrey Bolte (novice flat), Karen Gruniger (advanced walk-trot-canter) and Dylan Handy (also in advanced walk-trot-canter) also won classes for the Knights, with freshman Handy earning his first-ever IHSA blue ribbon. Caroline Taylor (intermediate fences), Rob Jacobs (novice flat), Amanda Liquori (beginner walk-trot-canter), Jessica Gesel (beginner walk-trot-canter) and Brittany Coulombe (advanced walk-trot-canter) joined Hayden as red ribbon winners. From season to season this writer is often asked if the number of male riders showing in the IHSA seems to be going up or down. It appears to have gone up every year this decade from what I have observed, and St. Andrews is a good example of a program with a large number of males on its' team (five competed at today's show).

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill sported an all-female roster on this day. Macon Thornton (intermediate fences), Makani Dollinger (novice fences), Emily Cushman (novice flat), Kristi Sulik (advanced walk-trot-canter) and Jessica Cammarano (beginner walk-trot-canter) won classes for the Tar Heels, with Cammarano now undefeated through two IHSA competitions. Senior Brooke Weidenbenner was second to Miller in open flat while Mary Cooter was second to Dressler in novice fences. Laura Parks also earned a red ribbon in walk-trot. The Tar Heels have scored 125 points for the season, an average of 31 and a quarter points per show, nearly what they scored today.

From left to right are Camille Maynard, Macon Thornton and Kara Duffle of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill team. Thornton, a freshman from Nashville, Tennessee, was the first of five Tar Heels to win a class on November 11th. Thornton earned her blue ribbon in intermediate fences.

Competing without an intermediate fences rider at today's show, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro managed a respectable 25 points. UNCG did most of their damage late in the afternoon, as their final two riders were their only blue ribbon winners. Lacey Dinkins, a junior from Winston-Salem, North Carolina was a winner in walk-trot while Allison Trottier, a freshman from Lewisville, North Carolina won the final class of the day, which was the second section of beginner walk-trot-canter. Sophomore Meaghan Kearns added a red ribbon in novice flat.

Duke University was next with 23 points. Though the Blue Devils had a full card only one rider managed to place as high as second. Freshman Caroline Culbertson placed second to Messick in the third of five sections of novice fences. Considering that Duke was averaging better than 29 points entering the day one must assume this was simply an off day for the Blue Devils.

Competing without riders in open fences or walk-trot, Appalachian State University scored 21 points. A pair of Mountaineers won red ribbons, with junior Brodie Lower second to Thornton in intermediate fences and freshman MC Robertson second to Bongers in novice flat.

Wake Forest finished with 15 points for the day, nearly equaling their average, which is now 15.25 per show! The Demon Deacons best ribbon of the day came in the second section of open flat, when senior Lauren Bergen was third. Five other Wake Forest riders earned fourth place ribbons.

St. Andrews sophomore Rob Jacobs poses with Head Coach Peggy McElveen after placing second in novice flat. The Knights earned five blue and six red ribbons while scoring 32 points at today's show.

Elon University scored 13 points with six of eight divisions covered on their point sheet. Leading the way for the Phoenix was Carolyn Schaeffer, whose second in the final section of novice fences was their only ribbon above third place.

Western Carolina University brought only four riders to today's show, with that same number of divisions filled. The Catamounts' final rider of the day was Leigh Ann Everett, a freshman whose second in advanced walk-trot-canter was her best finish to date and their highest ribbon of the day. Like Elon, Western Carolina scored 13 points.

North Carolina A & T made their first-ever appearance at Virginia Intermont, scoring 11 points. Like Western Carolina, the Aggies had four divisions covered, with two riders named Danielle leading the way. Danielle Barnes was third in novice flat while Danielle Brown was third in walk-trot. Anna Miller added a fifth in advanced walk-trot-canter while Jessica Landreth earned the Aggies first team point of the day with a sixth in intermediate flat. Through their first fall showing hunter seat in the IHSA North Carolina A & T has accumulated 30 points, eleven of them at today's contest. The Aggie Western team has faired slightly better, having scored a total of 54 points to currently sit in fifth place in the Region 3 western team standings.

Rounding out the scoring at today's show was East Carolina University with ten points. The Pirates had five riders entered but only three divisions filled. Stacey Greenberg finished second to MacQueen in novice flat for the Pirates best ribbon of the day. Leslie Donnelly added a third in intermediate flat and a sixth in novice fences.

One school not present at today's show was North Carolina State University. With Virginia Intermont (and on many occasions, St. Andrews) holding shows on weekdays it is not uncommon for one or two schools to sit out the show, in that not everyone can get out of classes to compete during the week. Some schools may have been missing specific riders they otherwise would have pointed for the same reason. Though the weekday scheduling does inconvenience a number of riders the turnout for today's show was still quite large, with over 200 rides taking place.

Former University of North Carolina at Greensboro rider Sarah Klassett (center) is now the Coach at Appalachian State. Morgan Oliver (left) and Brodie Lower pose with Klassett before each competed in separate sections of intermediate fences. Brodie was second in section 6B while Oliver was third in section 6C. The Mountaineers were the final team into the twenties, scoring 21 points.

The Ride-off: Two of the three VI riders with two firsts are from New Jersey, with Miller a sophomore from the town of Raritan and MacQueen a junior from the town of Glen Gardner. Denton, a senior from Atlanta, Georgia, claimed that this appearance was her third time in a ride-off either for reserve or high point this season and at least her tenth ride-off since she was a freshman in the fall of 2005. During the ride-off Judge Woody Dykers asked each of the three to drop their irons, show a lengthening of stride, canter and counter-canter. Though she is still two points behind Miller in the open rider standings Denton earned high point rider honors.

Moment of Silence: Today's show took place only six days after former IHSA Coach and Zone Chairperson Jon Conyers passed away after a battle with esophageal cancer. A moment of silence in Conyer's memory was observed not only at Virginia Intermont but at many IHSA shows the previous weekend. While Conyers was involved with Wesleyan College and Savannah College of Art & Design in the late 1990's and early 2000's while living in Georgia he met a young rider by the name of Brittany Denton. Virginia Intermont holds a yearly "Jump Painting" contest prior to their fall show and Denton won, with her painting dedicated to Conyers. Conyers had been involved with the Sweet Briar College program for the last six years of his life so Denton painted her jump in the Vixen's somewhat unusual school colors of Forest Green and Pink. It was also fitting that Denton won the ride-off as she knew Conyers the best of perhaps any of the entries at today's show.

VI wins one more: Both Virginia Intermont and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte took part in the 17th annual Holiday Tournament of Champions invitational show in Concord, Ohio on December 6th. Hosted by Lake Erie College, the Tournament brings together the top teams from as many IHSA regions as possible. Teams from Mount Holyoke College, the University of Findlay, Ohio University and Stonehill College were among the former National Champion Teams this decade to compete against VI and UNC-Charlotte. For the second time this season Virginia Intermont finished the day in a tie for first place, scoring 29 points to equal the total of Centenary Colleges' "Team Holly Berries" (Centenary was one of three schools to bring two 'teams' of riders; Like IHSA Nationals each team is permitted one rider per division, unless that school brings a second group of riders). However VI was awarded high point team honors by way of the first tiebreaker, which is the total number of blue ribbons. Hayes, a senior from Culpeper, Virginia won her walk-trot-canter class while Kelly went out (again) with a blue ribbon in intermediate flat. VI won the Tournament series trophy for 2008-09, having won outright by a 36-25 margin over the University of Massachusetts at Amherst's 'Red Team' in the Pre-Season Tournament of Champions at Mount Holyoke College on September 21st. This was VI's third consecutive tournament event win dating back to January of 2008. The 49'ers scored 11 points, with Wahl placing fourth in open flat early on to earn Charlottes' best ribbon of the day.

--Steve Maxwell

Show Incidentals: Partly sunny skies in the morning, but then turning cloudy, with brief showers in the afternoon. Temperatures in the upper 40's. Entire show held indoors. Start Time: 9:39AM. Finish: 4:01PM - Includes five minute break to remove jumps. Coaches and Captains Meeting held prior to start of show. Point Cards posted in this Region?: Yes. Alumni Classes held in this region? No. Judge: Woody Dykers, Alpharetta, GA. Stewards: Murphy/University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Morgan/University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Rollins/Duke University.

Team Totals: Virginia Intermont College (High Point Team) 47; University of North Carolina at Charlotte (TIE-Reserve) 36; Virginia Tech (TIE-Reserve) 36; St. Andrews Presbyterian College 32; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 32; University of North Carolina at Greensboro 25; Duke University 23; Appalachian State University 21; Wake Forest University 15; Elon University 13; Western Carolina University 13; North Carolina A & T 11 and East Carolina University 10.

High Point Rider - Brittany Denton, Virginia Intermont College
Reserve High Point Rider - Ashley Miller, Virginia Intermont College