Off to a good start: University of Delaware seniors Val Shurtleff (on left) and Theresa Kulikowski (on right) pose with Head Coach Bryan Bradley after winning consecutive over fences classes early in the day on November 14th. University of Delaware riders won the first three undergraduate classes of the day but watched as West Chester eventually eclipsed them for high point team honors.

WEST CHESTER WINS FOR THE FOURTH TIME IN 2010-11, BEATS DELAWARE BY A POINT

Wayne, PA - For the second time in 16 days Region 4 sojurned to the campus of Valley Forge Military College for what was the seventh of eight Zone 4, Region 4 fall hunter seat shows (This time however it was Drexel University and not Valley Forge serving as the host school). In just over six and a half hours the West Chester University Golden Rams earned high point team honors for the fourth time in 2010-11 (the third time outright) in what was believed to be a come-from-behind win over the University of Delaware (the point sheets are not posted in Region 4 though the University of Delaware definitely had the lead early in the day).

The final total was 40-39 in favor of the Golden Rams, who have now won two straight. Had it not been for two lop-sided losses to UDel (41-23 on October 23rd and 34-18 on October 30th, the last time the two teams met at Valley Forge) the overall team race might be a dead heat. Instead the University of Delaware holds a 230-212 lead even though the Fighing Hens have won only three hunter seat shows (both schools tied at 35 on October 10th).

West Chester was led by Andrea Lengel, a sophomore from Redding, Pennsylvania who won her novice fences while placing second in novice flat. Prior to today's event Lengel had not yet won a jumping class in IHSA competition. Kendall Gearren (junior, Mount Laurel, New Jersey, in intermediate fences), Caitlin O'Connor (freshman, Flemington, New Jersey, in novice flat), Amanda Considine (senior, West Chester, Pennsylvania, in advanced walk-trot-canter) and Katie Beard (sophomore, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in walk-trot) also won blue ribbons for the Golden Rams. Somewhat surprisingly the section of walk-trot Beard competed in was the largest class of the entire contest, with 14 riders spread out through the large Valley Forge indoor. Nicole Ligon (in novice flat), Nicole Larson (in novice fences) and Lyndsey Broadhead (in open flat) added red ribbons for West Chester. Broadhead earned eight points for the day and moved into a tie with Ellen Hansen of Villanova for the top spot in the region 4 hunter seat open rider standings.

From left to right are Kaitlynn Catterton, Abbey Brownley, Head Coach Amy Walls and Farin Phillips of Salisbury University. It is the first season of IHSA competition for the Seagulls, though Phillips previously was a member of the Washington College team. Though the best ribbon for any of these three riders at today's show was a third for Catterton in intermediate flat, Salisbury still finished third for the day with 25 points.

Though the University of Delaware was upended by a point, the Fighting Hens easily earned the most blue ribbons on this day. University of Delaware riders earned 13 of a possible 21 undergraduate blue ribbons, with Val Shurtleff claiming two of them. A senior from Bethany, Connecticut, Shurtleff was the only rider at today's show to win twice and thus left the Valley Forge campus with the high point rider ribbon. Others to win classes for UDel were Katie LaDow (junior, Unionville, Pennsylvania, in open fences), James Hobbie (senior, Branchburg, New Jersey, in open flat), Theresa Kulikowski (senior, Rockville, Maryland, in intermediate fences), Caitlin Gormley (junior, Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, in intermediate flat), Grace Oldfield (junior, Columbia, Maryland, in novice fences), Shannon McCormick (also in novice fences), Emily Coleman (freshman, Perkasie, Pennsylvania, in novice flat), Colleen McGregor (junior, Landenberg, Pennsylvania, also in novice flat), Nicole Farber (sophomore, Pittsgrove, New Jersey, in advanced walk-trot-canter), Candice Chau (sophomore, Flushing, New York, in beginner walk-trot-canter) and Sarah Boland, a sophomore, Burlington, Vermont who was first in intermediate flat and second in open fences to tie two others (including Lengel) for Reserve High Point Rider honors. Like Boland, Abby Randa (in intermediate flat), Megan Kostans (in novice fences), Katie Fuchs (in advanced walk-trot-canter) and Grace Focht (in walk-trot) each earned one red ribbon during the day for the Fighting Hens. Delaware had at least one blue ribbon winner at every level during today's show.

Salisbury University did not make their IHSA debut until the third show of the season. At today's show Salisbury scored 25 points and finished all the way up in third place, the Seagull's best performance to date. A pair of freshman led the way, as Tori Reitmulder (from Lewisberry, Pennsylvania) was second in intermediate fences while Logan Battista (from Glen Arm, Maryland) was second in novice fences. Though none of the Seagulls won a class at today's show their point card was only one rider shy of being filled (it appears Salisbury is in need of a walk-trot rider). Salisbury has made great strides in a matter of weeks and one can only wonder how they will do over an entire season!

Seen here between her Mother and Father is Rachel ElChaar of Drexel University. Her win in intermediate fences turned out to be the host school's only blue ribbon of the day.

Villanova University missed out on third place by a point. Courtney Koval, a freshman from Hanover, New Hampshire led the way for the Wildcats with a first in novice fences. Alexa Asakiewicz was second in intermediate fences while Melissa Lang was second in advanced walk-trot-canter. Though the lone walk-trot class of the day was made up of 14 riders, Villanova was one of three schools without a rider in it. Otherwise the Wildcats filled the rest of their card while scoring 24 points for fourth place.

Host Drexel University was fifth with 19 points. Rachel ElChaar, a sophomore from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania snapped the University of Delaware's three-class winning streak with a first in intermediate fences. Allison Kane, a junior from Newtown, Pennsylvania was second in both her intermediate flat and novice fences classes. Caitlin Laughlin, a junior from Dillsburg, Pennsylvania was second in her open flat while Cameron Callaghan, a sophomore from Perkasie, Pennsylvania was second in her intermediate flat. Christine Novack added a red ribbon in novice flat while Samantha Morse was second in the lone section of beginner walk-trot-canter (which was the second-largest division of the day with 13 riders participating). Drexel did, in fact, have a full card at today's show.

The University of Pennsylvania scored 11 points. The Quakers appear to have received their best ribbon of the day early on, as Orysia Bezpalko (sophomore, Mount Laurel, New Jersey) was second in the second section of open fences (for reasons that are not clear, in this writer's program he has both Farber of the University of Delaware and Heather Gerrish of the University of Pennsylvania as having first place in the second section of advanced walk-trot-canter. If Gerrish won we appologize for the error). Penn had a full card at today's show.

There was a safari theme at today's show, and several coaches such as Washington College's Chris Bigelow (on left) wore safari hats that were passed out at the beginning of the day. Washington freshman Molly McCaslin (on right) won her intermediate flat while placing second in intermediate fences. McCaslin earned 12 points individually, which was four more than the Washington team earned for the day.

If you are Washington College this would not be the show you would want to put in a time capsule. The Shoremen had riders in six divisions (no one in walk-trot or walk-trot-canter) but managed only eight points. Molly McCaslin, a freshman from Stevensville, Maryland clearly stood out as the team MVP on this day. McCaslin won her intermediate flat while placing second in intermediate fences. No other Shoremen rider placed above third at today's show.

Valley Forge Military College rounded out the scoring with two points. Though Valley Forge had nine riders listed in the program, five of them were in the lone section of walk-trot. Two others were in walk-trot-canter while yet two more rode in both novice divisions. Hannah Loll, a sophomore from Peterborough, New Hampshire was the only Valley Forge rider to place above sixth. Loll was fifth in advanced walk-trot-canter.

Once again there was a solid alumni turnout in Region 4, with ten riders in the flat and seven over fences. Delaware Valley College graduate Jamie Mast Windle continued her domination of the alumni fences, winning again to run her total to 37 points. 2010 West Chester graduate Emily Rosen has done well in this division also. Rosen, who missed the first show of the year, was second to qualify for Regionals over the jumps. Former Penn Quaker Jess Schatz also qualified for Regionals with a third. While Schatz repeated the placing on the flat (where she was already qualified), a pair of former University of Delaware open riders held down the top two spots. Nicole Adams, who either does well in the division or is not entered, was second while 2009 UDel grad Taylor Adolph won her first alumni class of the season.

Was it a tie?: Zone 4, Region 4 does not hold ride-offs for high point rider or reserve. While Shurtleff was assured the high point rider ribbon it was not clear to this writer if Boland, McCaslin or Lengel received the reserve high point rider ribbon. We are listing it as a tie at the end of this story as we do not know any better.

"Uh-Oh you kicked up some dust!" West Chester University Head Coach Beth Orem (on right) poses with sophomore Katie Beard (mounted atop a horse named 'Uh-Oh' - We could not make this up if we tried). Beard won the lone section of walk-trot to lift the Golden Rams to victory in the show's final class.

McGuigan accepted into "Teach for America" program: After the 2010-11 school year is over, University of Pennsylvania senior Lucy McGuigan knows what she will be doing. McGuigan has been accepted into the "Teach for America" program. One of many statements on the Teach for America website (www.teachforamerica.org) is that corps members commit to teach for two years in low-income communities, after which they lead efforts to change the face of public education. Teach for America enlists the 'most promising future leaders in the effort' to eliminate educational inequity in the united states. Like the Ivy League institution McGuigan will graduate from, Teach for America is very selective. Only eight percent of applicants are accepted into their program, and Quakers Head Coach Dawne Morrone pointed out that several former Penn riders applied and were denied entry. McGuigan, who received a stellar recommomendation from Coach Morrone, will be teaching in New Orleans when the fall of 2011 arrives.

What's next?: Six days later the University of Delaware scored a 33-21 win over West Chester to move 30 points ahead with two spring shows remaining. University of Delaware Head Coach Bryan Bradley doubts if Region 4 will ever attempt to hold eight hunter seat and eight western shows in the fall again. Between October 2nd and November 21st Region 4 had at least one english or western show every weekend, with both disciplines held on four weekends. The remaining english shows on the schedule will take place Sunday, March 13th (with UDel hosting at Farideh Farm in Cochranville, PA) and Sunday, March 20th (the host is TBA but the location will be back at Valley Forge). Barring a very unlikely colapse the University of Delaware will take a full hunter seat team to Zones for the first time since 2008 (though we are unclear where Regionals are, early reports are that Zone 4 Zones will take place at the Bridgewater College Equestrian Center in Weyer's Cave, Virginia on Sunday, April 10th. This will be the first time riders in this region will have competed at a Zone 4 Zones show, as all but first-year program Salisbury had been members of Zone 3 prior to the mid-2010 IHSA realignment).

(Editor's note: After this story was posted, Mast Windle e-mailed us to say that Valley Forge Military College will host on March 20th while Regionals will also be at Valley Forge. Mast Windle also thinks Sara Boland was officially named the Reserve High Point Rider on November 14th.)

---Steve Maxwell

Show Incidentals: Sunny skies, with temperatures reaching the low '50's. Entire show held indoors. Start time: 9:29AM. Finish: 4:07PM. Coaches & Captains meeting held prior to start of show. Point cards posted in this region? No. Alumni classes held in this Region? Yes. Judge: Shane Ledyard. Stewards: Orem/West Chester University; McCoy-Palmer/Villanova University and Bradley/University of Delaware.

Team Totals: West Chester University (High Point Team) 40; University of Delaware (Reserve) 39; Salisbury University 25; Villanova University 24; Drexel University 19; University of Pennsylvania 11; Washington College 9 and Valley Forge Military College 2.

High Point Rider - Val Shurtleff, University of Delaware
Reserve High Point Rider - TIE between Sara Boland, University of Delaware; Molly McCaslin, Washington College and Andrea Lengel, West Chester University.