NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (Oct. 9, 2010) – Led by junior Margaret Swanson, the Mount Holyoke College riding team sprinted to a High Point Championship at the Smith College Intercollegiate Horse Show today. The junior not only finished the day as the High Point Rider, but she also claimed Intermediate High Point Rider accolades. As a team, the Lyons took home 15 blue ribbons on their way to a perfect score of 49. It was their first regular season show of the 2010-11 campaign.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst posted 38 points to secure Reserve High Point Honors. Meanwhile, Smith and Amherst College tied for third place with 27 points apiece. Springfield College (18), Landmark College (15), Westfield State University (11), Williams College (7) and Hampshire College (5) rounded out the field.

Swanson posted first place finishes in her sections of the intermediate fences and intermediate flat divisions. Senior Elizabeth Tripp (open fences), first year Eleanor Maynard (intermediate fences), sophomore Sally Gibb (novices fences), senior Belinda Wenke (walk-trot), sophomore Allison Guiliano (beginner walk-trot-canter), first year Kristen Engholm (beginner walk-trot-canter), senior JoJo Gutfarb (open flat), first year Alexa Lohrer (open flat), junior Amanda Ross (advanced walk-trot-canter), sophomore Allison Reding (advanced walk-trot-canter), first year Bobbie Bigelow (intermediate flat), sophomore Emily Coggins (novice flat) and first year Flynn Vickowski (novice flat) also collected blue ribbons in their respective divisions.

With their performances today, Wenke (walk-trot), Ross (walk-trot-canter) and Swanson (intermediate flat) each qualified for the Zone 1, Region 3 Regional Championships, which are slated to take place at Hadley Farms on April 2, 2011. All three riders will now move to a new class.

Mount Holyoke will return to action next Saturday at the UMass Intercollegiate Horse Show. The competition will take place at Hadley Farms in Hadley, Mass.