LAURINBURG, N.C. (Dec. 4, 2010) – Ten members of the Mount Holyoke College riding team traveled to Laurinburg, N.C. to participate in the prestigious Holiday Tournament of Champions Horse Show today. The event, which featured some of the best collegiate equestrian teams from around the nation, was hosted by St. Andrew's Presbyterian College. A total of 20 teams representing 18 institutions took part.
Delaware Valley College grabbed High Point honors with 28 points. The Aggies edged out St. Andrew's, which secured Reserve High Point College honors with 27 points. Mount Holyoke's 21 points were good for seventh place overall. The Lyons finished in a deadlock for sixth place with reigning national champion Skidmore College but lost the tiebreaker.
Mount Holyoke was paced by senior JoJo Gutfarb, who secured third place in the medal competition.
First year Bobbie Bigelow (intermediate flat) and junior Margaret Swanson (intermediate flat) posted second place finishes in their respective divisions.
Meanwhile, the Lyons also received solid production from sophomore Paulina Erni (walk-trot), and first year Alexa Lohrer (open flat), who each collected third place ribbons.
Mount Holyoke will be off until Saturday, January 29, when it takes part in the Tournament of Champions Winter Classic in Danville, Va. The Lyons will resume their regular season schedule with a sizeable lead in their regional standings. With three shows remaining, Gutfarb (1st) and classmates Lindsay Sceats (2nd) and Elizabeth Tripp (4th) hold three of the top four spots in the regional Cacchione Cup standings.
Zone 1, Region 3 Standings
1. Mount Holyoke College – 212
2. University of Massachusetts – 182
3. Smith College – 138
4. Amherst College – 120
5. Westfield State University – 96
6. Landmark College – 85
7. Springfield College – 83
8. Williams College – 79
9. Hampshire College – 50
Tournament of Champions Series Standings
Virginia Tech – 48
Virginia Intermont College – 45
Lynchburg College – 42
Savannah college of Art and Design – 42
Mount Holyoke College – 40
West Virginia University – 33
Delaware Valley College – 28
St Andrew's Presbyterian College – 27
Skidmore College – 21
University of Delaware – 19
College of Charleston – 19
Tufts University – 19
