CHATHAM, Va. (Jan. 29, 2011) – Ten members of the Mount Holyoke College riding team recently traveled to Chatham, Va. to participate in the prestigious Tournament of Champions Winter Classic Horse Show. The event, which featured some of the best collegiate equestrian teams from around the nation, took place at the Chatham Hall Equestrian Center. A total of 21 teams took part.
Virginia Intermont College amassed 36 points to secure the High Point Championship. The Cobras finished with a sizeable advantage over Delaware Valley College, which earned Reserve High Point College honors with 30 points. Mount Holyoke grabbed fifth place with 23 points.
As a result of their performance at the event, the Lyons secured fifth place in the final Tournament of Champions standings for the season. Virginia Intermont took home the High Point Championship with 62 points.
Mount Holyoke was paced by senior Belinda Wenke and first year Alexa Lohrer, who each claimed blue ribbons. Wenke took home top honors in her section of the walk-trot-canter division, while Lohrer repeated the feat in her grouping of the open flat division.
Seniors Elizabeth Tripp and JoJo Gutfarb each participated in the medal class, finishing eighth and 10th, respectively.
The Lyons also received solid production from sophomore Paulina Erni (3rd – walk-trot), first year Flynn Vickowski (4th – novice flat) and senior Lindsay Sceats (5th – open fences), who each placed in their divisions.
Mount Holyoke will resume its regular season schedule with a sizeable lead in the Zone1, Region 3 standings. With three shows remaining, the Lyons are 30 points in front of the University of Massachusetts. Gutfarb (1st), Sceats (2nd) and Tripp (4th) hold three of the top four spots in the regional Cacchione Cup standings. Their team is slated to take part in the UMass Horse Show on Saturday, February 26.
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 Intermont College – 62
Delaware Valley College - 58
St. Andrew's Presbyterian College – 55
Virginia Tech - 47
Mount Holyoke College – 44
Lynchburg College - 44
West Virginia University – 44
Savannah College of Art and Design - 42
Penn State University - 34
University of New Hampshire - 33
Tufts University - 32
Stonehill College - 26
University of South Carolina - 23
Skidmore College - 21
College of Charleston - 19
University of Delaware - 19
Berry College - 11
University of North Carolina - 11
Photos by Doug Keller
