SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (Oct. 15, 2011) – Following the lead of senior Margaret Swanson, the Mount Holyoke College riding team cruised to a High Point Championship in its first home show of the season today. Swanson finished the day as High Point Rider after taking first place in her sections of the open flat and open fences divisions. As a team, the Lyons piled up 21 blue ribbons.
The event took place at the Mount Holyoke Equestrian Center and featured nine teams from around the region. Mount Holyoke recorded 42 points en route to their second title in as many weeks. The Lyons were followed by the University of Massachusetts (27), Smith College (27), Westfield State University (15), Williams College (14), Springfield College (12), Amherst College (9), Landmark College (9) and Hampshire College (3). They now lead UMass by 15 points in the Zone 1, Region 3 standings.
At the end of the day, Swanson was joined in the ride-off by first year Hannah Thornton and senior Julia Graham. Thornton secured Reserve High Point Rider honors after recording first place finishes in her open flat and open fences classes. Meanwhile, Graham was named Novice High Point Rider after first place performances in her sections of the Julia Graham novice flat and novice fences divisions. Mount Holyoke also received a boost from first year Anne Waldo, who claimed Reserve High Point Novice Rider accolades. She won her novice flat section and took second place in her novice fences grouping.
Senior Brenna Cogswell (novice flat), junior Paulina Erni (walk-trot), junior Sally Gibb (intermediate fences), senior Jasmine Haddad (novice fences), sophomore Felicia Harrsch (intermediate flat), senior Rebecca Hicks (novice flat), first year Kathleen Kelly (walk-trot-canter), sophomore Eleanor Maynard (intermediate fences), junior Natalie Myer (walk-trot-canter), first year Abby Raucher (intermediate flat), first year Madeline Shortt (novice flat), junior Jessica Stephens (walk-trot), sophomore Flynn Vickowski (novice fences) and first year Maura Zaldonis (intermediate fences) also earned blue ribbons for the Lyons.
With their performances today, Erni (walk-trot), Harrsch (intermediate flat) and junior Allison O'Neill (intermediate fences) each qualified for the Zone 1, Region 3 Regional Championships.
Mount Holyoke will return to action next Saturday at the UMass Intercollegiate Horse Show. The competition is slated to take place at Hadley Farms in Hadley, Mass.
Photos by Doug Keller
