HADLEY, Mass. - The Mount Holyoke College Equestrian Team competed in their final regular season show of the 2013-2014 season on Saturday afternoon at Hadley Farm. The Lyons won High Point College for the day as well winning the region by a margin of 76 points, earning the team a place at Zones on April 5.
The day began with senior Felicia Harrsch winning Open Fences while fellow senior Lexie Lohrer was just behind in second place. Junior Hannah Thornton rode well on a tough draw to sixth place.
In Intermediate Fences, junior Claire Herlin won her section while junior Jess Murray placed third. Concluding the over fences rounds, first-year Cam Carter won her section of Novice Fences, first-year Allee Platanitis was second, and senior Ruby Rodell and sophomore Suyin Taunton placed third.
Following a brief schooling break, Open Flat began the run of flat classes. Thornton and first-year Bridget Finnerty won their sections, Harrsch was second, and Lohrer finished third. In Intermediate Flat, Carter and sophomore Genevieve Couldwell each placed second. Then in Novice Flat, first-year Sarah Felman won her section, Erinn Lew and junior Laura Von der Porten each came in third, and sophomore Colbie Chinowsky was sixth.
A very large Walk-Trot-Canter class followed, with junior Emily Bessette winning and senior Catherine Geeslin coming in fifth. Beginner Walk-Trot-Canter, also quite large, followed with sophomore Callie Schultz placing third and first-year Haley Lucian coming in fifth. First-year Flora Fei ended the day by winning Walk-Trot while senior Mia Landsbergis was fourth.
Harrsch, Lohrer, and Westfield State rider Paige Hendrickson began the day within three points of each other for the Cacchione Cup race, and at the beginning of the flat classes had narrowed the margin down to two. Hendrickson came out on top as the region's Cacchione Cup rider by just one point over Harrsch, while Lohrer followed in third place.
In addition Harrsch, Carter, and Williams rider Aurora Brown each placed first and second in their classes resulting in a ride-off for High Point Rider. Carter won the honors, while Brown was named Reserve High Point Rider.
Lohrer qualified for regionals in Open Fences today, while Finnerty and Thornton qualified in Open Flat.
The college placings from Saturday's show are:
High Point College - Mount Holyoke College, 37 points
Reserve High Point College - Smith College, 29 points
3rd Place - University of Massachusetts Amherst, 28 points
4th Place - Westfield State University, 24 points
5th Place - Springfield College, 22 points
6th Place - Amherst College, 19 points
7th Place - Williams College, 17 points
The final college standings for the year are:
High Point College - Mount Holyoke College, 343 points
Reserve High Point College - University of Massachusetts Amherst, 247 points
3rd Place - Smith College, 210 points
4th Place - Westfield State University, 164 points
5th Place - Springfield College, 161 points
6th Place - Amherst College, 158 points
7th Place - Williams College, 116 points
8th Place - Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, 26 points
Mount Holyoke is sending a total of 19 riders to regionals, with at least two riding in each class. The riders qualified are:
Walk-Trot - Callie Calder, Katie Knutson
Walk-Trot-Canter - Sam Stone, Suyin Taunton, Laura Von der Porten
Novice Flat - Genevieve Couldwell, Maddi Shortt
Novice Fences - Claire Herlin, Jess Murray, Anne Waldo
Intermediate Flat - Ella Pittman, Abby Raucher
Intermediate Fences - Nell Maynard, Flynn Vickowski, Maura Zaldonis
Open Flat - Bridget Finnerty, Felicia Harrsch, Lexie Lohrer, Nell Maynard, Hannah Thornton
Open Fences - Felicia Harrsch, Lexie Lohrer
Regionals will take place on Saturday, March 29, at Biscuit Hill Farm in Shelburne, Mass. The top two riders in each class there will go on as individuals to Zones on Saturday, April 5, at Mount Holyoke College.
All photos courtesy of C.J. Law, MHC head coach of Riding.
