WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The 2015 IHSA National Championships concluded on Saturday at the Big E and the Mount Holyoke College riding team finished tied for 10th overall. Highlighting the final day of action was sophomore Bridget Finnerty, who was seventh in the final event for the Lyons.
Finnerty (Baltimore, Md./Bryn Mawr School) placed seventh in the Collegiate Cup Open Equitation on the Flat. She had competed earlier in the morning, garnering Honorable Mention honors in Collegiate Cup Open Equitation Over Fences.
It was an outstanding effort for the Lyons over the past three days. Day two saw a fourth-place finish by first year Illianna Termuehlen in team Walk-Trot Equitation. Fellow rookie Maddy Skrak (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia Prep) also garnered points for MHC on day two, placing sixth in Team Intermediate Equitation Over Fences.
First year Sabrina Fox (Westfield, Mass./Westfield) also had a solid effort on the day, earning Honorable Mention honors in Team Walk-Trot-Canter Equitation.
In addition to the current riders, MHC saw several outstanding performances by alumni on Friday, including Alicyn Roy '05, who finished Reserve Champion in Alumni Equitation Over Fences. In the Western competition, Emily Murch '14 earned third in Alumni Western Horsemanship, while current MHC IEA head coach Tara Mathews was sixth in Alumni Equitation Over Fences. She went on to earn Reserve Champion in Alumni Equitation on the Flat.
Thursday saw senior Anne Waldo (White Lake, Mich./International Academy) earn the National Championship title in Individual Intermediate Equitation Over Fences. Senior Jess Murray (East Longmeadow, Mass./East Longmeadow) earned Honorable Mention honors with an 11th-place finish in the same discipline.
Additionally, senior Heather Zadra (Laguna Hills, Calif./Sage Hill School) was ninth in Individual Intermediate Equitation on the Flat, while first years Mollie Kowalchik (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland) and Mika McKinney (Montville, Maine/Belfast Area) both competed in the team competition.
Savannah College of Art and Design was crowned this year's champions after compiling 30 points. Centenary College was runner-up with 24 points, while Skidmore College rounded out the top three with 19 points.
Photo of Finnerty courtesy of RJB Sports Photography. Photo above of the final placing of the Collegiate Cup Open Equitation on the Flat. Finnerty is featured second in from the left.
