SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. -- The Mount Holyoke College equestrian team performed enjoyed a great first day of the two-day IHSA Zone 1 Championships Friday, finishing the day in first place behind a slew of event wins and Nationals-qualifying performances from junior Emmie Mirarchi., among other starring performances.
Mount Holyoke saw six riders compete in five collegiate classes and three individual classes. At the end of the first day, the Lyons had 28 team points, followed by Sacred Heart (26). Johnson & Wales (21), the University of Vermont (17), and Boston University (13).
The Zone I Championships will resume Saturday morning, with classes in Team and Individual Open and Introductory, as well as the Cacchione Cup.
Friday's portion of the show started with Individual Intermediate Fences and then moved on to Team Intermediate Fences, which saw Mirarchi (Harvard, Mass.) with a beautiful round to win her class and earn a blue ribbon for the Lyons.
Next in the ring was the Individual Limit Fences class, where Mirarchi returned for her second ride of the day along with senior Johanna Sullivan (Worcester, Mass.). Both delivered stunning trips over fences, with Sullivan finishing third and Mirarchi finishing second to go on to Nationals.
Collegiate Limit Fences wrapped up the jumping portion of day one. Sophomore Cate Bates (Montclair, N.J.) had a solid trip over fences, winning her class and earning a second win for Mount Holyoke.
The flat portion of the show opened with two sections of Individual Intermediate Flat where we cheered on our Region 3 representatives from Amherst and UMass, both of whom were called back for additional testing later in the day. Mirarchi returned to the ring for her third ride of the day in Individual Limit Flat with another lovely ride to win her class and secure a second spot at Nationals.
Individual Novice entered the ring next with two MHC riders, juniors Chloe McElveen (Ridgeland, S.C.) and Sunita Pearson-Siegel (Brooklyn, N.Y.). In a very competitive class, both delivered stunning rides. Pearson-Siegel was called back for additional testing, and afterward, placed third in the class, with McElveen placing seventh. Mirarchi then returned to the ring for her fourth and final ride of the day in Collegiate Intermediate Flat. With another gorgeous ride, she was announced the winner of the class, earning yet another blue ribbon for MHC.
After testing for the Individual Intermediate Flat class, the ring moved on to the final two classes of the day. Bates returned to the ring to compete for MHC in Collegiate Limit Flat, slaying her way to a third-place finish.
Finally, sophomore Madison Hurley (Portland, Maine) finished the day strong for MHC in the Collegiate Novice, riding beautifully in her class to finish fourth.
Saturday's Collegiate Classes in Open Fences and Flat, as well as Introductory, will determine the two teams that move on to represent Zone 1 at Nationals.
-- Reporting by Acadia Ferrero-Lampron '23
