LONG VALLEY, N.J. -- The Mount Holyoke College equestrian team capped an outstanding fall season of competition by claiming Reserve Champion honors Saturday at the Holiday Tournament of Champions, the second in a series of four competitions in the fall and spring that feature top equestrian teams from around the country, hosted by Centenary University.
Mount Holyoke's 10 competing riders combined to score 37 points, the second most among 18 teams behind only the Savannah College of Art and Design (43). Complete team standings are listed below.
Senior Emmie Mirarchi (Harvard, Mass.) started the day off in section A of Open Fences, where she had a tremendous round, earning a fourth-place ribbon. Junior Cate Bates (Montclair, N.J.) was next up in section B of Intermediate Fences, and laid down a great trip for a third-place finish.
Next up, Mirarchi returned to the ring with a beautiful ride in section A of the Tournament of Champions Collegiate High Medal, and waited for callbacks. The show moved on to Open Flat, where junior Helena Weiss (Clifton, N.J.) entered the ring and put in a wonderful ride for a second-place finish. Bates reentered the ring for Intermediate Flat, where she had a lovely ride for another second-place finish for the Lyons.
After a short break, first-year Carly Bitler (Seymour, Ill.) entered the ring for section A of Limit Fences and delivered a lovely ride in her tournament debut for a sixth-place finish. Sophomore Charlotte Subak (Brooklyn, N.Y.) then entered the ring with a fabulous ride in section A of the Tournament of Champions Collegiate Low Medal, and waited for callbacks.
Next, sophomore Hallie Phillips (Santa Rosa, Calif.) rode in section A of Limit flat with a beautiful ride to win the class.
Senior Catherine Kazel (Madison, N.J.) then had a wonderful ride in section B of the Introductory classes to bring home another blue ribbon. To finish out the day, senior Anno Kostava (Tbilisi, Georgia) delivered an excellent ride in section B of Novice flat to finish in second place and solidify the reserve championship for the team.
After winter break, the Lyons will start off their spring IHSA show season with the Winter Classic Tournament of Champions at SCAD in Savannah, Ga., on January 27.
Final College Results:
1. Savannah College of Art and Design (43)
2. Mount Holyoke College (37)
3. Centenary-Blue (30)
4. Centenary-Gold (29)
5. Skidmore College (28)
6. St. Lawrence University-Brown (25)
7. Sacred Heart University (23)
8. St. Lawrence University-Red (23)
9. Goucher College (22)
10. University of Lynchburg (17)
11. UMass-Amherst (15)
12. Marist College (13)
13. Boston University (11)
14. Delaware Valley University (10)
15. Penn State University (8)
16. Miami University (8)
17. University of Pittsburgh (5)
18. Albion College (5)
