2009-10 Riding Season in Review

2009-10 Riding Season in Review

Team Highlights

  • Earned seventh place at IHSA National Championships
  • Won Zone 1, Region 3 High Point Championship
  • Won Zone 1 High Point Championship
  • Collected six High Point Championships during regular season
  • Recorded one Reserve High Point Championship

Individual Highlights

  • 12 riders qualified for Zone 1, Region 3 Championships
  • Six riders qualified for Zone 1 Championships
  • Two riders qualified for IHSA National Championships
  • Gilly McPhee – IHSA National Championship Coach Award
  • Lindsay Sceats – Cacchione Cup National Champion, Zone 1 Cacchione Cup High Point Champion, Zone 1, Region 3 Cacchione Cup High Point Champion, Zone 1, Region 3 High Point Fences Rider, Zone 1, Region 3 High Point Flat Rider, High Point Rider (Mount Holyoke – Fall), High Point Rider (Mount Holyoke – Spring)
  • Allison O'Neill – High Point Intermediate Rider (UMass – Fall), High Point Intermediate Rider (Smith), Reserve High Point Intermediate Rider (Amherst)
  • Margaret Swanson – Reserve High Point Rider (Mount Holyoke - Fall), Reserve High Point Intermediate Rider (Mount Holyoke – Fall), High Point Intermediate Rider (Mount Holyoke – Spring)
  • JoJo Gutfarb – Reserve High Point Rider (Mount Holyoke – Spring)
  • Stephanie Tagliatela – Reserve High Point Novice Rider (Mount Holyoke – Spring)
  • Tara Bliss – High Point Rider (Holy Cross), High Point Intermediate Rider (Holy Cross)
  • Courtney O'Connell – Reserve High Point Intermediate Rider (Holy Cross)
  • Three Lyons earned IHSA Senior Awards

Results | Roster | Statistics

With 26th year head coach C.J. Law leading the way, the Mount Holyoke riding team was once again dominant in 2009-10. The Lyons returned to the IHSA National Championships for the 19th time in program history, taking seventh place overall. They finished atop the Zone 1, Region 3 standings and later secured the Zone 1 High Point Championship.

Riding

Out of their seven regular season shows, they picked up six High Point Championships and one Reserve High Point title.

Leading the way for Mount Holyoke was junior Lindsay Sceats. The junior captured top honors in the prestigious Cacchione Cup Class at the National Championships. She became the third rider in program history to achieve the feat, joining Claudia Barth (1990 - Fitch Cup) and Laena Romond (2002 - Cacchione Cup). Sceats had previously been crowned High Point Rider for both Zone 1 and Zone 1, Region 3. During the regular season, she was crowned High Point Rider twice. She finished as High Point Fences Rider and High Point Flat Rider for Zone 1, Region 3.

In addition  to Sceats, sophomore Margaret Swanson (novice fences) and junior Elizabeth Tripp (open fences) also qualified for the National Championships in their respective divisions. Swanson earned High Point Intermediate Rider honors at Mount Holyoke's home show during the spring.

Additional outstanding performances came from first year Allison O'Neill and senior Tara Bliss. O'Neill was named High Point Intermediate Rider at both the University of Massachusetts (fall) and Smith College Shows. Meanwhile, Bliss grabbed High Point Rider and High Point Intermediate Rider accolades at the College of the Holy Cross Show.

A total of 12 Lyons qualified for the Zone 1, Region 3 Championships. Of those, six went on to compete in the Zone 1 Championships.