SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (March 5, 2011) – With first year Alexa Lohrer leading the way, the Mount Holyoke College riding team sprinted to a resounding 18-point victory in front of its home crowd today. The Lyons racked up 15 blue ribbons en route to 43 points and their fifth High Point Championship of the season. With just one regular season show remaining, they lead the University of Massachusetts by 45 points in the regional standings.
UMass secured Reserve High Point honors with 25 points. The remainder of the field consisted of Springfield College (22), Amherst College (14), Smith (14), Westfield State University (11), Hampshire College (5), Landmark College (4) and Williams College (3).
The race for High Point Rider honors featured three Mount Holyoke riders, who had each qualified by earning two blue ribbons earlier in the day. In addition to Lohrer, the ride-off featured junior Margaret Swanson and senior Katharine Henderson. Lohrer finished as High Point Rider, while Swanson grabbed Reserve High Point Rider honors. Meanwhile, Henderson was named Novice High Point Rider, and junior Rebecca Hicks secured Reserve Novice High Point Rider accolades.
Prior to the ride-off, Lohrer finished atop the standings in her sections of the open flat and open fences divisions. Swanson won her sections of the open flat and intermediate fences divisions, while Henderson claimed top honors in her sections of the novice flat and novice fences divisions.
Mount Holyoke's remaining blue ribbons came from Hicks (novice fences), sophomore Allison O'Neill (intermediate flat), sophomore Allison Reding (walk-trot-canter), first year Ella Pittman (novice flat), first year Flynn Vickowski (novice fences), junior Haley Streibich (walk-trot-canter), sophomore Jessica Stephens (walk-trot), senior JoJo Gutfarb (open flat) and junior Laura Tolosa (beginner walk-trot-canter).
With their performances today, O'Neill (intermediate flat), Reding (walk-trot-canter), Gutfarb (open fences), Henderson (intermediate flat), Lohrer (open flat) and Swanson (intermediate fences) each qualified for the Zone 1, Region 3 Regional Championships.
Mount Holyoke will round out its regular season slate at Sycamore Stables on Saturday, March 26. The show will be hosted by Hampshire, Westfield State and Springfield. Gutfarb (1st), Sceats (2nd) and Tripp (3rd) will enter the day holding the top three spots in the regional Cacchione Cup standings. They are separated by just four points.
Zone 1, Region 3 Standings
1. Mount Holyoke College – 290
2. University of Massachusetts – 245
3. Smith College – 170
4. Amherst College – 149
5. Westfield State University – 131
6. Springfield College – 124
7. Landmark College – 89
7. Williams College – 89
9. Hampshire College – 64
