Though five riders had a higher combined average in the flat and fences phases of the Cacchione Cup Competition, University of Kentucky junior Callie Schott (center) benefited from two separate tests in the work-off phase to earn Reserve National Champion honors.

THE 2007 IHSA NATIONALS CACCHIONE CUP COMPETITION

WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA - If one were to seek out a noticible difference between the 2006 and 2007 IHSA Nationals Cacchione Cup Classes the lower combined judges' scores would likely be it. In 2006 at Harrisburg 14 riders earned combined flat scores of '80' or higher; In 2007 at the Big E in West Springfield, Massachusetts only seven manged to finish as high. The jumping scores fell in similar fashion, with only five riders given combined scores of '80' or higher as opposed to 12 a year earlier.

However it should be noted that riders competing in the individual and team jumping classes held prior to the first phase of the Cacchione competition also received lower scores than their counterparts one season ago. It is not clear if this is because the judges were more discerning in 2007 or if the riding was simply off slightly from the previous national show. In any event other than perhaps a bruised ego here or there the Cacchione class seemed like it had since 2003: Riders competing in one of two flat phases on day one, then returning to jump on day two in hopes that they will be called back for the work-off phase on day three. Those who did reach the work-off were most definitely put to work! The third and final phase was perhaps the most interesting portion of any english class held at the 40th anniversary IHSA National show. And in the end a rider who was making her first IHSA Nationals appearance had earned the coveted prize.

The Cup itself is named for Mario "Marty" Cacchione, father of IHSA Founder and Executive Director Bob Cacchione. The evolution of this class has changed somewhat since the award was first given in Spring of 1972. Duncan Peters of the University of Connecticut won the honor that season, though at that time the IHSA had existed for only five years, and Peters did not have to compete in a post-season class to win as the final regular season show WAS Nationals! By 1974 there was an actual IHSA National show at the end of the season, with riders from three separate regions actually riding off for the Cup. By 1980 seven riders were riding off for the Cup. By 1990 the IHSA had grown to sixteen regions, so naturally 16 riders were at Nationals in hopes of having their names inscribed on the trophy.

Only 17 years later the number of Cacchione entries has almost doubled, with 30 riders having qualified. 29 riders advanced by earning the most combined open flat and fences points in their respective regions. In Zone 4, Region 2 University of Virginia junior Whitney Roper came from behind to tie Hollins Freshman Katie Furches at the final show for most open-level points in the region for 2006-07. Thus a tie-breaking ride-off was held at Regionals which Roper won, earning the right to compete at Nationals for the Cup.

Of the 30 Cacchione riders competing at the Big E ten were seniors, only two were freshman, eleven had competed for the Cup at 2006 Nationals, one had competed for the Cup at 2004 Nationals but not since and one was a previous Cacchione Champion.

Through the flat phases of the Cacchione Competition, Brown University junior Whitney Keefe had the third highest judges' score, an '84.' Keefe would improve significantly on ninth place at 2006 Nationals when the final ribbons were given out.

It was a nice mix of new and old when the actual competition began seven classes into the day on Thursday, May 3rd. 15 riders entered the ring to take part in the first of two flat phases. Each rider was asked to walk, trot and canter in each direction. Then, after everyone had lined up, there was some work without stirups. Eventually everyone was lined up a second time and excused. Following the individual novice flat the remaining 15 riders entered the ring to do exactly what the previous 15 had done (for those who may be wondering, a random draw which takes place prior to the printing of the IHSA Nationals program determines which riders are in the first or second phases. The only stipulation is that riders from each zone are split evenly. As a result zones with 4 regions will find half their riders in the first phase while zones with three regions will see two riders in one section and one in the other). Over an hour after both phases were completed the combined scores from Judges Linda Shahinian and Randy Mullins were posted. Michigan State senior Ashley Delzer, who had placed fifth at 2006 Nationals in the Cacchione was leading the field through one phase. Delzers' score of '86' was at the top of the list and an improvement over her '84' score on the flat one year earlier. While Delzer had been part of the first phase, Mount Holyoke senior Nathalie Cooper had been part of the second. Coopers' score of '85' was second best and a point and a half better than her '83.5' on the flat in '06. Riders with previous Cacchione experience continued to be found near the top, as Brown junior Whitney Keefe had earned an '84' while University of Oregon senior Kaitlyn Kleck earned an '83.' Keefe had finished ninth overall in the 2006 Cacchione competition (with a flat score of only '76') while Kleck had been outside the top ten in 2006 but had placed ninth at 2005 Nationals in Sunbury, Ohio. Roper had a flat score of '82,' the highest for any rider competing in the Cacchione for the first time.

It should be noted that ten of the 30 Cacchione riders had competed earlier in the day, having qualified for the individual open over fences. Having additional time in the seat did not seem to have an overall effect, as only Cooper and Brittany Denton of Virginia Intermont College scored in the '80's in the flat phase while four others scored in the '70's and yet four more scored in the '60's. Nine riders in total did not reach the '70's in the flat phase, and at least one of these nine would recover enough in the jumping phase to earn a top ten placing.

Day two of IHSA Nationals started with the alumni over fences, the only class of the day before the Cacchione jumping phase. However the horse draw for both classes took place before the first ride on Friday, May 4th, with riders selecting miniature plastic animals out of a top hat with the draw number written on the back of each. Giraffes, Dogs, Rabbits and even Horses were drawn from the hat, held in place by two cute stuffed bunnies named Deadly and Deathly supplied by the Dartmouth team. College of Southern Idaho sophomore Camille "Cammie" Ginkel pulled draw number 30 out of the hat, which meant that the future Boise State team would be the final rider in the order of go (Ginkel received an associates degree from Southern Idaho this season). University of Pennsylvania senior Katherine "Katie" Carssow, who was 25th into the ring for her jumping round last season, selected horse number one, meaning she would start the over fences phase.

Following the alumni fences (which was won by 2001 Cacchione champion and Brown University graduate Amanda Forte), Carssow entered the ring at 9:39AM and many fences later had the first jumping score of '78.' Cooper went second, and immediately established herself as the front-runner. Coopers' outstanding round received a score of '86,' giving her a combined '85.5' average. The next four scores were substantially lower than that of Cooper or Carssow, with Northern Illinois sophomore Michael Lenard fairing the best with a '72.' Keefe went seventh, earning a '75' which looked like a good bet to keep her in the top ten overall through two phases. None of the next six riders could reach the '70's,' including Dartmouth senior Tim Malone, third in the 2006 Cacchione class but the victim of a refusal which wrecked an otherwise top-ten-worthy ride. 14th in the order of go was Delzer, who seemed to have as good a round as Cooper but surprisingly was given a score of only '70,' giving the Michigan State senior a combined '78' average.

When not wearing ASTM-approved helmets at 2007 Nationals the entire Virginia Intermont College team wore Virginia Tech caps, including Cacchione rider Brittany Denton (pictured). The April 16th shootings on the Virginia Tech campus were acknowledged several times during 2007 Nationals, with Virginia Intermont wearing caps to support their Zone 4, Region 3 compadres. Denton survived both of the traditional Cacchione phases to compete in the work-off, even getting invited back for a second test.

Following two more scores in the '60's Kleck started what would be the first of five consecutive scores of 78 and a half or higher. The University of Oregon senior received a '79' score, giving her an '81' average. Franklin & Marshall junior Andrew Olen, the third of three male riders in the Cacchione division, earned up to this point the second highest jumping score with an '81.' Olen had only scored a '68' in the flat phase, so it remained to be seen if he his combined score would be enough to qualify for the work-off phase. Following Olen was another junior, Callie Schott of the University of Kentucky. Schott was judged to be even better than Olen, receiving a score of '82' and thus holding a '79' average. 2005 Cacchione Cup Champion Ashley Woodhouse made the class two-thirds complete, jumping her way to a '78.5' score. The Skidmore College senior received a '77' score on the flat the day before, giving her hope of making the call-back. Denton, who was the first Virginia Intermont rider other than 2006 graduate Erika Jewell to compete for the Cacchione since Angee Quattro in 2001, scored an amazing '84' over fences. The sophomore from Atlanta, Georgia held a combined '82' score, assuring her of a place in the Work-Off. Of the remaining nine rides, only three earned scores in the upper '70's or better. University of Mary Washington freshman Jessica Van Brocklin went 23rd and received a '77' while Katherine 'Kat' Bechtel of Stanford University went 27th and earned a very impressive '79.50.' However both Van Brocklin and Bechtel had scored in the '60's on the flat and were on the bubble to make the Work-Off.

However the rider who went 28th was a shoo-in to ride again Saturday morning. Roper was very much at the top of her game, receiving a score of '83' to hold an '82.5' average through two phases. The IHSA had arranged for an electric scoreboard to hang above the east end of the Big E, and following Ginkels' ride to conclude the class at 10:47AM the top ten riders were posted. At that moment Cooper was on top, followed by Roper, Denton, Kleck, Keefe, Schott, Delzer, Woodhouse, Carssow and Olen. With so many names posted, the scoreboard received more cheers and applause at this moment than at any other time this weekend.

While all ten of these riders hoped to make the cut, it has become a rarity for more than seven to receive a callback (with 2006 a glaring exception, with all ten returning). The combined averages of the top four were each over 80, but if only four were called back it would be the fewest tested in this situation since 1998 (and the entire Cacchione process was run differently at that time). Keefe, Schott, Delzer and Woodhouse were clearly on the bubble at this point, with Keefe at 79.5 and Woodhouse at 77.75. With Carssow over two points behind Woodhouse, both she, Olen and perhaps University of the South sophomore Elizabeth West (a half point behind Olen) would have to hope the judges wanted to see a large number of riders try to improve their situation in the work-off.

Mount Holyoke senior Nathalie Cooper (right, with Lyons Assistant Coach Gillian McPhee) had the highest combined score headed into the Work-off, an '85.5.'

More than an hour passed before it was learned where the cut-off was. The judges decided to go below Kleck's '81' average but not below Schott's '79.' The top six would return for the work-off phase the next morning, with Cooper and Keefe the only riders back from the work-off in Harrisburg one year ago.

The only division held on Saturday morning before the work-off was the team open over fences division, which included Cooper, Keefe, Denton and Schott. While Schott finished out of the ribbons in this division, Keefe was fifth, Denton fourth and Cooper the team open fences champion. Since the Cacchione jumping phase Cooper had in fact gone undefeated, having also won the team open flat on Friday afternoon. Cooper's heroics helped Mount Holyoke rally to tie Findlay for Reserve high point team behind Virginia Intermont. It is not uncommon for a rider at IHSA Nationals to win consecutive classes in which they compete. However it is very rare for a rider to have the chance to win classes which are held back-to-back at an IHSA Nationals show. With Cooper having won the team open over fences she was in line to perhaps pull off this rare feat.

The test involved jumping a few fences and halting, minus stirups. After each rider had attempted this task there was a delay while the judges apparently confired. When the delay ended, the judges made the Work-Off even longer: There was a second test! However for this test only Cooper, Denton, Roper and Schott were asked to return, indicating that Keefe and Kleck were likely to earn fifth or sixth place ribbons based on their first and only round of the work-off.

The second test was similar to the first, with Schott and Roper appearing to look the best. After all four rides had been completed, there was another short stopage, with some wondering if there would be yet another test. And to the surprise of many, all four were required to go through even more testing! When the third test was completed, announcer Ken Marash requested that the top ten riders in the division return to the ring for the awards presentation.

Between 1981 and 1992 the University of Virginia could claim the Cacchione Cup Champion four times. After a 15-year hiatus the Cup will return to Charlottesville, as Cavalier junior Whitney Roper (center) is the 2007 Cacchione Cup Champion!

At last the placings were announced, with the first four a given. Olen, Carssow, Woodhouse and Delzer were pinned tenth through seventh, resepectively, with only Olen new to the Cacchione competition this season. Sixth was awarded to Kleck while Keefe was given the fifth. Prior to testing Keefe was right behind Kleck in the placings. Fourth was awarded to Denton, whose fourth in team open fences earlier in the day had been icing on the cake for Virginia Intermont, the Cobras already having clinched their third IHSA hunter seat National Championship in four seasons. Some were surprised to hear Cooper announced as third, considering that she held the top score over fences and the number two score on the flat prior to the work-off.

Regardless of how the top two played out, someone who had not previously competed for the Cacchione Cup was going to make quite a debut in the division. Though her only prior IHSA Nationals ride resulted in a sixth-place ribbon in individual open fences at 2006 Nationals (and a judges' score of '88' at that time), Kentucky junior Schott made the most of three rounds of testing. The daughter of former Kentucky Head Coach Elaine Schott moved up from sixth to Reserve National Champion with her outstanding efforts on Saturday morning.

With Schott earning the red ribbon, it meant that Roper had become the third rider in the 32-year history of the University of Virginia equestrian team program to capture the Cacchione Cup. A Sociology major from Rumson, New Jersey, Roper had essentially moved up one place from where she stood prior to the work-off. Roper became the second rider in three seasons to finish in a tie for high point open rider through the regular season in her region, then win a tiebreaker at Regionals, and subsequently win the Cacchione competition at Nationals (the same route Woodhouse took in 2005). Roper can also claim to have won the most thoroughly tested Cacchione class in the past eleven seasons.

Only one rider in Cacchione Cup history won the award in consecutive seasons, and that rider won three straight. CeCe Williamson won it in '81, '82 and '83 while attending - you guessed it - the University of Virginia, so it would be ironic if Roper were to qualify and have a shot at the honor next season when Nationals returns to the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, California for the first time since 1996.

---Steve Maxwell

Combined Flat Scores, followed by Combined Fences Scores and the averages of these phases before the work-off: