From left to right are Sara McCoy Palmer, Marianne England, Rebecca Folk, Kimberly King and Cassie
Clark, each of whom competed in the advanced western horsemanship division at the inaugural Western Alumni Tournament of
Champions in Hilltown, Pennsylvania on July 19th. Folk won the division to become the first western rider to win a class
at the new event.
KING, FOLK ARE MULTIPLE WINNERS AT FIRST-EVER WESTERN ALUMNI TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
Hilltown, PA - This writer has attended IHSA shows since chance circumstances
put me at an IHSA event in March of 1991. Until 1997 I had never seen anything
but hunter seat IHSA shows, this due to the fact that Western was not held in the
part of the country I live in at that time. My first time ever seeing western
was at 1997 IHSA Nationals at the Mount Holyoke College Equestrian Center
(Believe it or not Western was not held in that part of the country during the
regular season at that time either). It was not until the fall of 1998 that, by
coincidence, both the New York and Philadelphia metropolitan areas started
holding IHSA Western shows. From that point forward I saw a few regular season
Western shows on a yearly basis.
In the fall of 2002 I saw a Tournament of Champions invitational event for the
first time (a pre-season event hosted by the University of Connecticut).
These invitational events brought together schools from different regions,
something that otherwise only happens at Zones, IHSA Nationals events and a few
geographically-based events like the All-Ivy League Invitational and the Zone 3
Invitational. While there have been many hunter seat Tournament of Champions
events since 2002 there have been no Western invitationals of any kind since
sometime around 2002 or 2003. While interest in the hunter seat tournament of
champions series grew throughout the first decade of the 21st century the Western
equivalent was discontinued at some point due to a limited amount of interest.
For roughly a decade there was no event other than Semifinals, Zones (prior to
the creation of Semifinals for the 2006-07 season), IHSA Nationals or 'the Derby'
(held after IHSA Nationals for the top five riders in the individual open reining
class) where Western IHSA riders crossed regional boundries to compete against
one another.
In 2012 the first-ever Alumni Tournament of Champions event was held (though
the name 'Tournament of Champions' is used the alumni events are not associated
with Jim Arrigon, who runs the regular Tournament of Champion events in
cooperation with Beckett Run Farm, Inc.). This event, held on the campus of Valley
Forge Military College in Wayne, Pennsylvania on July 29th of that year, saw 18 alumni from
various IHSA regions in the Northeast take part in five different classes. This
event was hunter seat only, just like all other recent invitationals at the time.
Almost a year later the same english Alumni Tournament took place at Centenary
College, with twice as many riders entered. With the hunter seat alumni tournament
a clear success, alumni tournament organizers Lena Andrews and Jamie Windle
decided that in 2014 there would be two such alumni events - one for hunter seat
and for the first time one for Western. I would finally get to see a Western event
using IHSA riders (or rather former riders) in an invitational or off-season event.
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Though Temple University had three riders in the top six it was former Bucks County Community College rider Alexis Plavocos who won the
alumni horsemanship division. From left to right are Andrea LaManque (formerly of Morrisville State College), Samantha Cronce (Temple), Plavocos, Sarah
Todak (formerly of Ohio University), Bianca Lupo (Temple) and Laura Kolibabek (Temple).
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Just as the first hunter seat alumni tournament event was held in
Pennsylvania, the inaugural Western Alumni Tournament of Champions was
held not far away in Hilltown, Pennsylvania (north of Philadelphia) on
Saturday, July 19th. Due to a few scratches there were a total of 13
riders participating, only slightly fewer than the first hunter seat
tournament event nearly two years earlier. Marianne England, who showed
as an undergraduate at Midway College but earned graduate degrees from
Middle Tennessee State University was the first rider into the indoor
at Red Wing Farm at 8:55AM for the reining phase of the Alumni Cup
division. After all eight alumni cup entries had performed the pattern
the first class which would produce the first ribbons of the day took
place. Advanced Horsemanship was the second class of the day, with five
riders entered. Unlike most IHSA shows riders were asked to perform
their horsemanship patterns when they entered the ring rather than first
going out on the rail and walking, jogging and lopping. When advanced
horsemanship was completed 2013 Lafayette College graduate Rebecca Folk
had earned the first blue ribbon ever awarded at a Western Alumni
Tournament of Champions event. University of Tennessee at Knoxville
graduate Kimberly King was reserve champion but would later improve on
that ribbon. England was third, Delaware Valley College's Cassie Clark
fourth and University of Delaware graduate Sara McCoy Palmer fifth.
Though she rode at many hunter seat alumni events the previous two
seasons McCoy Palmer last rode alumni western on a regular basis during
the 1999-2000 season. McCoy Palmer may have shown western once in 14
years to fill a class but otherwise was entered today for the enjoyment
of it.
Though ten riders were originally scheduled to compete in the Alumni
Horsemanship division only eight actually took part due to scratches.
This division was divided into two heats of four with the top four
called back later in the show for a work-off.
Prior to the show the order of classes listed 'class 3 and 4 combined'
but in actuality the two were held separately. Class 3 was Alumni
Reining and was made up of six riders. Six different regions were
represented, with 2012 Morrisville State University graduate Andrea
LaManque (Zone 2, Region 3) the first to hear her name as she was sixth.
Lauren Budniewski of the University of Colorado at Boulder (Zone 8,
Region 5) had not traveled all the way from the Mountain time zone but
rather from Maryland where she lives. Budniewski, who used to train
with Red Wing Farm owner Amber Jewell, was fifth. Alexis Plavocos,
who rode for nearby Bucks County Community College during the early
2000's, was fourth representing Zone 3, Region 2. From Zone 3, Region 5
recent Temple University graduate Bianca Lupo was third while 2013 Ohio
University graduate Sarah Todak (Zone 6, Region 2) was the reserve
champion. It would not be the only time Todak would win a red ribbon.
Top prize went to Folk (Zone 3, Region 4), who was not entered in the
next two classes to be placed. Folk remained undefeated with one more
ride still to come.
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The advanced reining division featured two riders who also took part in the hunter seat alumni
tournament of champions on May 18th. Sara McCoy Palmer (on left) and Rebecca Del Pizzo (second on right) had shown
with some success two months earlier (Palmer won the hunter seat alumni cup). However former University of
Tennessee at Knoxville rider Kimberly King (second on left) won this division. Cassie Clark is on the far right. |
Class 4 was identified as Advanced Reining. This division had only
four riders, making it the smallest class of the day. After each of
the four riders took their turn Clark turned out to be fourth, McCoy
Palmer third, Arcadia University graduate Rebecca Del Pizzo reserve
champion and King the blue ribbon winner. Del Pizzo had inquired of
this writer if she was the only rider to have competed in each of the
three hunter seat alumni tournaments and today's Western tournament.
This is in fact the case as McCoy Palmer and Del Pizzo were the only
riders entered today who had shown in a hunter seat alumni tournament
event. McCoy Palmer, who coaches both the Villanova University and
Valley Forge Military College teams in Zone 3, Region 5, schooled horses
at the 2012 hunter seat alumni tournament but did not compete in it.
The Alumni Cup Rail Phase was next, with everyone performing their
pattern and then working on the rail as a group. These riders were
then excused and would wait to see which four would be called back for
a work-off if necessary.
Four riders (Todak, Plavocos, Lupo and another Temple graduate,
Samantha Cronce) were called back for the Alumni Horsemanship final.
Each rider performed their pattern, then went through the
walk/jog/lope route on the rail (and then some!), lined up, dismounted
and headed for the photography area outside. Two riders who had not
been invited back for further testing still received top six ribbons.
2008 Temple graduate Laura Kolibabek was sixth while LaManque was
fifth. Former Owls Lupo (fourth) and Cronce (who graduated in 2010)
gave Temple three of the six ribbons awarded in this division. Todak
was again a reserve champion while Plavocos was three places higher than
her previous time out. Plavocos was one of five riders to have shown at
both 2014 IHSA Nationals and the 2014 Western Alumni Tournament of
Champions (along with Folk, Todak, King and McCoy Palmer, the latter of
whom was entered at Nationals in alumni over fences).
The final group of riders to show were the four callbacks for the
Alumni Cup. King joined three riders who had just competed in Alumni
Horsemanship (Plavocos, Todak and Cronce) for a work-off involving many
twists and turns on the rail. Everyone seemed to do something very
right and perhaps something forgetable leaving the audience to guess
who might be the first recipient of the Alumni Cup. When everyone had
lined up for the photo the ribbons were announced (which included all
eight riders, as this division is awarded down to eighth place).
England, who had traveled with King by car from Tennessee the day before
was eighth. Del Pizzo was seventh while Budniewski (who had Buffaloes
hunter seat teammate Karly Hobbs along as support) was sixth. Folk did
not go undefeated for the day with a fifth. Cronce, who is also the
Zone 3, Region 2 alumni representative was fourth. Todak did not win a
third red ribbon but rather a yellow with third place. Either Plavocos
or King was destined to win for the second time today. Plavocos heard
her name announced next which meant she was reserve champion. King,
perhaps the most shocked rider at any time all day, could not believe
after her 14 hour journey a day earlier that she would go into the
record books as the first Western Alumni Cup Champion.
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From left to right are Del Pizzo, Folk, Todak, King, Plavocos, Cronce, recent University of
Colorado at Boulder graduate Lauren Budniewski and England following the final class of the day, the Alumni Cup
work-off phase. The trophy itself can be seen on the ground in front of the riders. King won for the second
time on July 19th, becoming the first western rider to win the alumni cup. |
Kings' father Mark had joked during the day that if Kimberly
won the grand prize that the trophy itself (which includes a
Western hat made of crystal) should just stay in Pennsylvania
for the year as it would not be easy to transport. However when
both Kings were told that the Trophy must leave with the winner
both Kimberly King and England decided to take it back with them in the
car (Mr. King had traveled separately by airplane and would travel
in a different direction on business). Immediately there was
some joking that King and England should stop at each state line
on the way home and photograph the Alumni Cup in every state for
use on a Facebook page. With King living not far from where
Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama all meet there was speculation that
she could photograph the Cup in seven states by the time everyone
went back to work on Monday!
Fairfax one of a kind: The judge for the first Western Tournament
was Kennis Fairfax, who is more commonly known by his nickname
"Buttons" (he was listed as "Buttons" Fairfax on the cover of the
show program). When the show was over Fairfax posed for a few photos
with riders who competed in the Alumni Cup class. Unlike some
judges who might have gone home quickly Fairfax stopped to talk with
nearly every rider who took part, explaining what he did and did not
like. Fairfax, who has judged many IHSA shows and non-IHSA shows,
is one of very few people who can explain how someone is riding and
inject so much humor that people wind up laughing themselves into
tears. He compared one rider to the Incredible Hulk, even voicing
sound effects! This still was both humorous and educational at the
same time (with no hurt feelings). When he heard King was from
Tennessee Fairfax mentioned that he has judged some sort of show in
every one of the continental US States save for three - with
Tennessee being one of them.
Never saw this happen: Andrews, who served as the announcer at
today's event, sent out an e-mail the night before with the show
program attached for printing purposes. Andrews let everyone know
that the printer who was supposed to print the actual show program
had mechanical difficulties and that the only way people would have
a program was to print it out themselves (Andrews likened it to
making lemonade out of lemons). Andrews did print out one herself
and posted all the pages on a dry-erase board at the show so
everyone could follow along. Save for two occasions where programs
had to be printed on the spot (just prior to the start of a show
and at the facility of the show itself) this was the first time in
23 years this writer ever attended a show with an IHSA connection at which no
one was given some sort of printed program, not even riders or
coaches. And you know what? The show went on and it was a good
show, completed in just over four hours with no major issues
involving rider or horse. There is discussion of finding a
facility which could handle both English and Western so that both
Alumni Tournament of Champions events could be held on the same day
or same weekend next year. One could only hope for a greater
turnout and for things to run so well as they did at this inaugural
Western event.
What's Next?: With the conclusion of the Western Alumni Tournament of Champions
the 2013-14 season has truly come to an end. The next scheduled
IHSA-related events will be in September, with one of the earliest
being the Pre-Season Tournament of Champions at Goucher College in
Towson, Maryland on Saturday, September 20th. This will truly mark
the begining of the 2014-15 season, which will include a record four
undergraduate Tournament of Champions events. The Holiday Tournament
of Champions will be December 6th at Stonegate Farm in Coolville,
Ohio (where the Ohio University hunter seat team trains). There will
be two Winter Tournament of Champions events a week apart, with
Bridgewater College hosting on January 24th and St. Andrews
University hosting on January 31st (It is not clear at this early
date if schools will be able to compete at both of the Winter
tourneys or if they will have to pick one or the other on a first
come, first serve basis). And of course there will be regular IHSA
events, as the organization grows to a record 39 regions thanks to
half of Zone 7, Region 2 becoming a new region within Zone 5.
Show Incidentals: Partly cloudy skies with temperatures reaching the
mid 80's. Entire show held indoors. Start time: 8:55AM. Finish:
1:03PM. Judge: Kennis "Buttons" Fairfax.
Advanced Horsemanship: 1. Rebecca Folk, Lafayette College.
2. Kimberly King, University of Tennessee at Knoxville. 3. Marianne
England, Middle Tennessee State University. 4. Cassie Clark, Delaware
Valley College. 5. Sara McCoy Palmer, University of Delaware.
Alumni Reining: 1. Rebecca Folk, Lafayette College. 2. Sarah Todak,
Ohio University. 3. Bianca Lupo, Temple University. 4. Alexis
Plavocos, Bucks County Community College. 5. Lauren Budniewski,
University of Colorado at Boulder. 6. Andrea LaManque, Morrisville
State College.
Advanced Reining: 1. Kimberly King, University of Tennessee at
Knoxville. 2. Rebecca Del Pizzo, Arcadia University. 3. Sara McCoy
Palmer, University of Delaware. 4. Cassie Clark, Delaware Valley
College.
Alumni Horsemanship: 1. Alexis Plavocos, Bucks County Community
College. 2. Sarah Todak, Ohio University. 3. Samantha Cronce, Temple
University. 4. Bianca Lupo, Temple University. 5. Andrea LaManque,
Morrisville State College. 6. Laura Kolibabek, Temple University.
Alumni Cup: 1. Kimberly King, University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
2. Alexis Plavocos, Bucks County Community College. 3. Sarah Todak,
Ohio University. 4. Samantha Cronce, Temple University. 5. Rebecca
Folk, Lafayette College. 6. Lauren Budniewski, University of Colorado
at Boulder. 7. Rebecca Del Pizzo, Arcadia University. 8. Marianne
England, Middle Tennessee State University.
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