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CAN VIRGINIA TECH STAY HOT? It has been a season full of accolades for the Virginia Tech hunter seat team. First they finished ahead of Virginia Intermont College at the September 26th St. Andrews show, then a day later they won the first leg of the Tournament of Champions series (or at least one of their two teams, the Metallica-inspired 'Team Enter Sandman' did). Just over four months later the Enter Sandman team came up only one point shy of another high point ribbon at a Tournament event. At the January 30th Winter Tournament of Champions Virginia Tech produced the top two riders in the Medal Division as a bonus, with senior Brett Flower earning the Champion ribbon while freshman Jennifer Osterman - who has yet to compete in a regular-season IHSA show - was the Reserve Champion. Though the 2009-10 Tournament Series Trophy is headed to Blacksburg, the real question is can the Zone 4, Region 3 trophy be pried free of Bristol? Virginia Intermont has captured this honor every year since the region was created in mid-1999. Going into the St. Andrews show this Saturday VI has a 10 point lead on the hosts while Virginia Tech is 13 out. However one should note that VI was helped by a perfect 49 score at their home show on November 17th. If you back out the points from that meet then St. Andrews would be tied for first while the Hokies would be only a point behind. St. Andrews and Virginia Tech would help themselves big time if they make up ground on the ten-time region champs, for the final Region 3 regular season show will be at Virginia Intermont later this month. One factor that all Region 3 teams have to worry about is the weather. Two Zone 4, Region 2 shows to their north were postponed or cancelled for the weekend based on a predicted snowstorm. A rainey, windy day is predicted for Laurinburg this Saturday, so it appears the show will go on. If you are going to the St. Andrews Presbyterian College equestrian center please remember they have a covered ring so the elements will come at you from the sides. Riders, Coaches and Spectators headed to 3Y Ranch in Crawfordville, Florida will have sunshine but a high temperature only in the low '50's. The hunter seat team race in Zone 5, Region 3 is one of the best nationwide, with the College of Charleston leading Savannah College of Art & Design by only two points, 82-80. Only one more Region 3 regular season hunter seat show is currently scheduled after this weekend, and that one will be hosted by Charleston on March 6th. In between Laurinburg and Crawfordsville lies Linda's Riding School in Conyers, Georgia. The Berry College western team has taken the rest of Zone 5, Region 2 to school much of the season, building up a 61 point lead headed into Saturday's double western show at Linda's place. Though Berry themselves will host one more western show before Regionals expect the Vikings to mathematically clinch a trip to Laurinburg for Western Semifinals before the sun sets on Saturday. Lake Erie College hosts a pair of hunter seat shows over the first weekend in February. The aptly-named 'Storm' (snow is expected in the Cleveland area on Saturday) find themselves in unfamiliar territory, leading the Zone 6, Region 1 hunter seat team standings after the first of the year. Not since 1996 has Lake Erie College sent a full hunter seat team to the post-season. Though they will host a pair of shows the following weekend, Ohio University must rally or their streak of three consecutive region titles will go by the boards. While 'Linda's Riding School' and '3Y Ranch' are not bad names, we really like the name of Taylor University's host facility. Taylor will welcome the rest of Zone 9, Region 1 to 'Black Dog Enterprises' in Marion, Indiana for hunter seat shows both days. The race here is better than in the Southeast, as St. Mary of the Woods College holds a 173-172 lead over Indiana University (and with two more shows after this weekend don't count out defending region 1 champion Purdue, currently with 154 points). Though they will be indoors there will be snow showers in Marion on Saturday while temperatures won't reach the 30's either day. North Dakota State hosts the final Zone 9, Region 3 regular season western shows of 2009-10. Snow showers are predicted each day, with a high of 11 degrees on Sunday (yes, they will be showing indoors in Fargo). The hosts are still mathematically alive, but because they trail defending region champion Minnesota - Crookston by 33 points the odds of a comeback are slim. If the Golden Eagles clinch a trip to Semifinals they will be bound for Pomona, California, where Cal Poly - Pomona was scheduled to host a double western show this Saturday. However heavy rains forced the postponemnt of this show and a hunter seat show to be hosted by the University of California at Irvine the next day. Both of these Zone 8, Region 2 shows will be made up exactly one week later. Further up the West Coast Oregon State could do what Berry will try to do. The Beavers' western team holds a 113-50 over second place Central Washington University in Zone 8, Region 4 and though there is one more western show (hosted by Oregon State) they could clinch a trip east to Cazenovia, New York should their overall lead not shrink below 42 points on Saturday. The forcast for Junction City, Oregon calls for rain and a high temperature of 52 degrees (the University of Oregon is hosting this double western show at the traditionally-named 'Whispering Meadows Farm'). And if long horse shows are not your thing then a trip to River's Edge Farm in Bethany, Connecticut may be an easy pill to swallow. Zone 2, Region 1 will hold their Western Regionals there starting sometime after 9:00AM on Saturday, and following one intermediate western class and one novice western class (each with four riders entered) the show will be over and four riders will have advanced to Pomona! It should be noted that heavy snow is predicted overnight Friday into Saturday morning in Bethany, and a snow date of Sunday, February 7th is already in place (sunny but only in the high '20's on Sunday; River's Edge has an indoor). And we would be remiss if we did not congratulate Grand Valley State University for coming from behind to win their first-ever Region Title of any kind. While hosting at the Cheff Center on January 30th, the Grand Valley State western team erased a six point deficit to take a three point lead over Michigan State through the first show. Then in the second show GVSU won 37-26 to win Zone 6, Region 4 by 14 points for the season. The Lakers are headed to Laurinburg, having unseated a Michigan State team which had advanced a full western team to both '08 and '09 IHSA Nationals. Bring a heavy jacket, bring a snow scraper, bring blankets, bring water, bring an unbrella, be careful when zipping up zipperbacks and enjoy the shows! ---Steve Maxwell
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Saturday,
February 6th:
Zone 2,
Region 1 ZONE 2, REGION 1 WESTERN REGIONALS Hosted by Sacred Heart Universtiy at River's Edge
Farm, Bethany, CT 9:00AM WESTERN ONLY
Zone 4,
Region 3 St. Andrews Presbyterian College (Host) at the St. Andrews Equestrian
Center, Laurinburg, NC 10:00AM ENGLISH ONLY