The University of Delaware won a third consecutive hunter seat show this past weekend. Part of the Fightin' Hens success can be attributed to their ability to block points in the open division. Seen here with Head Coach Bryan Bradley are from left Sarah Lesser, Nicole Adams, Kristina Christiansen, Tabitha McAnally, Jen Windish, Alex Kirik and Megan Spilatro. Six of the seven open riders in this picture rank in the Zone 3, Region 2 top ten.

MUCH ATTENTION ON ZONE 3 AS IHSA SEASON WINDS DOWN

Last weekend saw several IHSA team races settled while a few others became more one-sided. College of Charleston, already up by 19 points on Savannah College of Art & Design in Zone 5, Region 3 won their home show by eight to make the final margin 226-199. Brown University won early and often at Johnson & Wales, giving the Bears their second consecutive Zone 1, Region 1 Region Championship and fending off a University of Connecticut team that had gained ground at each of their five previous shows.

But perhaps the most exciting ending was found on the campus of the University of New Hampshire. Mount Ida entered the day with a two point lead over Dartmouth and going into the final class of the day on March 15th the two schools were tied! Mount Ida won the class to secure their first-ever trip to Zone 1 Zones where they will face Brown, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and the Zone 1, Region 4 winner, which will likely be Stonehill College for the sixth time in seven seasons.

The Zone 3, Region 2 race widened slightly, with the University of Delaware winning 39-30 over a Delaware Valley College team they were already ahead of by four. This region will stage a Good Friday show to make up a snowed-out contest in February. It was 13 years ago that Del Val lead Delaware by ten going into the final show, coincidentally at Briarwood Farm like the upcoming meet, and lost 47-35 to give the Fightin' Hens their first-ever Region Championship. Could the tables be turned this time around?

While most of the nation is on spring break (or is busy preparing for Semifinals) Zone 3 has activity in three of their four regions. Dickinson College hosts the next-to-last Zone 3, Region 1 show of the regular season while the Zone 3, Region 4 regular season finale will likely make history. Three of the top four teams in this region have never taken a full team to Zones, and unless Kutztown makes up 17 points either Lafayette College, the University of Scranton or current region-leader East Stroudsburg University will go to the post-season for the first time. While Lafayette has more ground than Kutztown to make up, Scranton is only eight behind East Stroudsburg.

Elsewhere there are a few Regional shows, including Zone 3, Region 2 Western Regionals a day after the Good Friday show. This show and the Zone 6, Region 4 Western Regionals going on at roughly the same time are the final western shows of any kind before Semifinals.

What else is there to say except enjoy the shows!

---Steve Maxwell

Friday, March 21st

Zone 3, Region 2 Entire Region (Co-Hosts) at Briarwood Farm, Readington, NJ 8:30AM ENGLISH ONLY

Saturday, March 22nd

Zone 3, Region 1 Dickinson College (Host) at Outlaw Show Stables, New Bloomfield, PA 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 3, Region 2 ZONE 3, REGION 2 WESTERN REGIONALS at Worthmore Equestrian Center, Worton, MD Time TBA WESTERN ONLY

Zone 3, Region 4 Moravian College (Host) at Briarwood Farm, Readington, NJ 8:30AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 5, Region 2 ZONE 5, REGION 2 HUNTER SEAT REGIONALS Hosted by Lander University at Cricket Hollow Stables, Abbeville, SC 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY

Zone 6, Region 4 ZONE 6, REGION 4 WESTERN REGIONALS Hosted by Western Michigan University at the Cheff Center, Augusta, MI Time TBA WESTERN ONLY