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FOR SOME, THE WINTER HIATUS HAS BEGUN Those reading this in most of Upstate New York or the Pacific Northwest may be surprised by the number of regions which have competed their fall schedules. Zone 1, Region 2 and Zone 4, Region 2, each of which is hunter seat only, will not compete in an official IHSA competition again this calendar year. Zone 3, Region 3, Zone 5, Region 1, Zone 5, Region 2 and Zone 6, Region 3 are through with hunter seat shows for 2008 while Zone 4, Region 3, Zone 6, Region 1, Zone 6, Region 2 and (probably) Zone 2, Region 1 will not show western again until after the first of the year. Though we are awaiting the western team points in Regions 1 and 2 of Zone 6, we can tell you that defending region champs St. Andrews Presbyterian College (Zone 4, Region 3) and the United States Military Academy (Zone 2, Region 1) have double-digit leads over the current second place (though USMA leads Centenary College by only ten). For hunter seat we can tell you that defending Zone 1, Region 2 champion Mount Ida College leads with 203 points. However the University of Vermont has 200, the University of New Hampshire 199 and Dartmouth College 197, making for perhaps the most interesting team race in all of New England. Zone 4, Region 2 is almost as good, with Hollins (135), Bridgewater College (134), Sweet Briar College (131), James Madison University (126) and Randolph College (126) separated by all of nine points. Berry College, with a 27 point lead over the University of Georgia in Zone 5, Region 2 hunter seat, has one of the biggest leads nationwide at their break (and this is saying something, as usually two or three english teams are up by over 60 on the second place team by now). Even the University of Findlay is having a tussle, as Miami of Ohio recently defeated the Oilers twice to cut their deficit to only 197-179 with at least two Zone 6, Region 3 shows scheduled for the new year. While some can go to the mall (or their computer) to do early holiday shopping this weekend, plenty of other regions soldier on. Perhaps the most interesting group of shows will be found in Murray, Kentucky, where Zone 5, Region 1 will stage all three of their fall western shows over three days. Yes at 10AM the first of three Zone 5, Region 1 western competitions will take place. And less than 72 hours later they too will be on hiatus until the new year! Zone 5, Region 3 may have had the entire month of October off, but the University of Florida may be hosting western shows this weekend (we are uncomfortable to assure of this, as we are still trying to confirm the location of the Gator's shows). Not one but three Ivy League schools host shows this weekend, with the University of Pennsylvania hosting the fourth Zone 3, Region 2 hunter seat show of 2008-09. Cornell (Zone 2, Region 3) and Yale (Zone 2, Region 4) are at very different junctures of their seasons, with the former competing in a regular season contest for the second time while the latter has five shows under their belt. Both the Big Red and the Bulldogs host on Sunday. Briarwood Farm in Readington, New Jersey will be a busy place, with Rutgers hosting on Saturday and the State University of New York at New Paltz hosting on Sunday. New Paltz has as good a shot at third place overall as at any time in the program's ten-year history, though Centenary College looks like they will make it 20 straight Zone 2, Region 1 hunter seat championships. Centenary and SUNY-New Paltz will have competed in a second show the day before, as Stevens Institute hosts at Centenary on the 8th. Rutgers however is in the best position they have seen this far into a season since perhaps 1999-2000, as the Scarlet Knights are only seven points out of first through four Zone 3, Region 4 shows. And then there is the Amherst College show, the last of 2008 which pits Mount Holyoke versus UMass in what is once again a great Zone 1, Region 3 team race. Nobody knows what will happen at this point. As a spectator you get your money's worth when this region shows. As always, drive safely, carry a spare sharpie to write someone's number down, remember the directions, be prepared to dress in layers, bring hand sanitizer and enjoy the shows! ---Steve Maxwell
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Zone 5,
Region 1 Murray State University (Host) on campus at the William "Bill" Cherry Agricultural
Exposition Center, Murray, KY 10:00AM WESTERN ONLY
Zone 1,
Region 1 University of Connecticut (Host) on campus at Horsebarn
Hill Arena, Storrs, CT 9:00AM ENGLISH ONLY