The 2004 Zone 1 Zones Show Program, compiled & edited by Mount Holyoke Alumni Andrea Bill with a cover created by Open Flat/Intermediate Fences rider Karin Corbett, not only featured the usual school rosters and classes, it included a complete list of classes for the upcoming IHSA National Show in Murfreesboro, Tennessee as well as information about Hotels near the National Show!

ZONE 1 ZONES BECOMES USUAL THRILLER

Greenfield, MA - Judged by Mr. Michael Page of North Salem, NY, the Zone 1 Intercollegiate Championship Horse Show began promptly at 9:30am Saturday, April 10 at Stoneleigh Burnham School in Greenfield, MA. The show stewards were Janice Callahan, Sarah Fostello, Sue Payne, and Beth Horvath-Palmer. Dolores Vausch served as horse draw steward.

The day began with the jumping phase of the Zone 1 High Point class. John Pigott of the University of Vermont led the order of go, followed by Vanessa Stevenson of Connecticut College, Kelsey Amadeo of Stonehill College and Amy Lowrey of the University of Massachusetts. The High Point jumping phase (which would not be pinned until the flat phase was also complete) was followed by the Team or "Collegiate" Open Fences and Individual Open Fences classes. While Lauren Morlock of Mount Holyoke College took the blue for Individual Open Fences, she was second to Pigott in the Collegiate Open Fence class. Dyannna Rucco of Stonehill placed third and Natalie Williams of Roger Williams finished fourth in that class. Pigott advanced to Nationals in open flat and fences after a second in each of the individual classes. Similarly, Pigott was second to Mount Holyoke’s Kyla Makhloghi in the Individual Open Flat class, but went on to take first place over her in Collegiate Open Flat. As the final Team class of the day, the Collegiate Open Flat ultimately decided which teams would advance to Tennessee.

Tom Brennan of Stonehill College and Maura Kenny from the University of Connecticut advanced to Nationals with a first and second respectively in Individual Intermediate Fences. Rachel Bertsch from the University of Vermont won the Collegiate Intermediate Fences class. Mount Holyoke’s Megan Connolly was second, Shannon Tibbits of Stonehill placed third, and Roger Williams’ Eliza Davis was fourth.

In the Alumni Divisions, Jen Corti from the University of Connecticut placed first over fences after a great season in Region 1. Tufts University graduate Katie Schaaf will join Corti at Nationals after placing second over fences. Ohio University alum Holly Helbig took the first for the Individual Alumni Flat, followed by Schaaf, who will get to face her one-time trainer Ashton Phillips in both alumni classes at Nationals. Phillips won both Alumni classes at Zone 3 Zones, which took place in Western Pennsylvania at almost the exact same time as Zone 1 Zones at Stoneleigh-Burnham.

Samantha Talbot of the University of Vermont and Elizabeth Perry from Wesleyan University will head to Tennessee after holding down the top two spots in Individual Novice Fences. Team novice fences broke the pattern of the first two Collegiate sections, as defending National Champion Stonehill earned a first through some excellent riding from Sarah Fillebrown. Christine Gunn of Mount Holyoke was second, followed by Vermont's Amber Bennett and Roger Williams' Lindsay Robert. Robert & Bennett would go head-to-head one more time before the day was over.

Stephanie Gollobin of Connecticut College won the Individual Intermediate Flat class and Leigh Quarles from Mount Holyoke placed second. In the Collegiate Intermediate Flat, the University of Vermont won yet another class with Sam Talbot in the saddle. Nicole Mazzeo from Mount Holyoke was second. Ashley Smith of Roger Williams received a third and Sarah Fillebrown was fourth following her earlier blue in the Collegiate Novice Fence class. With the team competition half-over, Vermont led with 25, Mount Holyoke was second (four second place ribbons!) with 20, Stonehill third with 18 and Roger Williams, competing at IHSA Zones as a team for the first time, fourth with 13. While it would be unreasonable to expect Roger Williams to catch the University of Vermont for first, the disparity between second and third was minor, and with Zone 1 Zones known for incredible comebacks (and colapses), it would take another few classes to make things 'safe' for any of the four Collegiate Teams.

In the Individual Novice Flat class, Jennifer Palmadessa of the University of Connecticut placed first. She will head to Nationals for the second year in a row after placing first at Regionals and Zones in Individual Walk-Trot-Canter last season. Martha Rendeiro of Wellesley College will also head to Tennessee after placing second in the class. Mount Holyoke broke their streak of second places when Vanessa Castle won the Collegiate Novice Flat class. Bennett of Vermont was second, Jen Desmond of Roger Williams was third, and Stonehill’s Sara Payton took fourth. The University of Vermont now had 30, while Mount Holyoke closed to within three of the top spot with 27, Stonehill had 21, and Roger Williams 17. The two teams that were eliminated at both the 2002 and 2003 Zone 1 Zones shows were looking good.

However this is Zone 1 Zones, where leads go back and fourth in a hurry. The Individual Walk-Trot-Canter was next, and even though Roger Williams was ten points out of second place in the team competition, Lindsay Robert assurred the Region 1 high point team of at least one individual rider at Nationals with a first. Mount Holyoke’s Melissa Rabbitt also advanced to Nationals in Individual Walk-Trot-Canter, while the busy Amber Bennett was third.

Stonehill College’s Sarah Muller won the Collegiate Walk-Trot-Canter class while Marie Hilliard of Mount Holyoke College placed second. Carolyn Pickett of Roger Williams was third and the University of Vermont’s Meredith Baker was fourth. Muller had won the exact same class last May 3rd, helping Stonehill take the lead on the second day of IHSA Nationals. Through six team classes: Vermont = 33, Mount Holyoke = 32, Stonehill = 28 and Roger Williams 21.

Sara Royston from Mount Holyoke College took home the blue in Individual Walk-Trot. Anni Bickford of the University of Massachusetts (listed as "University of Massachusetts, Amherst" in the program to avoid confusion with Region 4 school "University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth") made walk-trot a Region 3 sweep after earning second place. By the end of the day, five Mount Holyoke riders would qualify individually, tops in the Zone.

In the Collegiate Walk-Trot class, Kim Foley of Stonehill won, followed by Whitney Rockwell of Mount Holyoke College. Kim Monahan of Roger Williams was third and Jackie Parsons of the University of Vermont fourth. Foley won the exact same class at Zone 1 Zones last April, putting her team in front at the time. (Brown University from Region 1 tied Stonehill for first at 2003 Zone 1 Zones). Suddenly 2004 Zone 1 Zones had become a thriller like all the rest, as Stonehill, with the help of their walk-trot-canter and walk-trot riders had gone from the edge of elimination to a chance to win outright! Mount Holyoke, hoarding up all but one of the red ribbons, had moved into first place for the first time all day. However their lead was only one point over Vermont and two points over defending National Champ Stonehill. Though the University of Vermont was slumping, a problem that plagued them at Zone 1 Zones last season, they still had Pigott to turn to in the final Collegiate Class of the day.

And Pigott came through. Though Makhloghi would edge him for first in Individual Open Flat, Pigott won outright in Collegiate Open Flat shortly thereafter. Region 4 Cacchione Competitor Amadeo, who won out over defending Region 4 High Point Open Rider Jessica Long of Boston University during the regular season, was fourth. Roger Williams sophomore Megan Wilkinson was third, which save for Roberts upcoming ride at Nationals was the last team ride for RWU in what was their finest season ever. In fourth today with only 29 points, Roger Williams will return most of their riders next season. RWU should be reminded that Brown University's streak of four straight Region 1 Championships started with fourth place at 2000 Zone 1 Zones.

The University of Vermont won the 2004 Zone 1 Championship with 43 points, while Mount Holyoke College was Reserve Champion with 42. Stonehill College may have been third with 38, but Amadeo and Brennan will compete at Nationals, and all but four riders could return next season (though Brennan and Filebrown will graduate).

Though it was a bit anticlimactic, the last class of the day was the flat phase of the Zone 1 High Point Rider Championship. Amy Lowrey of the University of Massachusetts received a score of 83 in the jumping phase earlier and an 80 in the flat portion. John Pigott held reverse scores of 80 over fences and 83 on the flat. After testing during the flat phase, Pigott won the class and Lowrey was Reserve Champion. Vanessa Stevenson of Connecticut College (third) and Kelsey Amadeo of Stonehill College will also be advancing to Nationals as the High Point open riders in their respective regions, as today's Zone 1 High Point Rider Division was only an exhibition, with all four riders garaunteed a trip to IHSA Nationals in the Cacchione Cup Competition.

The show was concluded at 3:45 in the afternoon with the presentation of awards to the four competing teams of the day. Mount Holyoke College and the University of Vermont will advance to national competition, with best wishes from all Zone 1 teams.

--Stefanie Kealey

Class results, in the order in which they were held, with the top two in each individual class advancing to IHSA Nationals in Murfreesboro, Tennessee May 6th through 8th:

Team open equitation over fences: 1. John Pigott, University of Vermont. 2. Lauren Morlock, Mount Holyoke College. 3. Dyanna Rucco, Stonehill College. 4. Natalie Williams, Roger Williams University.

Individual open equitation over fences: 1. Lauren Morlock, Mount Holyoke College. 2. John Pigott, University of Vermont. 3. Amy Lowrey, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. 4. Kelsey Amadeo, Stonehill College. 5. Regan Duffee, University of Connecticut. 6. Heather Johnson, Teikyo Post University. 7. Dyanna Rucco, Stonehill College. 8. Tim Malone, Dartmouth College.

Individual intermediate equitation over fences: 1. Tom Brennan, Stonehill College. 2. Maura Kenny, University of Connecticut. 3. Stuart Mueller, Tufts University. 4. Sam Foster, University of Maine. 5. Heather Jordan, Mount Holyoke College. 6. Mary Omelenchuck, Becker College. 7. Michelle Riggs, Johnson & Wales University. 8. Kate Provencher, Colby-Sawyer College.

Team intermediate equitation over fences: 1. Rachel Bertsch, University of Vermont. 2. Megan Connolly, Mount Holyoke College. 3. Shannon Tibbits, Stonehill College. 4. Eliza Davis, Roger Williams University.

Alumni equitation over fences: 1. Jen Corti, University of Connecticut. 2. Katie Schaaf, Tufts University. 3. Sue Simon, University of Connecticut.

Individual novice equitation over fences: 1. Samantha Talbot, University of Vermont. 2. Elizabeth Perry, Wesleyan University. 3. Crissey Hewitt, Mount Holyoke College. 4. Shannon Tibbits, Stonehill College. 5. Jacqueline Broder, Smith College. 6. Ashley Smith, Roger Williams University. 7. Erica Hoff, Boston University. 8. Helen Peparo, Colby-Sawyer College.

Team novice equitation over fences: 1. Sarah Fillebrown, Stonehill College. 2. Christine Gunn, Mount Holyoke College. 3. Amber Bennett, University of Vermont. 4. Lindsay Robert, Roger Williams University.

Individual intermediate equitation on the flat: 1. Stephanie Gollobin, Connecticut College. 2. Leigh Quarles, Mount Holyoke College. 3. Leila Ledsinger, Brown University. 4. Amanda Carey, Mount Ida College. 5. Jessie Partridge, Tufts University. 6. Tom Brennan, Stonehill College. 7. Karin Corbett, Mount Holyoke College. 8. Ashley McCaughan, Dartmouth College.

Team intermediate equitation on the flat: 1. Samantha Talbot, University of Vermont. 2. Nicole Mazzeo, Mount Holyoke College. 3. Ashley Smith, Roger Williams University. 4. Sarah Fillebrown, Stonehill College.

Alumni equitation on the flat: 1. Holly Helbig, Ohio University. 2. Katie Schaaf, Tufts University. 3. Jen Corti, University of Connecticut.

Individual novice equitation on the flat: 1. Jenn Palmadessa, University of Connecticut. 2. Martha Rendeiro, Wellesley College. 3. Anne Meade, Mount Holyoke College. 4. Ashley Smith, Roger Williams University. 5. Crissey Hewitt, Mount Holyoke College. 6. Elyssa Gelmann, Dartmouth College. 7. Valerie Wood, Tufts University. 8. Samantha Talbot, University of Vermont.

Team novice equitation on the flat: 1. Vanessa Castle, Mount Holyoke College. 2. Amber Bennett, University of Vermont. 3. Jen Desmond, Roger Williams University. 4. Sara Payton, Stonehill College.

Individual walk-trot-canter equitation: 1. Lindsay Robert, Roger Williams University. 2. Melissa Rabbitt, Mount Holyoke College. 3. Amber Bennett, University of Vermont. 4. Erica Webb, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. 5. Karen Cooper, University of Connecticut. 6. Kathryn Renton, Harvard University. 7. Janelle Moerlein, Dartmouth College. 8. Amanda Welker, Stonehill College.

Team walk-trot-canter equitation: 1. Sarah Muller, Stonehill College. 2. Marie Hilliard, Mount Holyoke College. 3. Carolyn Pickett, Roger Williams University. 4. Meredith Baker, University of Vermont.

Individual walk-trot equitation: 1. Sara Royston, Mount Holyoke College. 2. Annie Bickford, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. 3. Jordan Inglis, Stonehill College. 4. Sarah James, University of Vermont. 5. Suah Kim, Wellesley College. 6. Ashley Spencer, University of Connecticut. 7. Heather Toland, University of New Hampshire.

Team walk-trot equitation: 1. Kim Foley, Stonehill College. 2. Whitney Rockwell, Mount Holyoke College. 3. Kim Monahan, Roger Williams University. 4. Jackie Parsons, University of Vermont.

Individual open equitation on the flat: 1. Kyla Makhloghi, Mount Holyoke College. 2. John Pigott, University of Vermont. 3. Vanessa Stevenson, Connecticut College. 4. Heather Johnson, Teikyo Post University. 5. Tim Malone, Dartmouth College. 6. Kelsey Amadeo, Stonehill College. 7. Lauren Morlock, Mount Holyoke College. 8. Marie Stewart, Wheaton College.

Team open equitation on the flat: 1. John Pigott, University of Vermont. 2. Kyla Makhloghi, Mount Holyoke College. 3. Megan Wilkinson, Roger Williams University. 4. Kelsey Amadeo, Stonehill College.

Zone 1 Cacchione Cup/high point open rider championship: 1. John Pigott, University of Vermont. 2. Amy Lowrey, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. 3. Vanessa Stevenson, Connecticut College. 4. Kelsey Amadeo, Stonehill College.

Team Totals: 1. University of Vermont 43. 2. Mount Holyoke College 42. 3. Stonehill College 38. 4. Roger Williams University 29.