Ashley Spencer (left) and Cat Finch of the University of Connecticut placed 2-1 in the third of four sections of advanced walk-trot-canter at the November 13th Wesleyan show. University of Connecticut riders won all four sections of the division.

UCONN WINS AT WINDCREST WITH 40

Hebron, CT - They had taken the lead with a win at their own show the previous Saturday. On November 13th the University of Connecticut increased their lead in the Region 1 Team Standings from two to five points, edging Brown by a 40-37 score. Thirteen undergraduate huskies won blue ribbons, including four of a possible four in advanced walk-trot-canter.

The weather was a bit of a factor in today's show, in that several teams were shorthanded due to travel issues while one team did not appear at all. Snow fell overnight throughout Connecticut and Rhode Island. However a wintery mix made highways even more treacherous in the Providence area, with several schools in that area only able to bring riders who could get to team buses at 'take-off time.' Johnson & Wales, with perhaps the longest drive, opted not to risk the icey roads at daybreak and did not take part. In defense of all who did not make the journey, the roads in Rhode Island were not good according to those who made it. At least one car with riders from a Rhode Island school skidded off the road before even reaching the team bus! (No one was hurt). In defense of those who made the journey, the weather improved rapidly after about 10AM, to the point that those who chose to show up late had no trouble getting to Windcrest Farm as far as this writer was able to find.

The show ultimatly began at 9:19AM, slightly later than the 9AM projected start. To start the day, Brown made the most of open fences, with freshman Whitney Keefe and Colgate transfer Alexis Gilbard earning blue ribbons. Nikki Hayes of Connecticut College and Elizabeth Perry of host Wesleyan University also won within the division.

The intermediate fences, marred by scratches and several riders who stopped at various jumps, were in essence the start of UConn's big day. Jaclyn Gallant and Megan Pouliot won two of three sections for the huskies, while Brown sophomore Grace Peloquin won the middle section. Only four riders placed in the sections that Peloquin and Pouliot won.

Five sections of novice fences followed, with UConn riders again able to earn more blue ribbons that anyone else. Sara Goldstein and Corinne Wainer were the victorius huskies, while Nicole Moin of Connecticut College, Margaret Giffin of Post University and Amanda Avella of Rhode Island College also won blue ribbons. Giffin, who pointed out of advanced walk-trot-canter at the October 30th Trinity show, was jumping in IHSA competition for the first time. Avella, who was reserve high point rider at the UConn show a week earlier, would later wind up in another ride-off. "I think I have five blue ribbons," said the freshman from Providence before earning a sixth on the flat later in the day.

Following the weekly 'UConn Reunion Classes' (see next to last paragraph) and a short lunch break, all but one open rider finished off their day on the flat. Keefe, a freshman from Wellesley, Massachusetts won the first flat section while huskies' Regan Duffee and Heather Callahan won sections two and three respectively. Duffee (temporarily-see last paragraph) took the lead in the Region 1 Open Rider Standings with 12 points today. Another Whitney, this time being Trinity's Whitney Smith, won the fourth section of open flat while Roger Williams senior Natalie Williams won the final section, advancing her to Regionals for the third time in the division in as many seasons.

For the first time since open fences, the UConn people watched a division pass without a blue ribbon. Jenna Stevens of Post won the first section of intermediate flat, while Trinity's Kendall Church and Conn College's Allison Kent won moments later. Though Church's first in intermediate flat was only the second of the day for Trinity, the bantams had pointed their riders wisely, and would end up with a season-high 36 points, narrowly missing out on reserve high point team. Stevens' first made her one of four riders for the moment with a first and a second.

While there were only three sections of intermediate flat, six novice flat classes settled the issue of whom would ride-off. Robin Crosby put the huskies back into blue ribbon territory with a win in section A. Maggie Meimaridis became the fourth and final Connecticut College rider with a blue ribbon moments later. Though the camels had four blue ribbons, not to mention a pair of seconds for recent novice class-up Indy Buttenwieser, Conn College would gain 25 points for the day. Brown heated up within the division, as Galyn Burke and Ariana Arcenas won sections C and E. In between Wainer earned a second-place ribbon for the huskies. However Avella won section C outright, knocking everyone with a first and a second out of any possible ride-off. Courtney Fraser of Roger Williams won the sixth and final section of novice flat.

Four sections of advanced walk-trot-canter took place before the ride-off, with UConn riders on top in each. Robyn O'Toole, Amber Garland, Cat Finch and Hillary Anderson won advanced walk-trot-canter sections in this order. Following the Anderson blue ribbon, Keefe won the ride-off over Avella. It was Keefe's first appearance in an IHSA ride-off.

Three sections of beginner walk-trot-canter followed, with Stephanie Joseph and Shannon Donahue of Roger Williams winning the first two. Sarah Chalk won the sixth blue ribbon of the day for Brown in the third section.

The show ended with five sections of walk-trot. Like many of the prior divisions, two sections went to UConn riders. Caroline Gottschalk and Elinor Haplau were the winning huskies this time, while Antoinette DeGruccio of Post, Cherly Tripp of Roger Williams and Erin Close of Trinity also earned blue ribbons. Tripp's blue may have helped Roger Williams, the defending Region 1 Champion Team, earn fourth place on this day with 32 points. The hawks ended the day with 157 points, 37 behind UConn with five shows remaining.

Considering the delay at the beginning, and the large number of classes, the show ended (or closed) with Close's first-place ribbon at only 3:20PM. Praise should be given to host Wesleyan for getting the riders in and out of the ring at a very efficent pace and to judge Elizabeth Vars, who was ready to pin the riders in a timely fashion.

The UConn Reunion Classes: Known more as the alumni divisions, the weekly Region 1 classes often feature six or seven University of Connecticut alumni, and not necessarily the same people each week! The two huskie graduates who have ridden at each show through the first five are Shay Meisinger (class of '04) and Jen Corti (class of '03), the latter of which was the only alumni rider in Region 1 last season to qualify for Regionals. Meisinger made sure that won't happen in 2004-05, winning on the alumni flat today and advancing to Regionals (Corti won today's alumni fences). The UConn turnout was seven strong today (Meisinger, Corti, Lora Abbott, Liz Lopez, Bethany Cardile, Crystal King and Allison Wooten, the last of whom is still going to school at UConn but has run out of undergraduate eligibility) and every ribbon fourth place or higher was awarded to a huskie alumni rider. Shalleen Bowman of Wesleyan (whose younger sister Kelly rides in the novice division) and Dana Stark of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst also took part in alumni classes on this day. Stark reached 20 points in the alumni fences at today's show, so there may be hope for those who never took classes in Storrs, Connecticut.

Almost the Most Recent Show: A week later Region 1 showed at Laurel Ledge Farm in Oakdale, Connecticut, with UConn edging Brown by a 41-40 score. Johnson & Wales had a big day with 37 points and third place. Jamie Peddy of Brown, who had fallen four points behind Duffee in the high point open rider or Cacchione race following the Wesleyan show, moved four ahead of Duffee and Natalie Williams, the latter of whom receives her degree from Roger Williams this December. Through six shows the University of Connecticut leads Brown by a 235-229 margin. As has been the case the past four seasons, the race for both high point team and Cacchione rider will likely go down to the tenth show.

--Steve Maxwell

Show Incidentals: Snow prior to the show, followed by sunny skies and temperatures in the high '40's. Entire show held indoors. Start time: 9:19AM. Finish: 3:20PM - includes 32 minute lunch break/coaches & captains meeting. Point cards posted in this region? Yes, but with no rider names (class names listed only). Alumni Classes held in this region? Yes. Judge: Elizabeth Vars. Stewards: Schwartz/Roger Williams University, Scanlon/Brown University and Callahan/University of Connecticut.

Team Totals: University of Connecticut (High Point Team) 40; Brown University (Reserve) 37; Trinity College 37; Roger Williams University 32; Wesleyan University 26; Connecticut College 25; Rhode Island College 22; University of Rhode Island 21; Post University 16; Salve Regina University 5 and Johnson & Wales 0 due to scratching.

High Point Rider - Whitney Keefe, Brown University
Reserve High Point Rider - Amanda Avella, Rhode Island College