Through the season opener on October 2nd, Dartmouth College has a narrow lead within Zone 1, Region 2.

DARTMOUTH EDGES VERMONT IN REGION 2 SEASON OPENER

Etna, NH - Though the announcement at the end of the day stated that the University of Vermont had won, it was in fact Dartmouth winning at home by a point. Seven riders won blue ribbons, including freshman Katherine Scovner, who was reserve in the ride-off. Defending Region 2 champs Vermont were second with 33 points, while Mount Ida was not far behind with 30.

The big green were at their best as the day progressed, earning five of the final eight blue ribbons, which were awarded in the novice flat, walk-trot and walk-trot-canter divisions. The majority of the Dartmouth class winners were freshman, as Scovner (in novice flat), Tami Martin (same), Kate Wooler (novice fences) and Daisy Freund (open flat) were all riding within the IHSA for the first time. Also winning divisions for the big green were Janelle Moerlein (novice flat), Celeste Griffin-Churchill (advanced walk-trot-canter) and Mitzi Huang, who won the final class of the day, the lone section of walk-trot, putting Dartmouth into the lead for the first time all afternoon.

The University of Vermont came very close, and can even boast a new open rider with impressive non-IHSA credentials in Abby Carpenter. A freshman from Greenwich, Connecticut, Carpenter won individual bronze in show jumping at the recent North American Young Riders competition in Illinois. Carpenter's IHSA debut was a memorable one. Carpenter was first in open flat and third in open fences. Her eleven points are tops for an open rider through the first Region 2 show, two ahead of teammate and former Cacchione Cup winner John Pigott, who was third in a separate section of open flat and second in the same section of open fences. Another of the Vermont highlights was senior Rachel Bertsch winning intermediate flat (perhaps pointing out of the division) and then besting Scovner in a two-way ride-off for high point. Ashley Miller (intermediate fences), Elisabeth Miller (intermediate flat, no relation) and freshman Max Murray, all the way from Santa Cruz, California, also won blue ribbons for the cattamounts. Murray interupted Dartmouth's dominance of the novice flat division with a blue ribbon in the third of four sections of that particular level.

While novice flat was separated into four sections, the first class of the day was separated into one. Fifteen riders took part in the lone section of open fences, with Colby-Sawyer senior Emily Horvitz eventually earning the region's first blue ribbon of the year. "That was the biggest (IHSA) open class I have ever been in," said Pigott, a senior from Newport, Rhode Island. Two sections of intermediate fences followed, with Ashley Miller winning the first and Mount Ida junior Heather Paulsen winning the second, holding Bertsch to a reserve ribbon in the process. Marian Goddard won the lone blue ribbon of the day for Bates with a first in novice fences. Then Wooler won, giving five different schools blue ribbons through five classes before Mount Ida's Christine Belsky won the final of three novice fences classes, relegating Scovner to reserve in her IHSA debut.

Other riders on this day with blue ribbons were Helen Peparo of Colby-Sawyer (intermediate flat), Kelly Gaumond of Mount Ida (advanced walk-trot-canter) and Gabrielle Schiavone (same), who was the lone University of New Hampshire rider to win a class.

You did better than you think, honest!: Rather than head to the ribbon table after her novice fences, Wooler stayed near the in-gate, where most of her Dartmouth teammates were ensconced (the horses were also in this area, and as the big green were co-hosting they were often called upon to hold the horses). The freshman from Rehobeth, Massachusetts apparently did not hear the placings in the correct order, as when this writer/photographer asked how she felt winning her IHSA debut, Wooler replied "I was third." Several teammates quickly corrected her. "I got a first?" said Wooler. Indeed she had. This writer would be remiss if he did not mention that the mobile public address system in use at today's show was superb. The show was held outdoors, and even with one speaker the results could be heard down the hill where many had parked.

Warum bist du so glucklich?: Following the show today, Pigott had dressage and 4'6" fences on his mind. Along with University of Massachusetts senior Amy Lowrey and Boston University junior Jessica Long, Pigott will travel on Wednesday to Hamburg, Germany for the Student Riding Nations Cup, a prelude to the World University Equestrian Games in Tokyo this December. The competition is divided into Show Jumping (with fences up to 4"6") and Dressage (up to the pre-St. George level). The competition unites student-riders from all over the world, and is organized by individuals with ties to the Olympic Games. Pigott, who most recently finished fifth in Dressage during the last Student Riding competition in the Netherlands, had lots to say about the World Games (See separate article on our home page, on line by 11PM eastern time tonight). The event itself takes place this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, which will keep Pigott out of action at the University of Vermont show. Still, Pigott has missed an entire show in past seasons and still finished as Region 2 High Point Open Rider, though this time the door is open for Carpenter to pad her lead.

First time around: Several of the horses in use at todays show were also making their IHSA debut. In some parts of the country there can be 'unfriendly discussion' between coaches and stewards when strange or unfamiliar horses do not perform up to the standards of some. In contrast, everyone at this show got on quite well. The horses, most of which were good from the get-go, would make some regions drool with envy by comparison. The horses that were not the greatest draws at the start performed better as the day went along, and by the time Dartmouth hosts again at Morton Farm on October 30th the horses should all be pros at this.

It is getting to be an epidemic: Vermont Head Coach Madeleine Austin was raving about her team now has six males on the roster, five of which took part in todays show. Dartmouth had three males on their roster today, and may have others that did not take part. Campus Equestrian may have to do some research to see what the male-to-female ratio is as the decade reaches its' midpoint. Without even being scientific, it seems like the gender gap is shrinking.

---Steve Maxwell

Show Incidentals: Sunny skies early, then overcast. High Temperature in the upper 60's. Start time: 9:14AM. Finish: 2:19PM - includes 67 minute lunch break/coaches & captains meeting. Point Cards posted in this region? Yes. Alumni Classes held in this region? No. Judge: Ms. Shaina Humphrey, Granby, MA. Stewards: Austin/University of Vermont, Burke/University of New Hampshire and Reed/Mount Ida College.

Team Totals: Dartmouth College (High Point Team) 34; University of Vermont (Reserve) 33; Mount Ida College 30; Colby-Sawyer College 26, University of New Hampshire 14; Bates College 8 and University of Maine at Orono 4.

High Point Rider - Rachel Bertsch, University of Vermont
Reserve High Point Rider - Katherine Scovner, Dartmouth College