They are the Dartmouth Captains! Dartmouth senior Tim Malone (left) and junior Daisy Freund have duked it out for the right to represent Region 2 at IHSA Nationals in the Cacchione Cup Competition each of the past two seasons. Though Malone competed for the Cacchione last season, Freund took the early lead this time, winning twice as well as the ride-off versus Dana Bingham of Vermont. The Big Green scored 29 points in the opener, though Bingham's first's helped Vermont take the early lead in the team standings.

BINGHAM LEADS WAY AS VERMONT WINS REGION 2 SEASON OPENER

NEW HAVEN, VT - Though six of the ten riders they brought to the Equestry were freshmen making their IHSA debuts, the University of Vermont showed why they have won Region 2 six of the past seven seasons as the Catamounts scored 41 points to win by seven over Mount Ida. Dana Bingham, a sophomore from St. George, Vermont was a winner in both of her intermediate classes while Liz White (novice fences), Jordan Werner (novice flat), Amanda Schauwecker (advanced walk-trot-canter), Alyssa Findlay (same) and Melissa Rokosa (walk-trot) each headed north with a blue ribbon. Schauwecker's blue ribbon brought the senior reasonably close to pointing out while Findlay was a winner in her first competition - IHSA or otherwise - ever.

Unlike at some shows, where a large team can block many of the points, today's gathering was a limited affair, with Colby-Sawyer, Dartmouth, Mount Ida and Vermont bringing ten riders each. The University of New Hampshire brought only seven riders but like the other four were able to fill their point card. The University of New England was listed in the program as bringing a team of seven, but for whatever reason New England did not participate in what would have been their first IHSA horse show since the mid 1990's.

Though there were only ten riders entered in the open divisions, the open flat and fences were split into groups of five. Dartmouth junior Daisy Freund won the first section of open flat to start the day while Colby-Sawyer senior Jody Moore took the blue ribbon in the second section.

During one stretch Mount Ida riders finished second in three consecutive classes. Rebecca Gamsby (left) was second in intermediate fences while Jade Stanbrook (center) and Lila Pemberton (right) earned red ribbons in subsequent sections of novice fences. Ironically, Mount Ida would finish second overall.

The first section of intermediate fences proved that the stars were at least temporarily aligned for University of New Hampshire junior Kim Simon. Her horse seemed to be taking the course at 1,000 miles an hour, though Simon was keeping him on course. One of the stewards opted to stop the ride halfway through in order to pull the horse, though it seemed as though Simon was set to ride the course to the end. Riding a new horse shortly thereafter, Simon was smooth, earning the first of three blue ribbons for the Wildcats. The second intermediate fences class was less eventful, with Bingham providing the Catamounts with their first blue ribbon of 2006-07.

Three sections of novice fences were next, with yet two more schools joining the blue ribbon parade. Castleton State College junior Emma Phillips won the first section, while Vermont's White came out on top in her IHSA debut less than 20 minutes later. Mount Ida College riders had a streak of three consecutive red ribbons snapped when Co-Captain Sara Smith won the final section, giving the Mustangs their first blue ribbon of the season. Through seven classes six different teams had a blue ribbon, with the University of Vermont possesing two of them.

Three of five Castleton State College riders rode against each other in the first section of novice flat. Emma Phillips (left) was fourth, Allison Salter (right) was third while Charles Ward (center) was second in section 3A. Phillips had won a blue ribbon for Castleton earlier in the day over novice fences.

By the time the lunch break was over temperatures had reached the low '70's, causing some in Region 2 to try and remember the last time they took part in an IHSA show in such warm conditions. The sunny skies suited Freund just fine, as she claimed first in the open flat and secured no worse than a place in a potential ride-off. Dartmouth teammate Tim Malone was third in this section, though the two had been in separate sections of the over fences. Freund, who took part in the 2005 Cacchione competition but saw Malone win the honor last season (he placed third in the Nation at IHSA Nationals in Harrisburg this past May) finished opening day leading the region while Malone was still in good shape with nine points. The second section of open flat when to Sam Parsons, yet another Dartmouth rider, who also could claim nine open-level points after one show.

Bingham assured that there would be a ride-off by winning the first section of intermediate flat while Colby-Sawyers' Kaitlyn Lemaire gave the chargers their second blue ribbon with a win in the second section.

The first section of novice flat contained seven riders, three of which rode for Castleton State. While Werner won the section for Vermont, Castleton riders took the red, yellow and white ribbons, with Charles Ward, Allison Salter and Phillips placing second through fourth, respectively. Mount Ida freshman Lila Pemberton, who had placed second in her IHSA debut over the novice jumps earlier in the day was one placing better in the second section of novice flat while UNH sophomore Makenzi Wendel (who is Co-Captain with Simon) won the third and final novice flat class. Teammate Lindsey MacKay was second, having originally been part of the first novice flat section but then was granted a re-ride in class 3C.

Though she is only a sophomore, Makenzi Wendel is a University of New Hampshire Co-Captain. Seen here with her parents, Wendel was one of three Wildcat riders to win a blue ribbon on opening day.

Due to scratches, four of the remaining five official classes were made up of only four riders. Mount Ida added Autumn Iverson to replace one of their scratches just before the start of the show, and the move paid off when Iverson won the first section of advanced walk-trot-canter. The second section went to Schauwecker, one of the few seniors to win a class on this day. Runner-up to Schauwecker was Jennifer Johnson of the University of Maine, who provided the Black Bears with their best ribbon in what was the IHSA Coaching debut of Melissa Spencer. The final section of advanced walk-trot-canter went to Findlay, the freshman from Hyde Park, New York with no prior show experience of any kind. The third place ribbon went to Catherine Coffman of Colby College (not to be confused with Colby-Sawyer, whose Wren Winnicki placed second between Findlay and Coffman). Colby College had four riders entered in today's show, three of which were new. All four riders had something in common besides being from the same team: Each tied for the best Colby ribbon of the day with a third. Coffman was third here while Kirby Walker had placed third one Advanced WTC section earlier. Cat Ruksznis was third in intermediate fences while Susanne Moesta, the lone returning member from a Colby team that showed just once in 2005-06 was third in novice fences.

Two sections of walk-trot followed, with Rokosa a winner in the first section. Eric Isabelle of the Wildcats was second, finishing the day for UNH and raising their point total to 28. Yet another rider participating in a horse show for the first time in her life was Mount Ida sophomore Nancy Bowes who, like Findlay, won a blue ribbon. The red ribbon in the final walk-trot section went to Erin Ibler of host Middlebury College. With no novice flat or advanced walk-trot-canter rider on their point sheet it had been eight classes since a Middlebury rider had entered the ring. Ibler tied teammate Kim Ward for the best Panther ribbon of the day, as Ward had also placed second way back in the first section of intermediate fences.

Dana Bingham (left) poses with University of Vermont Head Coach Madeleine Austin after winning intermediate fences. Bingham won her intermediate flat class as well but could not out-gallup Freund in the ride-off.

The ride-off followed, with judge Lilli Biederman requesting the hand gallup at one point. From Southampton, New York, Freund won the two-way battle versus Bingham, but the war was won by Vermont. The Cattamounts ultimatly won seven of the 19 classes and scored 41. Mount Ida earned a large number of red ribbons in addition to four blues to claim reserve with 34 while Dartmouth edged New Hampshire by 29-28 score for third.

What's Next?: Region 2 will be in action every weekend through November 4th/5th, including two shows in separate locations October 21st/22nd. Besides the University of New England, Region 2 could contain as many as five other teams not present today, as Bates, Bowdoin and Franklin Pierce from the USA and Acadia and Nova Scotia Agricultural College from Canada have all taken part in Region 2 shows at some point over the past two seasons. A few of the fall shows will be somewhat limited (potentially only ten rides per team in one case), which could mean that several quality riders are entered in only a few shows each. Supposedly several of the teams who led the way at the Middlebury show are deep at most levels, and it will be interesting to see how schools work all this talent in under the circumstances.

---Steve Maxwell

Show Incidentals: Sunny skies, with temperatures rising to the low '70's. Start time: 9:28AM. Finish: 2:38PM - includes 78 minute lunch break/Coaches & Captains meeting. Point Cards posted in this region? Yes. Alumni Classes held in this region? No. Judge: Ms. Lilli Biederman. Stewards: Payson/Colby-Sawyer College, Keim/University of New Hampshire and Austin/University of Vermont.

Team Totals: University of Vermont (High Point Team) 41; Mount Ida College (Reserve) 34; Dartmouth College 29; University of New Hampshire 28; Colby-Sawyer College 22; Colby College 14; Middlebury College 14; Castleton State College 13 and University of Maine 11.

High Point Rider - Daisy Freund, Dartmouth College
Reserve High Point Rider - Dana Bingham, University of Vermont