Stonehill College Head Coach Tarah Watson (on right) and Assistant Coach Ashley Dann (left) pose with freshman Callie Ryan, who was second in the first of two sections of walk-trot at the March 29th Region 4 show co-hosted by the Sky Hawks and Wheaton College.

TUFTS WINS REGION 4 FINALE WHILE STONEHILL MAKES IT SIX REGION TITLES IN SEVEN YEARS

Stoughton, MA - Bolstered by five blue ribbons, three red ribbons and the knowledge that the 2008 Region 4 Cacchione Cup qualifier was one of their own, Tufts University prevailed at the final regular show of the season, scoring a 34-29 win over Wellesley College and perhaps Boston University as well.

However for the second season in a row and the sixth time in seven years Stonehill College captured Region 4 High Point Team honors for the full season, scoring 27 today to finish with 307 points and a 22-point advantage over Tufts.

2002 Yale University graduate Margot Sanger-Katz won alumni flat to lead Region 4 in alumni flat points with 40 while Tufts graduate Kate Stewart's third in alumni fences gave her a 35-32 edge over Sanger-Katz for the top spot in alumni jumping.

Three of the top six Region 4 open riders belonged to Tufts in 2007-08. From left to right are Megan Kiely (tied for fourth overall), Rebecca Renier (first), Head Coach Katie Schaaf and Katie Wulster (fifth). Renier is the second Tufts rider in as many seasons to represent her region at Nationals in the Cacchione Cup Competition.

Tufts excelled at the start of the show and at the end, with the placings in the nine o'clock and three o'clock hours making the difference. Kathryn "Katie" Wulster won second B of open fences while the runner-up was junior Rebecca Renier of the Jumbos. Moments later Renier won open flat to clinch high point open rider honors in Region 4 for the season. The Hamel, Minnesota resident finished nine points ahead of the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouths' Meredith Milliner and will compete for the Cacchione Cup at 2008 Nationals in Burbank, California come May 8th. Tufts riders won the final two classes of the day, both of which were walk-trot, with junior Kimberly Kennedy winning the former and freshman Margot Lurie winning the latter. At one point Tufts went 14 undergraduate classes in a row without a blue ribbon, though junior Emily Young was second in both of her novice classes during this stretch. Sophomore Alexandra Uden won the first section of advanced walk-trot-canter to break the draught.

Wellesley College won four classes, including sophomore Julia Rosenblum winning both of her intermediate classes. From New York City Rosenblum was one of only two riders during the day to win twice, thus earning a place in the ride-off. Wellesley won three of four classes at one point, as Kelly Rodigas was a blue ribbon winner for the Blue in the second section of novice fences while freshman Cleo Stoughton ironically won the first section of intermediate fences in Stoughton, Massachusetts before Roseblum prevailed in the second section.

Seen here with Head Coach Kathryn Quinlan, Wellesley sophomore Julia Rosenblum (on left) was the first rider of the day to earn two firsts. Rosenblum won both her intermediate flat and fences.

Campus Equestrian is unsure of the team total for Boston University, though the Terriers certainly had much to be happy about. Freshman Sara Haydu, who was making her IHSA debut, won the first class of the day, tops in the first of two sections of open fences. Senior and novice flat Regional Qualifier Sophie Blease won the first section of intermediate flat while sophomore Taryn Collins placed fourth in the section section to qualify for Regionals. It appeared that Boston University scored 29 points but this writer is not sure if he mis-read the point sheet for a later copy of the year-end points showed the Terriers receiving 19 points at the March 29th Stonehill/Wheaton show.

Stonehill College, whose riders were very busy throughout the day at Dry Water Farm with hosting obligations, could boast of three blue ribbon winners. Devon Poeta, who had already finished second to Haydu in open fences, won her open flat while junior and former University of Rhode Island rider Chantal LeClair was first in the third section of novice fences. And for the first time this season Jenna Boyd was a blue ribbon winner, leading the way in the second section of beginner walk-trot-canter.

Endicott College achieved a rarity in that six or seven schools scored less than their 25 points yet not one member of the Endicott team left Dry Water Farm with a blue ribbon. However Katherine 'Kat' Noyes (intermediate fences), Susan Lunt (novice flat), Liza Browning (advanced walk-trot-canter) and Kim Davis (walk-trot) all placed second in their respective classes for the Gulls. In addition Noyes' red ribbon sent her on to Regionals (which took place the very next day).

Though half their point card was empty, Bridgewater State was red hot during the walk-trot-canter divisions. Sarah Stefaniak (left) and and Katie Tierney (right) won back-to-back sections of advanced walk-trot-canter for Coach Cheryl Christopher's Bears. Shortly after this photo was taken Christopher (center) saw both of her beginner walk-trot-canter riders place second.

Five University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth riders placed second in their respective divisions yet the Corsair's total added to only 24. Milliner (open flat), Jamie Abram (same), Alanna Therrien (novice fences), Kayla Braunston (intermediate flat) and Mallory Lescynski (novice flat) all placed second while junior Shayla Fiedler won her debut in beginner walk-trot-canter. Fiedler had not shown since the fall, when she won her final two walk-trot classes before advancing to Regionals in that division.

The final school into the twenties was Wheaton College, with 21 points. The Crusaders were led by freshman Rachel Rees, who won both of her novice classes to square off against Rosenblum in the ride-off. Senior Briana Jackson won her novice flat while placing third in novice fences. In each case Jackson earned enough to qualify for Regionals in both divisions. Wheaton was hampered slightly by the lack of an intermediate flat rider, making them one of only four schools without a full point card on this day.

Boston College lacked riders in both intermediate divisions but still scored 17 points. The Eagles were led by Bridget Sweeney and Katie White, both of whom won novice flat classes on either side of Ree's blue ribbon, and Eileen Walsh, already long ago qualified for Regionals in both intermediate divisions but a winner in open flat for the first time today.

Brandeis University and Bridgewater State College tied with 12 points each. Like Boston College, Brandeis did not have a rider in either intermediate division, but Maia Belic won the fourth section of novice fences while freshman Elizabeth Wilsker was second to Uden in advanced walk-trot-canter. Bridgewater State did not have riders in either open or intermediate division. However the Bears clearly rode better than everyone else in the walk-trot-canter divisions. Freshman Sarah Stefaniak won the section of advanced walk-trot-canter after Uden, while senior Katie Tierney (who has one more semester) won the third and final section of advanced immediately afterward. Marissa Blaustein was then second to Fiedler in beginner walk-trot-canter while Danielle Nalepa was second to Boyd one section later.

Wheatons' Briana Jackson (left) pointed out of both novice divisions while Rachel Rees (left) won both of her novice classes to qualify for the ride-off. Both riders pose with Crusaders Head Coach Amanda Hare (center) shortly before Rees competed in - and won - the ride-off.

Rounding out the team totals was the University of Massachusetts at Lowell with four points. The River Hawks had three riders entered for the day, all in the walk-trot-canter divisions, with freshman Samantha Ruminski pointed and placing third in advanced walk-trot-canter.

Several alumni were on the bubble to advance to Regionals. Anneke Bartelsman, who rode one single time for Penn State as an undergraduate, needed two points in alumni flat and received three. 2007 Cacchione Cup qualifier and Tufts graduate Tessa LeCuyer needed two points in alumni fences and received only one. LeCuyer however was already qualified in alumni flat entering the day. Endicott graduate Lauren Eldridge needed five over fences and received only three. And University of New Hampshire alum Karen Robertson needed a first in alumni flat and came oh-so-close, finishing second to Sanger-Katz. Five riders qualified for Regionals in alumni flat (Sanger-Katz, Stewart, Bartelsman, LeCuyer and UMass at Dartmouth graduate Kate Goodwin, who sat out today's show as she was at 30 or more points in both alumni divisions after the March 16th Wellesley show) while three (Stewart, Sanger-Katz and Goodwin) got in over fences.

The ride-off: Though Rosenblum rides in both intermediate divisions, Rees won the ride-off. From Bend, Oregon, this appears to be Rees' first time in the winner's circle at an IHSA ride-off.

In spite of the brutal cold (wind chills made the 35 degree temperature feel more like 15) those who qualified for Regionals were at it again the very next day. Among the riders who survived the Regional show on March 30th at Springtide Farm were Boyd and Quinn Traendly of Stonehill (the latter going to Zones in both open divisions); Milliner, Fiedler, Rebecca Viera and Amy Mason of UMass at Dartmouth (the latter in novice flat); Diana Bondy and Jackson of Wheaton (the latter in individual novice fences); Kate Selig and Chelsea Conant of Endicott (the latter in intermediate flat; Renier, Young and Cecilia Pontoriero of Tufts (the latter in novice flat); Margaret Thompson of Wellesley in intermediate fences; Walsh of Boston College in intermediate flat and Goodwin, LeCuyer and Stewart in the alumni divisions (Stewart and Traendly were the only Region 4 riders to secure two rides each at Zones). Six days later the Regionals survivors competed at Zone 1 Zones in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Stonehill just missed taking a full team to Nationals, tied for second with Brown University from Region 1 after eight divisions with 38 points each but on the wrong end of the IHSA tiebreaker system (Brown with more blue ribbons) in the team competition. Traendly was second in individual open over fences to secure a trip to Nationals while Conant was second in individual intermediate flat to also meet the criteria to compete at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, California two days after Traendly. Rebecca Viera will have ultimate bragging writes as the only Region 4 rider this season to win an individual class at Zone 1 Zones, best in a field of eight in individual walk-trot-canter. These three riders and Renier will compete at Nationals in Burbank May 8th through 11th.

--Steve Maxwell

Show Incidentals: Sunny skies but very cold and windy, with temperatures in the mid '30's. Entire show held indoors. Start time: 9:25AM. Finish: 4:05PM - includes 50 minute Lunch Break/Coaches and Captains meeting. Point cards posted in this region?: Yes. Alumni Classes held in this region? Yes. Judge: John Manning. Stewards: Andreottola/Endicott College, Quinlan/Wellesley College and O'Hearn/Boston College.

Team Totals: Tufts University (High Point Team) 34; Wellesley College (Reserve, perhaps in a tie) 29; Stonehill College 27; Endicott College 25; University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth 24; Wheaton College 21; Boston University 19 or 29 (?); Boston College 17; Bridgewater State College 12; Brandeis University 12 and the University of Massachusetts at Lowell 4.

High Point Rider - Rachel Rees, Wheaton College
Reserve High Point Rider - Julia Rosenblum, Wellesley College