Coach Gary Clark (in back on left, with mustache) saw his SUNY-New Paltz Hawks earn high point team honors with 37 points at the October 18th All-Region show.

STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT NEW PALTZ WINS BY EIGHT OVER CENTENARY

Readington, NJ - Only two weeks after scoring 11 points and finishing behind nine out of eleven schools the State University of New York at New Paltz improved mightily to defeat everyone present at Briarwood Farm on October 18th while scoring 37 points in the process. Lauren Ciuzio, a junior from East Quogue, New York won both of her intermediate classes to become one of three riders at today's show to qualify for what is a ride-off in many other IHSA regions. Emilee Raynor, a Hawk sophomore from Remsenburg, New York won her novice fences while placing second in novice flat. Raynor pointed into intermediate on both ocassions. The Hawks received a fourth blue ribbon when Lacey Lohr won the walk-trot class that ended the day's proceedings. In addition red ribbons were awarded to Amanda Bender (in open flat) and Kathryn Colavito (in advanced walk-trot-canter). 37 is the new high score for a Region 1 team this season, three better than what Centenary College scored on opening day two weeks earlier.

Though Centenary finished as reserve high point team today with 29 points the Cyclones easily earned the most blue and red ribbons. 15 times the blue ribbon was awarded to a Centenary rider. Jessica Pabst, a freshman from Jefferson, New Jersey won two of those 15 in novice flat and intermediate fences. Kelly Arvidson (in open fences), Angie Fiori (in open flat), Lindsey Mohr (same), Brittany Cunnane (intermediate fences), Anna Mantell (intermediate flat), Ellen Rauchbach (same), Amber Reiser (novice fences), Sydney Eggleston (novice flat), Krissie Ledyard (same), Debbie Smith (advanced walk-trot-canter), Abby Revoir (same), Cassandra Orr (same) and Mary Metcalf (beginner walk-trot-canter) were the other Centenary blue ribbon winners. The Cyclone red ribbon roll call was made up of Kaitlyn Smith (in advanced walk-trot-canter), Jenni Kuder (novice flat), Jessica Pavia (same), Sam Turner (novice fences), Emily Stangroom (intermediate flat), Katie Dineen (same), Randi Cashman (intermediate fences), Kat McGhee (open flat), Arvidson (same), Mohr (open fences) and Colin Savaria (same). With the Cyclones allotted 75 rides for the day it was another case of 'Centenary beating themselves' as only so many of the pointed riders came up big.

Perhaps the biggest story is that Bard College placed third for the second week in a row and only trails Centenary by seven points. The Raptors, who scored 26 at the all-region show, currently claim the leading hunter seat open rider in the region. Bethany Richards, a senior from Colts Neck, New Jersey won the open fences class which started the day and now has a region-leading 20 open level points. Also into the blue ribbons was Otto Berkes, a freshman from Seattle, Washington who won in open flat. Elizabeth Falcone was second in her novice fences. In total contrast to Centenary the Raptors had only 15 rides (ten flat, five over fences). Bard scored 30 points at the season opener and trail Centenary 63-56.

Centenary College freshmen Jessica Pabst (left) and Colin Savaria drop by the Briarwood office to pick up their ribbons. The former won intermediate fences while the latter was second in open fences and fourth in open flat. Much later in the day Pabst would win her novice flat class to become one of three riders with two firsts. The Cylcones scored 29 to earn reserve high point team honors.

Both Drew University and Pace University tied for fourth with 24 points. The Rangers had better luck earning the high ribbons, as Rachel Denning (open fences), Ellen Joyce (novice fences) and Chirstina Karas (advanced walk-trot-canter) were first in their respective classes. Denning, a junior from Readington, New Jersey (the same town as where today's show took place) finished the day tied for second with Mohr only two points behind Richards in the Region 1 open rider standings. In addition Emma Richard (intermediate fences), Sarah Colmer (intermediate flat) and Jonas Colmer (novice flat and fences) won red ribbons for Drew. Like SUNY-New Paltz, the Rangers made a big improvement over their 14 score two weeks earlier.

Pace was up four points over their 20 point score on October fourth. Despite having most of her wisdom teeth removed three days earlier Victoria Keck won the Setters' lone blue ribbon of the day. A sophomore from Wappingers Falls, New York Keck won her walk-trot while Caroline O'Connell (open fences), Toni-Ann Lena (advanced walk-trot-canter) and Kathleen Marcason (beginner walk-trot-canter) were red ribbons winners for Pace. The Setters have a new coach in Sam Miller, who rode for Goucher College in the middle part of the current decade.

The United States Military Academy scored 23 points and were especially strong during the latter portion of the show. Competing without an open rider, the Black Knights earned their first ribbon above third place during the 19th undergraduate class of the day, as senior Kimberly Cowan was second to Revoir in advanced walk-trot-canter. Kalen Larson then won the novice flat class that followed. Christine Jordan (not to be confused with a rider who competed for Centenary 2004-08 with the same name) won her walk-trot while Christine Thebaud followed with a second in beginner walk-trot-canter and Stephanie Whitaker placed second in her novice flat. Naomi Furhman, a freshman from Aberdeen, South Dakota won the next-to-last class of the day (beginner walk-trot-canter) while Aryn Davis made it at least one top-two placing in each of the final five classes for the USMA. Davis was second to Lohr in walk-trot.

Two weeks earlier William Paterson University scored 33 points, nearly catching Centenary for high point team. At today's show the Pioneers scored 22 points, with Danielle Decker earning two of their blue ribbons. A junior from Middletown, New Jersey, Decker won both of her novice classes to join Ciuzio and Pabst in what would not be a ride-off or a coin toss as it turned out. Annmarie DeAngelo won the second of three walk-trot classes while Dana Carey was second to Reiser in novice fences. William Paterson had 14 total rides and was slightly hindered by not having an entry in the intermediate fences.

She was the first rider into the Briarwood office to pick up her ribbon! Though she is from Colts Neck, New Jersey, Bethany Richards of Bard College (holding a blue ribbon won in open fences) spent much of her youth in the United Kingdom and still has a noticible british accent. Richards emerged from the second Region 1 show of 2009-10 leading the open rider standings while Bard moved up to second place in the team standings, seven points behind Centenary.

Stevens Institute scored 18 points, four more than at their previous visit to Briarwood. The Ducks did not secure a blue ribbon at today's contest but senior Jamie Fishbein finished second to Pabst in intermediate fences while junior Madalyn Kulas finished second to Keck in walk-trot. Stevens was helped by having a full card at today's show.

It was an off-day for Sarah Lawrence College. After having scored 12 points while co-hosting the opener with Drew, Sarah Lawrence scored all of one point today. Though not a point rider, Lara Elder's third in novice flat was the only ribbon above sixth for the Gryphons. Three Sarah Lawrence riders placed sixth, with walk-trot rider Sarah Aoanan likely providing the team point as the lone walk-trot rider on their point card. The Gryphons are a better team than this and double digits the next time around would at least be a 50-50 proposition.

Two of the northernmost schools in the region did not compete at today's show. Marist College had ten points at the opener while Vassar College had nine but neither were on-hand for show number two. Manhattanville alumni rider Cheryl Maloney mentioned that her old team will eventually be back in Region 1, as there are several walk-trot riders on the Manhattanville campus she is coaching.

Speaking of the alumni one standout open rider from another region re-surfaced after six seasons. We looked it up and 2003 Penn State graduate Lindsey Phoebus last competed on May 4th, 2003, placing sixth at IHSA Nationals in individual open on the flat. Now Lindsey Anton (though she has only been married a few weeks) the former Nittany Lion Cacchione rider won both alumni classes at today's show. Anton was persuaded to ride alumni by Centenary Coach Michael Dowling, whom has been her trainer for some time. 2008 Vassar graduate Danielle Sporkin was second in both alumni divisions while 2007 SUNY-Oswego graduate Lyndsey Posner was third in alumni fences and fifth in alumni flat. Showing flat only were former Manhattanville teammates Maloney and Lauren Napoli-Green. The latter was fourth while Maloney earned the yellow ribbon to round out the alumni placings.

The tie-breaker: Since Region 1 rarely has ride-offs the plan was to do a coin toss for the high point and reserve high point rider ribbons. However since there were three riders with two firsts the tie was broken by pulling slips of paper out of a hat. One piece of paper said high point, another reserve and the final one something akin to 'nice job.' Decker received the 'nice job' while Pabst selected reserve and Ciuzio, who had previously been high point rider at a Centenary show, was once again the bearer of a high point rider ribbon.

What's next?: William Paterson will host the next Region 1 hunter seat show, the first of 2009-10 to take place on a Saturday (October 24th). Though Centenary has not set the world on fire as far as their average points per show goes, expect the Cyclones to gradually pull away from the competition. Though Bard is much improved, a lot depends on how far Richards takes them (though Berkes is a tremendous addition) and how class-ups affect their ability to fill the card. The class-up issue could affect just about everyone else in the region as well at some point. Centenary has much of the nucleus that made them the 2009 IHSA National Champions, and though there will be some early season close calls for the Cyclones it would be more than shocking if they are not the Region 1 representatives at Zone 2 Zones later this season.

---Steve Maxwell

Show Incidentals: Cloudy skies, rain most of the day. Temperatures in the upper '40's. Entire show held indoors. Start time: 8:47AM. Finish: 4:45PM - includes 53 minute lunch break/Coaches & Captains meeting. Point cards posted in this region? Yes. Alumni Classes held in this region? Yes. Judge: Barbara Feigus. Stewards: G. Clark/State University of New York at New Paltz; Nussinow/Bard College; S. Cashman/United States Military Academy and Lisa Frey/Friend of Briarwood Farm and 1991 Mount Holyoke College graduate.

Hunter Seat Team Totals: State University of New York at New Paltz (High Point Team) 37; Centenary College (Reserve) 29; Bard College 26; Pace University 24; Drew University 24; United States Military Academy 23; William Paterson University 22; Stevens Institute of Technology 18 and Sarah Lawrence College 1.

High Point Rider - TIE: Lauren Ciuzio, State University of New York at New Paltz; Jessica Pabst, Centenary College and Danielle Decker, William Paterson University.