Alfred University seniors Johanna Moore (on left) and Barb Koziol pose for the camera after the latter won her second open class of the day. Moore would win her intermediate fences a short time later.

ALFRED WINS CORNELL SHOW 33-29 OVER BOTH THE HOSTS AND NAZARETH COLLEGE

Ithaca, NY - Through five fall shows the Cornell Big Red claimed a sizable lead in the Zone 2, Region 1 hunter seat team standings. Helped by a pair of 47 point performances over the first two shows of the season, Cornell, which was a member of Zone 2, Region 3 the past ten seasons, held a 195-159 lead over second place Alfred University. The Saxons were a member of Zone 2, Region 2 last season, as was third place Nazareth College with their total of 151 points. The Big Red entered their home show on February 20th having gone 3-1-1 over the fall, with Nazareth claiming one win and a 34-all tie for high point with Cornell in the most recent show held at the Oxley Center on December 5th. Nazareth's 38-33 win over RIT (with Cornell third at 31) on November 21st marked the first time in program history that the Golden Flyers claimed high point team honors.

For several seasons Alfred had been a consistant third behind St. Lawrence University and Cazenovia College in the highly-regarded Zone 2, Region 2 when the final points were counted up at the end of the school year. Though they came close - and finished as reserve champions several times - it is unclear if Alfred won any shows outright within Zone 2, Region 2 over the past decade.

One thing that became clear on February 20th is that the Saxons were off to a strong start. Barb Koziol, a senior from Syracuse, New York, won both her open flat and fences to clinch a place at 2011 IHSA Nationals in the Cacchione Cup Competition. Between Kozoil's heroics teammate Marie Cosgrove (senior, White Haven, Pennsylvania) won the other section of open flat, qualifying for Regionals in the process. Johanna Moore, a senior from New Milford, Connecticut won the first of two sections of intermediate flat while Natalie Grow, a senior from Hyde Park, New York won the second of two to give the Saxons five wins over the first six classes. Megan Burke, a freshman from Mount Rose, New York won the third of four sections of novice fences to give Alfred wins in each division prior to the lunch break. Tesla Parker, a sophomore from Waitsfield, Vermont was the first Alfred rider to win after the break, earning a blue in the second of four sections of novice flat and also qualifying for Regionals. Erin Toone, a senior from Williamsville, New York raised the Saxon's blue ribbon total to eight with a win in advanced walk-trot-canter. Second place ribbons went to Kalcy O'Keefe (in open fences), Kelly Rinebold (same), Amelia Keyes (in novice fences), Michelle Flannery (same), Katie LeSuer (novice flat) and Erika Raye (same). Flannery qualified for Regionals with her red ribbon.

Lizzie Briggs (on right, with Head Coach Chris Mitchell) delivered Cornell University's first blue ribbon of the day. The senior from Stafford, New York was a winner in novice flat. Though Briggs claimed one of only two Cornell blue ribbons above the walk-trot-canter level, the Big Red still managed 29 points to finish within four of Alfred for the day.

When it was all over Alfred was high point hunter seat team for the first time in 2010-11. The Saxons scored 33 points to edge both Nazareth and the hosts by four points each. Alfred remained mathematically alive going into the final show which Alfred was scheduled to host on February 26th.

The Big Red remained in the driver's seat, up by 32 points with their magic number being 18 points needed at the Alfred show to clinch their first Region Title in program history. Cornell open riders Georgina Melbye and Kelsey Craig finished second over fences to Kozoil and Cosgrove, respectively while junior Melissa Kenney was second in novice fences. Emily Webster started things off nicely after the lunch break, as the sophomore from Scarsdale, New York was second in intermediate flat to qualify for Regionals. Lizzie Briggs, a senior from Stafford, New York won the first section of novice flat to give the Big Red their first blue ribbon of the day. Though she is a senior the official Cornell web site states that this was her first IHSA blue ribbon. Erika Hooker, a sophomore from Brookeville, Maryland won the third section of novice flat a short time later. Sophomore Kelsey Silberman won her advanced walk-trot-canter (believed to be her first IHSA blue ribbon) while both junior Amanda Fan and sophomore Zofia Hilton won sections of walk-trot to provide Cornell with a sweep of the division. Hilton, from Amherstburg, Ontario, qualified for Regionals with the win.

For Nazareth there were fewer top-two ribbons but still a total of 29 points. Junior Cat Miller was second to Moore in intermediate fences while freshman Allie O'Borsky was second to Parker in novice flat (O'Borsky is one of four Nazareth riders from out of state, hailing from Maiden Rock, Wisconsin). Kyli Knickerbocker, the younger sister of Nazareth open rider Kali Knickerbocker, earned the Golden Flyer's first blue ribbon of the day in the final section of novice flat. The freshman from Pittsford, New York started a short Nazareth winning streak, as Caitlin Lefton (freshman Queensbury, New York) won the section of advanced walk-trot-canter that followed. According to the official Nazareth web site the Golden Flyers were technically reserve high point team by way of more over fences points than Cornell.

They dominated the intermediate flat! Ithaca College senior Stephanie Goldenberg (on right) won the first section while Bombers teammates Mallory McCulloch (on left) and Katie Shaw (center) were first and second, respectively in the second section. Ithaca was technically third for the day with 25 points.

After not receiving a ribbon above third in the fences divisions, Ithaca College faired very well in intermediate flat. Stephanie Goldenberg, a senior from Short Hills, New Jersey won section 5A while teammate Mallory McCulloch (junior, Milport, New York) won section 5B. Katie Shaw, a sophomore from Williamsport, Pennsylvania who previously rode for Kutztown University in Zone 3, Region 4, was second in McCulloch's section. The Bombers went on to score 25 points for the day.

Binghamton University also reached the 20's, scoring 20 points. Frank Torres, a junior from New Hyde Park, New York earned Binghamton's only ribbon above third through the novice flat division. Torres won the final section of novice fences prior to the lunch break.

Without a rider in the intermediate divisions, Hamilton College scored 17 points. Through the novice flat classes Hamilton's best ribbon was a third, earned not once but twice by Alice Townsend (in both novice divisions).

Hobart and William Smith College lacked riders in the open divisions and walk-trot but still managed 16 points. Alessandra Mele, a sophomore from Wilbraham, Massachusetts (who was simply 'Lissa' Mele in the February 2010 Cornell show program) won the first section of novice fences for H&WS. By the start of the advanced walk-trot-canter classes Haleigh Marshall (in intermediate fences), Carla Gaynor (in novice fences) and Laura Christie (in novice flat) had each earned red ribbons while Allie Reindel's third in novice flat sent the junior from Webster, New York to Regionals in the division.

When the day began Hobart & William Smith College had two riders qualified for Regionals, Alessandra Mele (on left) in novice flat and Bronwyn Krug (on right) in advanced walk-trot-canter. Krug pouts as she is only a spectator at the Cornell show while Mele is in better spirits prior to winning her novice fences class. Allison Reindel (not pictured) would qualify in novice flat during the afternoon.

Rochester Institute of Technology scored 14 points. Erin Litts, a fifth-year senior from Chardon, Ohio who recently was accepted to Cornell's PH.D. program, accepted a blue ribbon in the second section of open fences. RIT did not have riders in the intermediate divisions or walk-trot for today's event.

Rounding out the scoring on February 20th was the University at Buffalo (or State University of New York at Buffalo if you prefer). With no rider in open flat or intermediate fences, the Bulls finished with 13 points. Cheryl Movsesian, a freshman from Windham, New Hampshire won the second section of novice fences for Buffalo's only top two placing prior to the advanced walk-trot-canter. While former Canisius College coach Libby McNabb replaced Margaret Haveron as coach during the off-season, McNabb does not travel to shows. The Buffalo 'show coach' is Vanessa Schreckengost, who as Vanessa Gautieri coached the Fordham University team in the old Zone 2, Region 1 during the early-to-mid 1990's.

We missed you today!: The College at Brockport, yet another member of the S.U.N.Y. school system made their IHSA debut at the December 5th Cornell show and scored 12 points. However Brockport was one of three Region 1 schools which did not enter today's event. St. John Fisher College, which earned 29 points during the fall and until now had competed in each Region 1 event was also not present. Elmira College, which was a member of Zone 2, Region 3 the past few seasons, has yet to make their Region 1 debut so far in 2010-11 though they are still officially listed on the IHSA's web site. Also not found at the Oxley center were the alumni riders. Former Washington & Jefferson College Cacchione rider Erica Green is now the only alumni who can officially reach 28 points in any division (though one cannot rule out the alumni number being lowered). Green won all three alumni flat classes during the fall and now needs to show at Alfred on the 26th or risk being on the bubble to be allowed to show alumni flat at Zones on April 9th in Canton, New York.

Another case of Double Trouble! Nazareth College now has not one but two of the Knickerbocker sisters on their roster. Kali (on left) is a junior open rider, while Kyli (on right) is the proverbial 'freshman phenom.' Kali has won three out of four novice flat classes (including three straight and one at today's show) while placing as low as third only twice through eight IHSA classes.

The Ride-Off: Kozoil was automatically the high point rider by virtue of no other riders earning two firsts at today's show. Somewhat unusually no rider had a first and a second. There were four riders with a first and a third (Moore, Knickerbocker, Movsesian and McCulloch) and from this field someone won the ride-off. Because this writer had car trouble on the way to the show, and because I had a near-four hour drive home ahead I left the Oxley Center at the start of advanced walk-trot-canter to attempt the drive during daylight hours (this strategy worked for the record). Thanks to what was posted on the official athletics web sites for Cornell, Nazareth and Alfred I was able to determine some of the results from after roughly 2:15PM but I appologize to all who placed inside the top two after that point (as well as the Reserve High Point Rider) as your names belong here too.

Photo troubles: Besides car troubles there were camera troubles on this writer's part. Using a new camera (well, a newer one than my old one!) many of the photos taken at today's show suffer from a 'green tint issue.' The issue is a result of the unusual fluorescent lights inside most of the Oxley Center. Photos taken closer to the main entrance (where natural daylight comes through) or in certain parts of the bleechers (the photo of the Knickerbocker sisters being an example) were not effected as much. For the fall of 2011 I ask each Region 1 school if you take photos of riders who are doing well (winning blue ribbons, going to Regionals, etc.) that you please consider forwarding some to Campus Equestrian so that we may post them in our Region 1 area. And if you are associated with St. John Fisher College we will be most appreciative as this writer seems to always attend shows when the St. John Fisher team is coincidentally not present.

All-Ivy's on a Saturday: While nearly all of Region 1 will be done for the season after the February 26th Alfred show the Big Red will host not one but two more College shows before summertime. In addition to Regionals on Sunday, April 3rd the 15th annual All-Ivy League Invitational show will take place on Saturday, April 16th at the John T. Oxley Center. This will be a rare Saturday show in Ithaca which will involve seven of the eight Ivy League Schools (should Harvard University form a team this spring they too would be invited). As one of three Ivy League Equestrian Teams which falls under the school's department of athletics, the Big Red have historically done well in these Ivy League competitions.

This just in: On February 26th Alfred University won for the second time in six days, defeating Cornell 36-35. Nazareth was a close third with 34 points. Though Cornell did not win this battle they did sew up their first IHSA Region Title in program history. The Big Red will face Skidmore College, the University of Connecticut and Host St. Lawrence University in one of the first-ever five-way IHSA Zones Hunter Seat Team Competitions (though not yet mathematically clinched, New York University will likely represent Zone 2, Region 4). St. Lawrence hosts Zone 2 Zones on April 9th, and along with the top team from each Region in Zone 2 will be the top two riders in each class from five different Regionals shows. Unlike the past few seasons only the top two (and not top three) will advance from each of the hunter seat Regionals classes, though depending on the host's preference each season this number could go back to three at some Zone 2 Zones shows in the future.

--Steve Maxwell

Show Incidentals: Mostly sunny skies, with temperatures in the upper 20's. Entire show held indoors. Start time: 9:24AM. Finish: ????????? - includes 63 minute lunch break/Coaches and Captains meeting. Point cards posted in this region? Yes. Alumni Classes held in this region? Yes but not on this day. Judge: Kerry Kocher. Stewards: Barge/Hobart and William Smith College, Nyhan/Nazareth College and Ravo/Ithaca College.

Team Totals: Alfred University (High Point Team) 33; Nazareth College (TIE-Reserve) 29; Cornell University (TIE-Reserve) 29; Ithaca College 25; Binghamton University 20; Hamilton College 17; Hobart and William Smith College 16; Rochester Institute of Technology 14 and University at Buffalo 13.

High Point Rider - Barb Koziol, Alfred University
Reserve High Point Rider - ??????????????????