Cornell sophomore Lauren Wu (right, with Big Red Coach Chris Mitchell) was one of four Cornell riders to win classes on February 26th. Wu won her section of advanced walk-trot-canter, while Cornell won overall with 41 points.

CORNELL SCORES 41, SKIDMORE 38 AND ITHACA 37

Ithaca, NY - Led by freshman open rider Dana Kendrick, the Cornell Big Red won what has become the first Region 3 show of the new calendar year, finishing ahead of region leader Skidmore College by a 41-38 score at the Oxley Center on February 26th. From San Rafeal, California, Kendrick won both of her open classes. Joining Kendrick in the winner's circle were teammates Elizabeth Kozakiewicz (intermediate fences), Candace Berne (novice fences) and Lauren Wu (advanced walk-trot-canter). The hosts now trail Skidmore by 13 overall with three shows to go.

Originally there was to have been a show at Skidmore eight days earlier, but a fearce windstorm knocked out power to the Van Lennep Riding Center and much of the immediate Saratoga Springs area. The Skidmore show has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 28th, which will mark the first time a Region 3 Regular Season Hunter Seat show will be held on a weekday since the region was formed from part of Region 2 prior to the 2000-01 season.

With the show slated for February 18th postponned, Cornell gained the destinction of hosting consecutive Region 3 shows, as the final fall show had also been in the Oxley Center on December 4th. While the hosts had a very good day, the other hometown school had their best day of the season to date.

Ithaca College earned six blue ribbons, one more than the hosts, going on to score a season-high 37 points. Megan Quinlan was the first Bomber with a blue ribbon, won in the second of three sections of open fences. Katie Pillich (intermediate fences), Amanda Spyratos (same), Ella Nace (novice flat), Annie Stepusin (same) and Ashley Hogan (same) also won blue ribbons for Ithaca, the last three doing so in consecutive classes.

From Long Valley, New Jersey, Ithaca College senior Megan Quinlan was one of six Bomber riders to win a blue ribbon, which was one more than host/high point team Cornell earned.

Though Ithaca had a big day, Skidmore's effort was even bigger. The five-time Region 3 Region Champions (who have seven straight Region Championships dating back to their final two seasons in the old Zone 2, Region 2) were led by sophomore Jessica Feil (pronounced 'Feel'), who won both of her novice classes. Also into the blue ribbons for the Thoroughbreds were Jessica Schroff (open flat), Kendle Handtman (open fences), Hawthorne Hart (intermediate flat), Casey Atchinson (same), Jennifer Wilkins (same), Vicky Wright (novice fences), Jane Rafttopoulas (advanced walk-trot-canter) and Liz Stanish (walk-trot). Feil later duplicated the feat of Courtney Clark, who as a novice won a ride-off for Skidmore against at least one open rider at the Spring 2005 Cornell show. Feil, a sophomore from Berwyn, Pennsylvania competing in an IHSA ride-off for the first time, edged out Kendrick for the additional blue ribbon.

The top three teams at today's show monopolized the blue ribbons, winning 21 of 25 undergraduate classes. One of the four blue ribbons not won by Cornell, Ithaca or Skidmore went to Ashley Walkowiak of Morrisville State, who was pointed in the final class of the day. Walkowiak's first in walk-trot lifed the Mustangs to fourth place with 28 points, one more than Colgate. The Raiders were led by open rider Aubrey Graham and advanced walk-trot-canter rider Claire Bukata, both of whom earned red ribbons (Graham second to Handtman in open fences). Hartwick College senior Theresa Dillon won the lone section of beginner walk-trot-canter, providing the Hawks with their only blue ribbon of the day. Hartwick finished the day with 26 points and sixth place.

The other undergraduate blue ribbons won on this day went to Binghamton freshman Allison Levy in the very first class of the day (open fences) and Elmira senior Rebecca Valentine, who won the middle section of advanced walk-trot-canter. Binghamton followed Hartwick in the team placings with 16 while Elmira was next with 14. S.U.N.Y. - Cobleskill finished with 12 points, while Siena, technically the only other school from the Albany area besides Skidmore at today's show, scored eight. RPI and S.U.N.Y. - Albany did not take part in today's show, nor did Hamilton College from the central part of New York State.

First she won her novice fences. Then she won her novice flat. Skidmore sophomore Jessica Feil made it to the ride-off for the first time today, and she even won that too!

The alumni who reside in the Capitol area of New York represented that part of the Empire State well enough. 1999 Stonehill graduate Emily Unger won both alummi divisions while 1995 Pace graduate Angie Netoskie was second in alumni flat. A fourth in alumni flat put 1995 Clemson graduate Kathleen Webster a point away from going to Regionals in the division. All three train in the Albany area with Siena Head Coach Nora Hanlon, and all three stand a good chance of going to Regionals in at least one division if not both. 2005 Ithaca graduate Audra Ravo was second over alumni fences, leaving her in a tie for the top spot in the over fences division. Both Unger and Ravo now have 31 points in the division and a trip to 2006 Regionals on April 1st. Unger's first on the flat also clinched a trip to Regionals in that division. S.U.N.Y. - Cobleskill alum Marie Boomhower was third over fences while Autumn Greenberg, who is another Ithaca graduate, placed fifth in both alumni classes.

Their Flapjacks sell like Hotcakes!: For the first time in many years, this writer found an IHSA show where Pancakes were on the breakfast menu. The cakes were made to order, with bananas or chocolate chips optional. Even a stack of only two was more than enough to keep one tided over until lunch. However, as is often the case at a Cornell show, the hot dogs ran out in a hurry, so fast that this writer could not go back for seconds. Like the shows themselves, you win some and you lose some.

Can they win three in their building this season? Cornell won on December 4th with 47 points, giving them wins in both Region 3 shows to be held at the Oxley Center this season. But can they win on April 23rd? On that date up to seven schools will have a go against the Big Red. But none of them will be common to today's show. This is because Cornell will host the 2006 All-Ivy League Invitational that Sunday. Columbia University (from Zone 2, Region 4) and Princeton University (from Zone 3, Region 4) are currently the only Ivy League schools leading their respective regions. Cornell is the only other Ivy League team headed into the weekend within 15 points of their current region leader.

Elmira Head Coach and Cazenovia graduate Allyson Thibodeau poses with Rebecca Valentine (right), who won the lone blue ribbon for the Soaring Eagles at today's show. Riders from Cornell, Skidmore and Ithaca captured 21 of the 25 blue ribbons awarded on this day.

What's next?: This story was delayed slightly which meant that another Region 3 show took place before it was posted. On March 4th, Morrisville State hosted and Skidmore regained two of the three points it lost at Cornell, winning by a 41-39 margin. Hartwick was third with 29, followed by Ithaca with 27, the hosts with 26, Binghamton with 23, Colgate 21, Cobleskill 17, Siena 13, RPI with 7, Elmira with 7, Hamilton with 7 and the State University of New York at Albany (making their IHSA debut) with 7.

Next up will be Hartwick's March 11th show. Then Region 3 will be quiet until the make-up show at Skidmore on March 28th. Regionals will also be at Skidmore four days after that. Can the Big Red make up 15 points in two shows? In this year of upsets that has seen Bridgewater oust Hollins, Maryville oust the University of the South and the University of Georgia oust Berry College, absolutely nothing should come as a surprise, even if the status remains quo!

---Steve Maxwell

Show Incidentals: Mostly cloudy. Cold and windy, with snow flurries and high temperatures in the low 20's. Entire show held indoors. Start time: 8:56AM. Finish: 3:47PM - includes 47 minute lunch break/Coaches & Captains meeting and several schooling breaks totaling an additional 35 minutes. Point cards posted in this region? Yes. Alumni Classes held in this region? Yes. Judge: Mark Frohm. Stewards: Hackney/Colgate University, Eklund/Morrisville State College and Smith-Price/Hartwick College.

Team Totals: Cornell University (High Point Team) 41; Skidmore College (Reserve) 38; Ithaca College 37; Morrisville State College 28; Colgate University 27; Hartwick College 26; Binghamton University 16; Elmira College 14; State University of New York at Cobleskill 12 and Siena College 8.

High Point Rider - Jessica Feil, Skidmore College
Reserve High Point Rider - Dana Kendrick, Cornell University