Seen here with her parents, Skidmore College co-captain Amanda Werner (center) was a winner in intermediate fences on February 19th. The host Thoroughbreds led from start to finish and eventually won by eight over Morrisville State.

SKIDMORE CLOSE TO PERFECT IN FEBRUARY 19TH HOME SHOW

Greenfield, NY - Several months ago Skidmore College started the 2010-11 season with a perfect 49 score in their home facility, the Van Lennep Riding Center. For the third time this season (and the first time in calendar year 2011) the Van Lennep Riding Center welcomed all of Region 3 to yet another display of the defending IHSA hunter seat National Champion's riding prowess. Skidmore nearly repeated their opening day total, earning 47 points to defeat Morrisville State College by eight. Three Skidmore open riders won twice, with junior Kelly Campbell winning a four-way ride-off. With two shows remaining, Skidmore has built up a 57 point lead on the second place Mustangs.

For the first time in the near-nine year history of Campus Equestrian we present a story more or less written in real time, as we wrote about what happened as the show took place.

9:02 AM: Casey Easely of Colgate is first into the ring. She places fourth while Flavia D'Urso, a Skidmore sophomore from Chester, New Jersey wins. By 9:30AM Skidmore is on a roll, as Olivia Cameron (sophomore, Washington, DC) places first and Kaitlin Swartwood (senior, Des Moines, Iowa) second in section 8B. Cameron and D'Urso lead the Region 3 hunter seat open rider standings entering today's show. By 9:40AM the Thoroughbreds have five of six "top two" ribbons, as Kelly Campbell (junior, Cohoes, New York) wins 8C while Chelsea Jones (junior, Kailua, Hawaii) is second. Alison Ferraro, a Hartwick College junior from New York city has bragging rights to the only red ribbon not awarded to Skidmore at this point.

From North Greenbush, New York, University of Albany junior Hannah Alexander (on left, wearing helmet) poses with most of the Albany team after winning her intermediate fences. Alexander later won her novice flat to become one of five riders to qualify for the high point ride-off.

9:58 AM: History is made as Grace Carroll becomes the first rider ever to show IHSA for Union College. The Dutchmen have four riders in today's event, with 2007 Cornell graduate Liz Kozakiewicz their Head Coach and advisor Jennifer Matsue also on hand. A junior from Richfield, Connecticut (who grew up with Colgate open rider Emily Messing), Carroll receives a third in intermediate fences. Hannah Strobel, a RPI junior from Charlestown, Rhode Island is second while Hannah Alexander, a junior from North Greenbush, New York wins class 6A for Albany (there were no Skidmore riders in this section). Strobel classes into open with the red ribbon. Skidmore has a rider in 6B and that rider wins. Amanda Werner, a senior from Middlebury, Vermont wins the section. The co-captain points into open in the process. Kate Homan of Colgate University is second. At 10:35 AM yet another winner advances to Regionals. From Manorville, New York, Teal Pedersen of Morrisville State College classes into open fences in only her freshman year. Pedersen is also the first non-Skidmore rider to earn seven points for her team on this day. Stacie Mihok (pronounced "Mee-Hock") of Siena is second to Pedersen in 6C. The final intermediate fences section, 6D, goes to Alicia Hlavac of RPI. A sophomore from Chicago, Illinois, Hlavac is already qualified for Regionals in both novice divisions. Colgate freshman Emily Rundlet (from Watchung, New Jersey) is second while Kim Baltz of Oneonta State College qualifies for Regionals with a third.

11:00 AM: Already qualified for Regionals in alumni flat, Siena College graduate Kara Rothermel wins alumni fences to earn a second ride at Regionals. Angela Netoskie (Pace '95) is second while Rebecca Danz (Albany '09) is third followed by Casey Danton (Siena '05) in fourth. Around this time there is an announcement that there is an official photographer at today's show. Dani Mac is her name (at least a short version of if) and her website is http://danimacphotography.zenfolio.com. Dani stayed until the end of the show, taking action shots throughout the day.

11:23 AM: After a 20-plus minute schooling break the first of five novice fences classes begins. At 11:40 AM Samantha Baer of Siena College (junior, Boston, Massachusetts) wins this section while Kimberly Benincasa of Albany is second. Rachael Suite, a Hartwick senior from Hoosick Falls, New York wins section 4B while Alexandra McGuire receives Skidmore's first red ribbon of the day here. Elinor Hayden, a freshman from Amherst, Massachusetts wins section 4C for Skidmore while Katie Northrup, an add to the program, delivers the red ribbon for SUNY-Cobleskill. Kathryn Curto, a Morrisville State junior from Bohemia, New York is the first Long Islander of the day to win as she captures section 4D. Already qualified in novice flat, Curto now needs seven more points to move up over fences, ' Jenny McCormack of Albany is second to Curto. At 12:37 PM Morrisville makes it two straight as Rachel Kenney wins the final class before the lunch break. A freshman from Waynesburg, New York Kenney edged out Nicole Cahill-Yi who won Skidmore's second blue ribbon of the day.

1:32PM: After a 61 minute lunch break, Skidmore open riders duplicate their earlier placings. Campbell wins 7A, D'Urso 7B and Cameron 7C. Though Jones does not show in this division, Swartwood does and finishes second to Campbell. Cameron continues to lead the Region 3 hunter seat open rider standings by six points over D'Urso (72-66). Campbell ends the day third while Swartwood moves into a tie with Colgate senior Casey Easley for fourth, technically giving Skidmore the top four riders in the Region 3 open rider standings. Amberly Ondria, a S.U.N.Y. - Cobleskill sophomore from Poultney, Vermont who rode for Castleton State College in Zone 1, Region 2 as a freshman, is second to D'Urso while Eri Sato of Colgate is a red ribbon winner in 7C.

Grace Carroll (center) has the distinction of being the first Union College rider to compete in an IHSA show, the first Union rider to win a ribbon at an IHSA show, and the first Union rider to win an IHSA class. Seen here between her Mother (on right) and Union Coach (and former Cornell rider) Liz Kozakiewicz, Carroll was third in intermediate fences and first in intermediate flat in her (and her team's) IHSA debut.

2:09PM: The placings are announced for the first of five sections of intermediate flat. Cameron Banks, a S.U.N.Y. - Cobleskill freshman from Pomona, New York, wins her second-ever IHSA blue ribbon. Patrice Menghini earns Oneonta State College's best ribbon of the day so far with a second. Section 5B goes to Hartwick's Laura Lamoureux. A junior from Croton-on-Hudson, New York, Lamoureux is the first Hawk rider to earn a blue ribbon today but not the last. Pedersen of Morrisville State is second. Hanae Kimura, a Skidmore senior from Seattle, Washington wins Skidmore's ninth blue ribbon of the day (through 18 classes) in 5C. Liz Brodsky earns Colgate's fourth red ribbon of the day in this section. Courtney Monroe, a freshman from Northport, New York wins Oneonta State's first blue ribbon of the day in 5D. Still without a first, Colgate continues to gather red ribbons as Sarah Baranes is the fifth Raider rider to claim a second. At 2:47PM the final section of intermediate flat to Carroll, who can claim to be Union's first-ever rider in the ring, first-ever rider to place, and now first-ever rider to win a class outright. Lydia Tarr of Oneonta State is second to Carroll. Interestingly though they did not have a full card Oneonta State had one rider entered in each section of intermediate flat, one more than Skidmore across that level.

The alumni flat placings turn out to be a complete reverse of the alumni fences placings. Rothermel, who graduated from Siena last spring, is fourth, Netoskie third, Danz second and Danton the champion. Netoskie qualifies for Regionals here.

3:10PM: The placings for the first of five sections of novice flat are announced. Maja Lorenc, a Skidmore College senior from Harrington Park, New Jersey wins to give the host Thoroughbreds at least one blue ribbon in each undergraduate division held so far on this day. Corinne Hill of Albany receives the red ribbon. Skidmore makes it two in a row a short time later as Alexandra McGuire wins 3B. A senior from Concord, New Hampshire, McGuire finishes one place ahead of Hartwick's Diana Jacobsen. Up through 3B the ride-off was made up of three Skidmore open riders. Alexander changes that with a first in 3C. It will be the first actual ride-off for the Great Dane junior, who was once in a question-and-answer to break a tie for the high point rider ribbon. Emory Wonham of Skidmore is second to Alexander in 3C. At 3:43PM Hartwick College senior Ashley Erickson is awarded the blue ribbon in 3D. From Palmer, Massachusetts, Erickson's win inspires Hawks head coach Betsey Smith-Price to tell her riders "You have redeemed yourselves on the flat." Oneonta State's Sarah Pozzolano finishes second. One of the fastest classes of the day is the final section of novice flat. Pinned exactly seven minutes after 3D, Judge Lilli Bieler-Biedermann wastes little time awarding the blue ribbon to Kenney. Though a freshman it will be the second time in a ride-off for Kenney. Once again Cahill-Yi is second.

The ride-off is held immediately after the conclusion of novice flat. Though Cameron qualified she does not take part for unknown reasons. D'Urso, Campbell, Alexander and Kenney are put through the motions in each direction. Once lined up it is Campbell who receives the blue ribbon and Kenney the red one. It is Kenney's second time receiving a red ribbon in a high point ride-off.

Three Morrisville State College riders are seen in various stages of undress. Janine Ordway (on left) has no helmet. Alice Smith (on right, who rode after Ordway) has no helmet or boots on. And Amber Swan is still completely dressed, having just hopped off. The Mustangs won three consecutive classes for the only time on this day when Ordway, Smith and Swan came out on top in separate sections of walk-trot-canter.

4:15PM: The first of four sections of advanced walk-trot-canter is pinned. For the only time all day this writer is unable to locate a winner to ask where he or she is from and what year they are in school. Sean Bailey of S.U.N.Y. - Cobleskill wins the class while Angela Acocella of RPI receives the red ribbon. At 4:24PM an Oneonta State rider earns that schools final blue ribbon of the day. Mariah Lewis, a sophomore from Poughkeepsie, New York wins section 2B-b while Jacqueline Krawiecki of Siena is the red ribbon winner. The final Hartwick blue ribbon of the day is awarded to Aurora Becker. A junior from Berne, New York Becker wins 2B-c while Lauren Laurita of Oneonta State is second. Janine Ordway, a Morrisville State College sophomore from Long Valley, New Jersey wins the final section of advanced walk-trot-canter. Lucy Campbell, who is not related to teammate Kelly Campbell, is second to Ordway in section 2B-d. One of the unusual aspects of these advanced walk-trot-canter classes is that schooling went on between the time each class was lined up and the next class started to take the rail. Riders mounted and dismounted in the ring at this time, allowing horses to enter the gate and go around a few times while the placings were announced and a new set of riders were readied for their lone appearances of the day.

4:56PM: The first of two sections of beginner walk-trot-canter goes to Alice Smith, a Morrisville State College freshman from Dansville, New York. Though it is her first season in the IHSA this is in fact Smith's third blue ribbon. Janine Kirkpatrick of S.U.N.Y. - Cobleskill is second in section 2A-a. The Mustangs sweep the beginner sections a short time later, as freshman Amber Swan wins. From Carthage, New York Swan gives Morrisville State a three-class win streak, equaling Skidmore's longest such streak of the day (accomplished twice). Taylor Takats of Siena is second.

The only section of walk-trot concludes the proceedings. Alexandra Dorgan, a freshman from Boston, Massachusetts who is showing IHSA for only the second time, wins the walk-trot for Skidmore. Because her parents could not attend, Dorgan is instructed to stay on the horse so that head coach Cindy Ford can take photos for them. Dorgan's win gives Skidmore firsts in all but the walk-trot-canter. Runner-up to Dorgan is Cassandra Howe of Hartwick. The Hawks managed three firsts and two seconds in flat classes from the intermediate level on down.

With the announcement of Melissa Grippa of Siena in sixth the show itself concludes at 5:17PM. The point sheets, posted in the hallway leading from the judge's stand to the stalls, are all finally added up. Skidmore wins for the fifth time in six tries, scoring 47 points. Morrisville State has a very good day, scoring 39 to give back only eight points to the hosts. Hartwick is easily third with 29. There is a logjam of schools in the upper teens. Cobleskill earns fourth with 19 points, barely averting three teams who tie for fifth. Siena (with a full card), RPI (with no open rider or walk-trot rider) and Albany (with no open fences rider, no intermediate flat rider and no walk-trot rider) each earn 18 points. Colgate, without any blue ribbons, earns 17. Union College, with riders in only four divisions, avoids last place for the day in their IHSA debut with 12 points (ironically Carroll was not pointed in intermediate flat). Oneonta State, with several top two placings, closes out the team scores with ten points.

Skidmore goes into the seventh of eight Region 3 hunter seat shows (hosted by Morrisville State) needing only 42 points to clinch a return to Zone 2 Zones. Should the Thoroughbreds accomplish this (it is highly likely) they will take a full team to Zone 2 Zones at the Elsa Gunnison Appleton Riding Hall in Canton, New York on Saturday, April 9th. St. Lawrence hosts this event, which if the current leaders in each region stay in front will see Skidmore face the host school plus New York University, the University of Connecticut and former Region 3 rival Cornell University. Only the top two schools will advance a full hunter seat team to IHSA Nationals. To the Thoroughbred's credit, their lead in Region 3 is the widest of any first place hunter seat team to be found throughout Zone 2 at this moment.

---Steve Maxwell

Show Incidentals: Cloudy skies, with temperatures reaching the upper 20's. Wind chills in the low single digits. Entire show held indoors. Start time: 9:02AM. Finish: 5:17PM - includes 61 minute lunch break/Coaches & Captains meeting and a separate 23 minute schooling break. Point cards posted in this region? Yes. Alumni Classes held in this region? Yes. Judge: Lilli Bieler-Biedermann. Stewards: Hanlon/Siena College, Smith-Price/Hartwick College and Whelihan/State University of New York at Cobleskill.

Team Totals: Skidmore College (High Point Team) 47; Morrisville State College (Reserve) 39; Hartwick College 29; State University of New York at Cobleskill 19; Rensellaer Polytechnic Institute 18; Siena College 18; State University of New York at Albany 18; Colgate University 17; Union College 12 and Oneonta State College 10.

High Point Rider - Kelly Campbell, Skidmore College
Reserve High Point Rider - Rachel Kenney, Morrisville State College