Bucknells' Alyssa Persing (left) and Kelly Henkler pose after earning the top two ribbons in the third section of novice flat on March 30th. Henkler was one of two riders to win both of her classes while the Bison earned eight blue ribbons, ten red ribbons and 41 points overall.

BUCKNELL HAS BEST DAY IN YEARS BUT PENN STATE STILL WINS

Readington, NJ - For those who followed either Zone 3, Region 2 or Zone 3, Region 4 during the 2004-05 season, today's show almost had a time-warp feel. Franklin & Marshall, Gettysburg and Bucknell were all at Briarwood Farm, site of at least one Region 2 show that season and over a half dozen Region 4 shows. The sun was out, people were scattered all over the property and Bucknell was winning like they were headed to 2005 Zones.

The Bison, who won three region championships during their four seasons in Zone 3, Region 4, scored a season-high 41 points, which may also be their high total in three seasons as a member of Region 1. Bucknell riders won eight classes outright, including two by Kelly Henkler, while ten Bison were reserve ribbon winners.

In total contrast, Penn State, which had already clinched the region at the March 22nd Dickinson show, won only five of the 22 team classes. Lena Ohta (intermediate flat), Savannah Sheldon (novice flat) and Katie Norris (advanced walk-trot-canter) won blue ribbons for the Nittany Lions, as did the region's leading open rider. Needing only one point, Samantha Pandolfi officially clinched the Region 1 Cacchione Cup entry with a pair of blue ribbons. Pandolfi will represent Penn State and Region 1 at 2008 Nationals in the Cacchione Cup competition, May 8th through 11th in Burbank, California, which will determine the IHSA's top open rider for the season.

Franklin & Marshall earned five blue ribbons, as many as Penn State. Diplomats coach Phyllis Frankhouser (left) poses with F & M sophomore Bonnie Ascher, who won the second of five blue ribbons with a first in intermediate fences.

But for the disparity in blue ribbons, Penn State still won the show by a narrow 42-41 score. The Nittany Lions did this by matching the Bison with ten red ribbons. Only two riders all day earned second place for any of the other eight schools.

Still it felt like Bucknell had captured the glory of the earlier part of the decade. Henkler, a junior from Lansdale, Pennsylvania, won both of her novice classes while Sarah Baughn (open flat), Meaghan Fleischli (intermediate flat), Simone March (same), Kaitlen Rubin (novice flat), Sarah Schubert (same) and Hannah Rosen (walk-trot) were also blue ribbons winners for the Bison. Though several Bison earned 12 points, only Henkler earned 14 and a place in the ride-off versus Pandolfi.

With today's contest being an unlimited show the number of riders competing for most teams was slightly larger than usual (though a handful of schools were at the tail end of spring break). In spite of the larger numbers only three schools had a full point card. Bucknell and Penn State were joined in this department by Franklin & Marshall College, coached on this day by Phyllis Frankhouser in place of husband Jerre. The Diplomats scored 28 for third place, with blue ribbons awarded to Molly Mahoney (open fences), Bonnie Ascher (intermediate fences), Courtney Hair (same), Brianna Alteri (novice fences) and Amanda Carr (walk-trot). F & M had the unusual distinction of opening and closing the show with a blue ribbon, as Mahoney won the first blue ribbon while Carr earned the last not counting the two-way ride-off.

Even with three empty places on their point card co-host York College of Pennsylvania managed an impressive 27 points. Lesley Parthree (on right, with team advisor Cheryl Thompson) won the first of three blue ribbons for the Spartans via her ride in novice fences.

Though they had no one entered in the open divisions or in intermediate fences, co-host York College of Pennsylvania nearly tied the other co-host, F & M, for third. The Spartans managed three blue ribbons, awarded to Lesley Parthree (novice fences), Kelly Thompson (advanced walk-trot-canter) and Jennifer Butts (beginner walk-trot-canter). York scored 27 points, which may be their high point total for the season unless someone knows otherwise. York certainly had a very good day, as the Spartans had only 71 points through six shows before adding 27 this afternoon.

While York boosted their points-per-show average slightly Juniata College nearly doubled theirs. Juniata entered the day with 19 points and headed back to Central Pennsylvania with 37! Like York, Juniata was without riders in both open divisions and intermediate fences, yet the Eagles also scored their season-high with 18 points. Emily Miller was second in walk-trot for Juniata's highest ribbon of the day.

Though Gettysburg had a larger roster and only one empty space on their point card (novice fences) the Bullets scored 17 to finish a point behind Juniata. Jen Conway's red ribbon in intermediate fences was Gettysburg's best of the contest.

Seen here with "Classey," Juniata College seniors Justine Kobeski (center) and Cameron Sklavos-Gillet (right) finished up their IHSA undergraduate era by placing in the ribbons four times. Kobeski was third in novice fences and fifth in novice flat while Sklavos-Gillet was fourth in both intermediate flat and novice fences.

Dickinson and Wilson Colleges had been neck-and-neck for fourth place entering the day, with Dickinson ahead by two points. Perhaps the pressure got to both teams, for Dickinson scored only 12 points while Wilson added nine to their year-end totals of 158 and 153, respectively. Dickinson earned a very respectable three blue ribbons, as Mary McClintock (novice flat), Devon Whiteway (advanced walk-trot-canter) and Lily Walter (beginner walk-trot-canter) came out on top. Wilson's lone blue ribbon of the day came early on, when Megan Dennis won the first of three sections of intermediate fences.

Lebanon Valley College brought only three riders to today's show but managed to finish between Dickinson and Wilson with ten points. Megan Sargero's third in intermediate fences was LVC's best ribbon of the day. With LVC only in their second season in the IHSA the Dutchmen are still awaiting their first Regional Qualifier. However sophomore Sarah Bechtel is very close to earning that honor, as the Manheim, Pennsylvania resident was fourth in her intermediate fences, giving her 30 of the 35 points needed to qualify for 2009 Regionals.

Rounding out the scoring was the school which traveled the furthest, Indiana University of Pennsylvania. IUP were led by senior Janelle Hegland, who won the first of four sections of novice fences. Though IUP had six riders entered in three divisions the Crimson Hawks scored only four points to close out the season with 17.

Back at home Penn State sophomore Savannah Sheldon rides at the same barn as the University of Rhode Island team. At today's show Sheldon was one of five Penn State riders to win a class, earning a blue ribbon in the fourth of five sections of novice flat.

The Ride-Off: Pandolfi and Henkler were the only riders with two firsts, so both rode off at the end of the day. Though Pandolfi has received the high point rider ribbon at a previous IHSA show she earned the honor without the benefit of a ride-off. Before the ride-off Pandolfi indicated that she was still looking for her first blue ribbon in one of these high point classes. When it was all over the junior from Danbury, Connecticut was still looking for that elusive blue ribbon, as Henkler was Judge Ron Smith's choice for today's high point rider.

Two shows in two days for Coach Groomes, but then what?: Gettysburg Head Coach Janis Groomes is one of two current IHSA Coaches in charge of two different teams which happen to be in two different regions (and Zones! Ashton Phillips, who coaches Princeton University and Zone 2, Region 4 Region Champion New York University, is the other). Groomes was very fortunate this spring in that her Mount St. Mary's University team in Zone 4, Region 1 was done with their regular season way back on February 24th, meaning that so far in 2008 not only have there been no IHSA show conflicts for Groomes but not even one weekend where both schools were competing. The schedule-maker must like Coach Groomes, for Zone 3, Region 1 Regionals were on April 6th, a day after Zone 4, Region 1 competed at Goucher College. However if Groomes advanced Gettysburg and Mount St. Mary's riders to Zones there will finally be a conflict. Both Zone 3 and Zone 4 will hold their yearly Zones shows on Sunday, April 13th, with Delaware Valley College hosting Zone 3 Zones in Doylestown, Pennsylvania while Randolph College hosts Zone 4 Zones in Lynchburg, Virginia. Though we do not have the results of either Regional show we know two Mount St. Mary's riders and three Gettysburg riders were qualified for their respective Regionals, so we hope Coach Groomes has reason to attend at least one of the Zones contests.

Back to Briarwood in the fall: Though Fall IHSA schedules announced in the spring often change by September 1st, it appears Region 1 will be back at Briarwood before Thanksgiving, and for more than one show. Two Briarwood shows would take place over the November 22nd/23rd weekend, with Gettysburg, Bucknell and F & M perhaps co-hosting at least one of the shows. Penn State is planning September 28th and October 12th for their fall shows at Eastwood Farm while Wilson will host either the first or second Saturday in November on campus. Keep in mind that with 2009 Nationals in Murfreesboro, Tennessee taking place before the end of April it would be a wise move for Region 1 and all the other regions to try to squeeze in as many shows in the fall as possible. Otherwise the regular season might be a shorter one than usual.

--Steve Maxwell

Show Incidentals: Sunny skies, with temperatures in the upper 40's. Entire show held indoors. Start time: 9:21AM. Finish: 3:22PM - includes a 42 minute lunch break/Coaches and Captain's meeting. Point cards posted in this region? Yes. Alumni classes held in this region? Yes but not on this day. Judge: Ron Smith. Stewards: Davis/Wilson College, Fralick/Lebanon Valley College and Phillips-Hillyard/Bucknell University.

Team Totals: Penn State University (High Point Team) 42; Bucknell University (Reserve) 41; Franklin & Marshall College 28; York College of Pennsylvania 27; Juniata College 18; Gettysburg College 17; Dickinson College 12; Lebanon Valley College 10; Wilson College 9 and Indiana University of Pennsylvania 4.

High Point Rider - Kelly Henkler, Bucknell University
Reserve High Point Rider - Samantha Pandolfi, Penn State University