It was a most interesting day for West Chester's Valerie Mahala. Her saddle slipped sideways during her jumping round, then a re-ride produced a blue ribbon. Mahala's win in novice flat gave her two blue ribbons, and a coin-toss later she was high point rider for the first time. And oh yes West Chester won the show to move within four points of the lead.

GOLDEN RAMS SCORE 34, EDGE DELAWARE AND DELAWARE VALLEY

Odessa, DE - Last season's race for Region 2 high point team was one of the best in the country, with the University of Delaware coming from behind to tie Delaware Valley for high point team. The second tiebreaker came into play, which made the team commonly known at Region 2 shows as 'UDel' the Region Champion and the team known in Southeast Pennsylvania and surrounding area as 'DelVal' the Reserve Champion.

Through two shows it looks as though the race for Region 2 high point hunter seat team will be equally competitive. However this time around two other schools are still hanging in. On September 29th Delaware Valley, referred to throughout the rest of this story as 'DelVal' won by a 25-22 margin over a year-old Drexel Dragons team. The University of Delaware, referred to as 'UDel' throughout the rest of this story, was third with 21 points. DelVal actually appeared to have 32 points at the time. However IHSA rules require any rider who has pointed out of the Beginner Western division in one season to ride hunter seat at the Walk-Trot-Canter level the following season, provided that rider had never shown english within the IHSA. The DelVal walk-trot rider had in fact pointed out of beginner western, but all involved thought she had ridden one time at walk-trot. It turned out the rider in question had scratched out of the only 2006-07 english show she was enterred in. This writer has covered the IHSA for over a decade and had never seen this come up, showing that something unique can happen (and often does) at virtually any IHSA show.

At today's show neither DelVal nor UDel was champion. Instead the honor belonged to West Chester University. Coached by Beth Orem, the Golden Rams prevailed by a 34-32 margin over UDel. This marks perhaps only the fourth or fifth time in West Chester history (and the team has existed since the '70's) that the Golden Rams have been high point team. Leading the way for West Chester was junior Valerie Mahala. A new member of the Golden Rams in 2007-08 the Kennett Square, Pennsylvania resident came off during her novice fences class but only because the saddle slipped sideways (Mahala even managed to jump one fence with the crooked saddle). Mahala was given a re-ride to win her first blue ribbon, then much later won her novice flat class, creating what technically would have been a two-way ride-off but was a coin toss for the high point ribbon instead. Mahala's win in novice flat had actually given West Chester blue ribbons in three straight classes, as Victoria Asplen and Emily Rosen were winners in walk-trot and advanced walk-trot-canter, respectively, leading up to Mahala's second ride. It could be said that West Chester was twice as good as on opening day, as their point total jumped from 17 to 34!

They've got a great Cacchione race going on! University of Delaware teammates Megan Spilatro (left) and Jen Windish are first and second, respectively, in the Region 2 USEF/Cacchione open rider standings through two shows. Spilatro has 20, Windish 19 and teammate Kristina Christiansen (not pictured) 18. Through six open classes UDEL riders have captured ten of twelve ribbons second place or higher!

The University of Delaware had to be happy with their point increase, scoring 11 more. The open riders are making it difficult for Head Coach Bryan Bradley to decide which one to point, as five different Fighting Hen riders have won the six open classes held so far this season (other Region 2 schools have yet to win an open class of any kind). It gets even more confusing in that four of the six red ribbons awarded also went to UDel riders. Winners in open fences were sophomore Nicole Adams and senior Kristina Christiansen while junior Jen Windish and sophomore Megan Spilatro topped the open flat. Though Windish is the only UDel open rider with two blue ribbons thus far (undefeated in open flat), Spilatro is leading the Region 2 USEF Cacchione open rider standings by a 20-19 margin over Windish, while Christiansen is close with 18.

Several other Fighting Hens prevailed throughout the day. Erin Blankenship (novice flat), Janay White (same), Valerie Shurlett (same) and Ashley Mowery (beginner walk-trot-canter) won blue ribbons, with both Blankenship and White perhaps winning an IHSA class for the first time.

UDel picked up two points on DelVal, which finished with 30 points. Like UDel the Aggies had eight blue ribbon winners. Terence Prunty (intermediate flat), Megan Lapp (same), Devan McNamara (novice fences), Justin Rowe (same - Rowe is the younger brother of DelVal junior Jennifer Rowe - Editor), Kristin Lawrence (advanced walk-trot-canter), Chrissy Moller (same), Cassie Klein (same) and Kristen Flora (beginner walk-trot-canter) delivered firsts for DelVal. Five other Aggies were red ribbon winners.

Perhaps the proudest team entering the day was Drexel. Fresh off their 22-point reserve high point team showing, former Centenary College rider and first-year Dragons Head Coach Nicki Schanbacher (who was Nicki Finlayson while riding for the Cyclones) even had the reserve high point ribbon from the 29th on hand. Co-Captain Christie Carlson was the first non-UDel rider into the blue ribbons, best in a field of eight intermediate fences riders. The Dragons earned one other blue, as Corinne Bell won the first of two sections of walk-trot. With no open rider Drexel scored 24 points, two more than when they were reserve, and find themselves only nine points behind DelVal overall.

Drexel University was still basking in the glow of their reserve high point team ribbon two weeks earlier. Co-Captains Julia Cutler (left) and Christie Carlson (center) pose with team secretary Brielle Weinstein (right) after Carlson won her intermediate fences class. Carlson was also second in intermediate flat while the Dragons scored 24 points (two more than at the last show) to remain within ten points of the top spot.

Like every other team mentioned so far in this article, the University of Pennsylvania also improved on their opening day score. Early on it looked like Penn might have a very good day, as Colgate transfer Cristina Fitzpatrick and freshman Kate Savarise won back-to-back sections of intermediate fences. Katie Kuzinevich even managed to earn one of the two red ribbons awarded to an open rider not from UDel so far this season, finishing second to Spilatro in open flat. However the Quakers would win only one more blue, as Savarise made the ride-off by virtue of a win in intermediate flat. Penn scored 21 points, six more than at Red Wing Farm two weeks earlier.

One of the Quaker's rivals in what is known as "The Big 5" is Villanova (the other Philadelphia area Big 5 schools are St. Joseph's University, La Salle and Temple, only the latter of which also has an IHSA team). While known for a great Basketball rivalry, Villanova and Penn seem to be waging a war for fifth place in Region 2. Both scored 15 at the season opener, but Dawne Morrone's Quakers edged Sara McCoy's Wildcats by a point this weekend. Leading the way for Villanova was Freshman Mary Kate Phelan. From Newtown, Pennsylvania, Phelan won the Wildcat's lone blue ribbon of the day in novice fences. Phelan was also the only Wildcat to win a red ribbon, finishing second to Lapp in intermediate flat. For a while, Phelan, Carlson, Christiansen, Spilatro and Windish were all in the running for reserve. However Mahala's first in the final class where any more riders could get two firsts knocked out hope of an additional ribbon.

Temple may not have had as many points as their Big 5 rivals, but at least the Owls had a walk-trot rider. Aimee Manahan earned Temple's highest placing of the day, a second in the first section of walk-trot. Head Coach Amber Jewell was probably happy just to be there. Jewell (who like her former Head Coach Dee Jones is now coaching three teams, with Arcadia and Bucks County the others) made it to the show despite a faulty gas gage on her vehicle delaying her overnight while driving back from Ohio, where she attended the world's largest horse show, better known as Congress.

Seen here with Head Coach Sara McCoy, freshman Mary Kate Phelan (left) earned the only blue ribbon of the day for Villanova, earning first place in the second of four sections of novice fences. The Wildcats still had their best day of the young season thus far, earning 20 points and sixth for the day.

Rider tied Temple with 13 points for the day. The Broncs were making their first appearance of the 2007-08 season, which was the coaching debut for JoAnn Mulligan, one of three new hunter seat Head Coaches in Region 2 this season. Leading the way for the Broncs was advanced walk-trot-canter rider Alyssa Flocco, who placed second in a field of nine. Andrew Grandin may have only earned one point for the Broncs in his novice flat class, but he was integral to the proceedings at C-Line Stables. Grandin served as the EMT at today's show.

Bucks County Community College scored 12 points, nine more than on opening day. Today's Bucks roster featured eight riders, five of whom were making their IHSA debut. One of those riders was Kira Mundhenk, who won her novice flat class. Another newcommer, Caitlin Hanley, placed second to Fitzpatrick in her intermediate fences section.

Host Arcadia finished the day with seven points. The Beavers do not have a rider in either open or intermediate but are seemingly deep in the other divisions. Arcadias' highest ribbon went to freshman Kiersten McCooley, who was third in the first of two sections of beginner walk-trot-canter.

Rounding out the scoring was Washington College. Although Washington scored only five points, both Amanda Trumble (in intermediate fences) and Kristie Heitmann (in intermediate flat) earned second-place ribbons for first-year Head Coach Chris Bigelow's Shoremen. In total contrast to Arcadia, Washington has three intermediate riders, as well as three novices. The Shoremen are on the lookout for riders to fill the other divisions however.

It is one thing for the top two ribbons in a class to be awarded to riders from the same team. It is something completely different when both riders also attended the same high school! From left to right are Del Val sophomore Steffi Scorza, Head Coach Cory Kieschnick and freshman Kristin Lawrence. Both Scorza and Lawrence are graduates of Montgomery High School in Montgomery, New Jersey and each earned a very good ribbon in the first section of advanced walk-trot-canter. The Aggies were third for the day with 30 points but still lead the region by two.

Alumni numbers grow from first week: There were three alumni who competed at the September 29th Temple show, and all three were back at C-Line Stables for today's contest. However four others joined on, and at least one of them would win a blue ribbon. 2005 Colorado State graduate Sam Day improved her alumni fences placing despite the larger numbers. Day, who was third two weeks earlier, won the jumping while 2004 DelVal graduate Genna Weissner was second in her first IHSA ride since her undergraduate days. Later in the day former Bucks County rider Christy Ausicker was the flat winner, while Paige Hortman claimed the red ribbon. Hortman was listed in today's program as an Oklahoma State graduate. Though she did graduate from Oklahoma State last May Hortman was a DelVal Aggie in the fall of 2003, then was the entire Utah Valley State team for two semesters before transfering to the heartland. Hortman is also a former NCAA rider, as the Cowgirls did not compete in IHSA shows Hortman's senior year in Stillwater. Other alumni who took part in today's show were 2007 Penn State graduate Kelly Berger, who was sixth in alumni flat; 2007 University of Pennsylvania graduate Jess Schatz, whose best ribbon on the 13th was a fourth in alumni flat but who had placed second in both alumni divisions on the 29th, and Jamie Mast, who was fifth over fences today but had won both alumni divisions two weeks earlier. Former DelVal rider Mast (who reached Nationals in alumni fences last season) and Day are the only riders who competed in the Region 2 alumni divisions last season. Considering that Region 2 had a large group of alumni last season, and that most of those riders have yet to show one wonders if the alumni might grow even more if the likes of Sara Moll, Kim Rice, Kate Baranek and Cat Domanska re-appear.

Just tell them 'Heads:' This writer caught up with Mahala before the coin-toss, which took place without Savarise who had a flight to Chicago to catch. Mahala would have liked to ride off for it, though Region 2 show management frequently forgoes ride-offs in order to spare the horses any more work as was the case today. Though in some regions the high point rider ribbon would have automatically gone to Mahala for still being in attendance, Region 2 allows a representative of a team to make the flip in place of the absent rider. Mahala had already said "Just tell them 'Heads'" but until a steward was involved the coin toss could not officially take place. Eventually Mahala was asked by a steward to call it in the air. As consistant as her riding was, Mahala called 'Heads' and sure enough it was Washington's head and not the eagle that landed face-up.

Not really the most recent show: Region 2 held their first western competitions of the new season the day after today's show, not too far up the road at Bradley's Granite Springs Stables. Defending region champions Delaware Valley are the early leaders after the double-western affair, ahead of UDel by a 57-47 score. DelVal's Nicole Sorgie, who was only seventh in the Region 2 western open rider standings last season, has an early eight point lead over two others, including Staci Banks of Washington College, who was tenth in the nation in the NRHA open reining division at 2006 IHSA Nationals.

--Steve Maxwell

Show Incidentals: Sunny skies, with temperatures rising to the upper '60's. Entire show held indoors. Start time: 9:04AM. Finish: 4:19PM - includes two schooling breaks totaling 76 minutes. Point cards posted in this region? No. Alumni classes held in this Region? Yes. Judge: Creigh Duncan. Stewards: Morrone/University of Pennsylvania, McCoy/Villanova University and Kieschnick/Delaware Valley College.

Team Totals: West Chester University (High Point Team) 34; University of Delaware (Reserve High Point Team) 32; Delaware Valley College 30; Drexel University 24; University of Pennsylvania 21; Villanova University 20; Temple University 13; Rider University 13; Bucks County Community College 12; Arcadia University 7 and Washington College 5.

High Point Rider - Valeria Mahala, West Chester University
Reserve High Point Rider - Kate Savarise, University of Pennsylvania