Delaware Valley College placed six undergraduates and one alumni (twice) in the top two over the course of ten classes at Region 2 hunter seat Regionals. Maria Metz (on right, with Aggies Head Coach Cory Kieschnick) was a blue ribbon winner in the individual open over fences division.

DELAWARE VALLEY, UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE COMBINE FOR 10 UNDERGRADUATE TOP TWO PLACINGS AT REGION 2 HUNTER SEAT REGIONALS ON APRIL 10TH

(For the second season in a row, Washington College junior Kristie Heitmann has written her account of the Zone 3, Region 2 hunter seat Regionals show. Undergraduate riders from seven different schools advanced riders to Zone 3 Zones held the very next day - Editor.)

Valley Forge, PA - The Zone 3, Region 2 Hunter Seat Regional Horse Show was held on April 10th, 2010 on the campus of Valley Forge Military Academy and College. Although having the show in VFMAC’s indoor arena prevented the chances of bad weather interfering with the show, the weather proved not to be an issue. It was a beautiful 65°F and sunny with no trace of clouds in the sky.

When I arrived at 8:30 AM, everything was quiet as competitors were slowly starting to file into the arena. By about 9:00 AM most people were milling about anxiously waiting for the show to get underway, trying to learn their courses, and watching the horses school the course. About 45 minutes later, the horses were done schooling and the Coaches and Captains meeting began. After a short discussion about the horses and general information about the show, Region President Bryan Bradley announced that the split of our region had been officially determined. Delaware Valley College, Temple University, Arcadia University, and Bucks County Community College will remain as Zone 3, Region 2. Zone 3, Region 2 will gain several new schools next year, while the rest of the schools currently in our region will remain together and be re-named Zone 4, Region 4.

Course walk immediately followed the meeting and riders got a chance to see their imaginative and challenging courses. Open was the only jumping division not to feature a tricky three-stride to one-stride combination. However the Open and Intermediate divisions each had an option between two jumps where riders had to decide if they would play it safe and leave plenty of room for an approach to an outside line, or take a risk with a tight turn. Heather Yarnell, a junior from West Chester University, enjoyed the course design. “The course rode nicely and was a really good equitation course," said Yarnell. "I was just so excited to have the opportunity to move on to Zones.” Yarnell came away with the blue ribbon in her Intermediate Fences class.

Seen here at the October 10th University of Pennsylvania show, Cassie Simons was one of two University of Delaware riders to win a class at Regionals. Simons was first in novice flat exactly six months to the day after this picture was taken.

The first rider entered the ring at 10:18 AM, only 18 minutes after the scheduled start of the show. The jumping classes were all very competitive and all progressed smoothly. After a short schooling break the flat classes began. As was the case last year, both the Walk-Trot-Canter and Novice Flat classes had an “A” and “B” heat, where the judge had to pick the top six riders for a final heat in which they were pinned. Cassie Simons, a University of Delaware freshman, not only came home from the show with a third in Novice Fences, but also made it through both heats of her Novice Flat class to bring home the blue ribbon. “I was actually really excited that there were two heats of novice flat at Regionals because I wanted another chance to show off my equitation," said Simons. "I was very nervous in the first heat and there were so many other riders that I had to focus a lot on working the ring and being seen by the judge. In the second heat I felt like I really had a chance to relax and focus on my equitation without worrying about being seen.”

Due to a very frightening fall in the Intermediate Flat class the show was halted for about thirty minutes. Several days later we learned that the rider who fell is fortunately going to be OK.

The rest of the classes went smoothly and the show ended at 2:50 PM. Overall, Delaware Valley College secured the most spots at Zones, with six riders qualifying. The University of Delaware was close behind, qualifying four riders. Villanova University, West Chester University, Bucks County Community College, Drexel University, and University of Pennsylvania were also represented at the Zone show. Though not a Region 2 school, Drew University alumni rider Tori Frederick advanced to Zones in both alumni divisions, as did Delaware Valley graduate Jamie Mast Windle. Congratulations to everyone who qualified!

Note: Since this article was finished after the Zone 3 Hunter Seat finals (which took place the following day) we would also like to congratulate everyone from Zone 3, Region 2 who advanced on to Nationals.

--Kristie Heitmann.

Class-by-Class results from 2010 Zone 3, Region 2 Regionals, with the top two in each division advancing to Zone 3 Zones on April 11th in Forest City, Pennsylvania:

Walk-trot: 1. Jessica Olli, University of Pennsylvania. 2. Amanda Batista, Delaware Valley College. 3. Samantha Morse, Drexel University. 4. Kyrstin Gannon, Delaware Valley College. 5. Ariella Barshay, Drexel University. 6. Jacqui Eckrote, University of Delaware.

Walk-trot-canter: 1. Abbey Randa, University of Delaware. 2. Samantha Felice, Delaware Valley College. 3. Christina Kaspimalis, West Chester University. 4. Grace Oldfield, University of Delaware. 5. Sara Garvey, Temple University. 6. Jesse Schaefer, Washington College.

Novice equitation on the flat: 1. Cassie Simons, University of Delaware. 2. Kristin Lawrence, Delaware Valley College. 3. Colleen McCallister, Washington College. 4. Cameron Callaghan, Drexel University. 5. Stephanie Wardius, West Chester University. 6. Timothy Gridley, Valley Forge Military College.

Novice equitation over fences: 1. Emily Rosen, West Chester University. 2. Cora Rivera, Drexel University. 3. Cassie Simons, University of Delaware. 4. Alyson Decker, Delaware Valley College. 5. Jamie Schwartz, Villanova University. 6. Rachel Wilson, University of Delaware.

Intermediate equitation on the flat: 1. Alyson Decker, Delaware Valley College. 2. Jen Piechowski, University of Delaware. 3. Bridget Mahoney, Washington College. 4. Valerie Shurtleff, University of Delaware. 5. Lindsay Smith, Delaware Valley College. 6. Katie LaDow, University of Delaware.

Intermediate equitation over fences: 1. Heather Yarnell, West Chester University. 2. Lyndsey Brodhead, Bucks County Community College. 3. Stephanie Wardius, West Chester University. 4. Farin Phillips, Washington College. 5. Devan McNamara, Delaware Valley College. 6. Hilary Manchester, Villanova University.

Open equitation on the flat: 1. Ciara Menkins, Delaware Valley College. 2. Nicole Adams, University of Delaware. 3. Ellen Hansen, Villanova University. 4. Devan McNamara, Delaware Valley College. 5. Terence Prunty, Delaware Valley College. 6. Megan Spilatro, University of Delaware.

Open equitation over fences: 1. Maria Metz, Delaware Valley College. 2. Ellen Hansen, Villanova University. 3. Terence Prunty, Delaware Valley College. 4. Ciara Menkins, Delaware Valley College. 5. Katie LaDow, University of Delaware. 6. Nicole Adams, University of Delaware.

Alumni equitation on the flat: 1. Jamie Mast Windle, Delaware Valley College. 2. Tori Frederick, Drew University. 3. Bernadette Loomis, Washington College. 4. Jen Windish, University of Delaware. 5. Jess Schatz, University of Pennsylvania.

Alumni equitation over fences: 1. Tori Frederick, Drew University. 2. Jamie Mast Windle, Delaware Valley College. 3. Jess Schatz, University of Pennsylvania. 4. Bernadette Loomis, Washington College.

Zone 3, Region 2 also held their year-end banquet later that evening, at which time riders who placed inside the top two learned exactly which ribbons they had received. Several other awards were also given out at the banquet:

Coach of the Year - Hunter Seat: Cory Kieschnick, Delaware Valley College

Coach of the Year - Western: Bryan Bradley, University of Delaware

Academic Athlete: Katie LaDow, University of Delaware

Fellowship's Silver Empress Jumping Incentive Award: Ashton Ryan, West Chester University

Poetry N'Motion Non-Jumping Incentive Award: Margaret Emmet, Villanova University

Dee Jones Sportsmanship Award: Jamie Mast Windle, Delaware Valley College Alumni rider

Hunter Horse of the Year: Jackson, Reinbow's End Farm

Western Horse of the Year: Gem, who belongs to Amber Jewell, who coaches three teams

All-Around Horse of the Year: Magic, who belongs to Chad Collier