Alexis Wirth (on left) and Andrea 'Andi' Heinzman (on right) of Kutztown University were the first riders to advance from Regionals to Zone 3 Zones for the 2009-10 season. Both made the top two in open fences at Region 4 Regionals on March 20th. Golden Bears Head Coach Sue Casale stands between her open riders, who did not know if they were first or second in the class at the time!

KUTZTOWN IMPRESSES AT ZONE 3, REGION 4 REGIONALS, TAKES SEVEN RIDERS TO ZONES

Readington, NJ - Though the winter had been rather dreary, temperatures were in the 50's and 60's for a few days leading up to Regionals. All the snow had melted a week or so earlier, and as luck would have it the upper ring at Briarwood Farm (which is outdoors) was ready for a full day of IHSA classes.

There would be 64 undergraduate rides (not counting testing and callbacks) and five alumni rides at Zone 3, Region 4 Regionals on March 20th, with seven schools placing riders in the top two. Four schools (Bloomsburg, Cedar Crest, Rider and Penn State - Berks) advanced a single rider on to Zones. Lehigh University also advanced a single rider, but in this case sophomore Maggie Gordon advanced in two different divisions. Lafayette College, which won Region 4 for the first time last season and repeated the feat in '10 could claim three individuals moving on to Zones, while Kutztown University hit the jackpot, advancing seven riders to Zone 3 Zones April 11th in Forest City, Pennsylvania. The Golden Bears came up one rider shy of usurping half the 16 slots Region 4 would receive at the Zones show. Kutztown even saw one of their alumni go to zones twice.

Scheduled to start at 9:00AM the competition began at 9:28, with Alexis Wirth of Kutztown entering the ring as the first of four trips in open fences. By the time the placings for open fences were announced it was 10:08. All four riders were tested once, with Danielle Miranda of Lafayette getting a re-ride for this test. Then Judge Rita Timpanaro opted to test everyone a second time on different horses (it was a very evenly matched group) before the placings revealed Wirth and Golden Bear teammate Andrea 'Andi' (pronounced 'On-Dee') Heinzman as the top two. Having already qualified for IHSA Nationals as the Region 4 Cacchione Cup competitor, Heinzman was asked if she was perhaps more relaxed than the other riders, for in effect she knew this would not be her final day of 2009-10 IHSA competition regardless of the outcome. Heinzman answered 'Maybe' to this question.

From Skillman, New Jersey, Lafayette senior Emily Esteve (on right) made the top two in novice fences (out of 11 riders) to advance to Zones. Though her Leopard teammate Emily Odle (on left) just missed out with a third, the sophomore from Mountain Lakes, New Jersey would make the top two a few hours later in novice flat.

There was a 20 minute schooling break after the open fences and before the intermediate fences commenced at 10:29. Made up of only three riders, Kutztown secured their third ride at Zones as senior Linda Beyer was one of two riders with a red ribbon or better. Gordon, from Jericho, Long Island would be the only rider all day to secure two rides at Zones. Gordon joined Beyer in the 'survivor' department.

Alumni fences held the least amount of drama all day, as only two riders reached 28 or more points in Region 4 during the regular season. Both Lauren Casale (formerly of Kutztown) and Danielle Reynolds (formerly of LIU-CW Post campus, who rode alumni for many years on Long Island) basically had to just finish their course and move on to Zones.

In total contrast novice fences held considerable drama, as eleven riders from eight schools were in the running. After all eleven went around the course, Judge Rita Timpanaro called six back for additional testing. When the results were announced in reverse order, the final two riders to hear their names called were J.T. Gillen of Kutztown University and Emily Esteve of Lafayette College. "I never win anything," said Esteve, a senior from Skillman, New Jersey who became the first Leopard of the day to advance. "I was so psyched about this for two weeks," said Gillen, who was one of only two males to compete at today's show (both would be Zones-bound). When asked his hometown, Gillen was initially undecided. "Use Hellertown (PA), but I am moving to Kutztown in May!" was Gillen's ultimate decision.

After a relatively short stopage (11:45AM to 12:12PM) for the removal of jumps, the Coaches and Captains' meeting and yet more schooling the show resumed with open flat. Made up of only four riders (five qualified, one scratch), the open flat produced yet another Kutztown zone qualifier. Shannon Ebert, who like Heinzman and Beyer is also a senior, made the top two as did Gordon for the second time. Heinzman came up one place shy of a second trip with a third.

Seen here with her Father, Emily Wohl was the lone Bloomsburg University rider to survive Regionals. Though she did not know it at the time, the junior from Landenberg, Pennsylvania had finished first in a field of seven walk-trot riders. Riders who made the top two only learned if they were first or second by attending the yearly Region 4 Regional Banquet that evening, during which the first and second place ribbons were given out.

Nine riders took to the ring for intermediate flat. When this division was completed the same three schools had all the Region 4 pieces of the puzzle heading up Interstates 380 and 81. Jess Benner, a Kutztown junior from West Chester, Pennsylvania made it six out of ten for the Golden Bears. Elanna Spiegel, a Lafayette senior from Scarsdale, New York had joined Esteve in the winner's (or near-winner's) circle. Much earlier in the day Spiegel was fortunate not to pour her breakfast all over herself or her teammates. "I was eating cereal when I learned I drew 'Sweet Potato.' The cereal went flying in the air!," said Spiegel, who is fond of the Briarwood horse that is sweet potato-colored for lack of a better term (and on whom Spiegel has won on more than once prior to Regionals).

Alumni flat in Region 4 has provided some drama the past two seasons, as it has become the only division in which 1989 Virginia Intermont College graduate (and Princeton Coach) Ashton Phillips competes in. Phillips was fortunate to qualify for Regionals this season, as he did not win an alumni flat class until the ninth show of the season (and that blue ribbon took Phillips to exactly 28 points. The tenth and final show that Rider University was to have hosted was cancelled due to weather issues and no power at the facility where the show was to have been held). Phillips has reached IHSA Nationals in one alumni division or another every season since 2002 (and he made it to Nationals in both divisions on more than one occasion during that time). This time the alumni flat was made up of three riders, and sadly for the enthusiastic Dartmouth alum Stacy Klein she was the yellow ribbon winner. Phillips and Lauren Casale both advanced, allowing the former to compete at Zones for a tenth consecutive season.

Like the intermediate flat, the novice flat was made up of nine riders. But unlike the intermediate flat (and all of the classes to this point) there was no Kutztown rider in the top two (Kaylie Olson was not far from the mark, placing fourth for the Golden Bears). Emily Odle, a Lafayette sophomore from Mountain Lakes, New Jersey was the third and final Leopard to punch her ticket to Birchtown Stables on this day. Odle, Speigel and Esteve will join other Lafayette riders who are selected by Head Coach Erin Githens to compete in the team competition versus Penn State (State College), West Virginia University and Delaware Valley College (the latter of which overtook the University of Delaware at the final Zone 3, Region 2 show, making for the exact same four-way Zones team competition as last season). A fourth Region 4 school could finally claim a Zone qualifier. Eryn Ziegler, a Cedar Crest College junior ironically from Kutztown, Pennsylvania would be the lone member of the Falcons to continue their season through to at least April 11th.

Because 17 riders qualified for Regionals in the advanced walk-trot-canter division the class was divided up into three 'Heats.' In each heat riders were asked to walk, trot, walk, canter, walk, reverse and repeat in the opposite direction. After each heat the riders were excused. Judge Timpanaro then called back three riders from each of the first two heats (which were both made up of six riders) and two riders from the third heat (which was made up of five riders).

However before the advanced walk-trot-canter continued the walk-trot class took place. This would be the only division of the day in which Kutztown did not have a rider qualified. After all seven entries walked and trotted in each direction, Timpanaro chose Emily Wohl of Bloomsburg University and Alyssa Darrenkamp of Penn State - Berks as the top two. A junior from Landenberg, Pennsylvania, Wohl "Did not ride english anywhere until last season," according to her Father. Darrenkamp, a freshman from West Chester, Pennsylvania became the only member of the Berks team to qualify for Zones. Considering the year Berks had it was somewhat a surprise that the reserve high point team in the region had only one rider moving on to Zone finals.

The work-off phase of advanced walk-trot-canter concluded the competition. When the class was completed Kutztown could claim a seventh rider at the Zones show. Kelly Wagner, a sophomore from Hershey, Pennsylvania had survived as had Heather Chojnacki of Rider University. A junior from Holly, Pennsylvania, Chojnacki may be the first "Rider rider" since Danielle Morrone finished eighth in the Cacchione Cup at 2002 IHSA Nationals in Cazenovia, New York to advance past Regionals (If we are in error I am sure someone will point it out to us - Editor).

Seen here with her parents and her sister, Kelly Wagner (second on right) was the seventh and final Kutztown rider to qualify for Zones. The sophomore from Hershey, Pennsylvania was one of eight riders called back from three heats of advanced walk-trot-canter and eventually earned second place.

Though at noon it seemed as if the show might last well into the afternoon, the flat classes took place at a brisk pace as the show ended at 2:23PM. However the day was not done for those who would be attending the yearly Region 4 Banquet that evening. For the first time a mini-program was given out at the banquet to show the order in which the awards would be presented. Though some top-two finishers did not attend, those who did learned exactly what ribbon they earned above third place. Since the 1990's it has been a tradition in both Zone 3, Region 4 and Zone 3, Region 2 (which spun off Region 4 in 2001) to give out the blue and red ribbons at the banquet while leaving the top two placings a mystery during the actual Regionals show (the actual top two in each class, along with the rest of the placings, can be found at the end of this story).

Putting the schooling breaks in perspective: There were four schooling breaks at today's show (not counting schooling which took place before the show). Some in the audience were wondering why so many? Simply put the Briarwood horses had spent all winter indoors and had only been outside over the jumps for a few days prior to Regionals. It appears the horses were better for all the schooling, as only two re-rides were needed throughout the day while no one came off any of their mounts over the duration of the contest.

Sell, Sell, Sell: Zone 3, Region 4 is one of several IHSA Regions along the Eastern Seaboard which sell IHSA Show Programs for $3.00. Some regions give them away free, but usually there are only about five freebies available at sites which do this. This writer has never understood why more regions don't try printing, say, thirty extra programs and putting them up for sale. If all sold out the host school would have pocketed $90.00 for their effort, not counting whatever the cost of the printing was. Kudos to Region 4 for having a box of programs on hand more often than not so visitors can - eh - keep up with the program.

---Steve Maxwell

Show Incidentals: Sunny skies, with temperatures reaching the upper '60's. Start time: 9:28AM. Finish: 2:23PM - Includes numerous schooling breaks and lunch break/Coaches and Captains meeting. Judge: Rita Timpanaro. Stewards: Wood/Penn State - Berks, Francfort/Rutgers University and Waitkus/University of Scranton.

Class results, in the order in which they were held, with the top two in each class advancing to Zone 3 Zones on April 11th in Forest City, Pennsylvania:

Open equitation over fences: 1. Alexis Wirth, Kutztown University. 2. Andrea Heinzman, Kutztown University. 3. Danielle Miranda, Lafayette College. 4. Larissa Ott, Penn State - Berks.

Intermediate equitation over fences: 1. Maggie Gordon, Lehigh University. 2. Linda Beyer, Kutztown University. 3. Mary Elena Cassetori, University of Scranton.

Alumni equitation over fences: 1. Lauren Casale, Kutztown University. 2. Danielle Reynolds, Long Island University - C.W. Post College.

Novice equitation over fences: 1. Emily Esteve, Lafayette College. 2. J.T. Gillen, Kutztown University. 3. Emily Odle, Lafayette College. 4. Candice Girandola, East Stroudsburg University. 5. Hannah Kreider, Penn State - Berks. 6. Jillian Cassetori, University of Scranton. 7. Emily Riden, Penn State - Berks. 8. Eryn Ziegler, Cedar Crest College.

Open equitation on the flat: 1. Shannon Ebert, Kutztown University. 2. Maggie Gordon, Lehigh University. 3. Andrea Heinzman, Kutztown University. 4. Maria Gubbiotti, University of Scranton.

Intermediate equitation on the flat: 1. Elanna Spiegel, Lafayette College. 2. Jess Benner, Kutztown University. 3. Kate Felter, Rutgers University. 4. Emily Hulak, Rutgers University. 5. Shannon Thieme, Rutgers University. 6. Shannon Bilder, Bloomsburg University. 7. Candice Girandola, East Stroudsburg University. 8. Rachel Krause, Kutztown University.

Alumni equitation on the flat: 1. Ashton Phillips, Virginia Intermont College. 2. Lauren Casale, Kutztown University. 3. Stacy Klein, Dartmouth College.

Novice equitation on the flat: 1. Emily Odle, Lafayette College. 2. Eryn Ziegler, Cedar Crest College. 3. Emily Riden, Penn State - Berks. 4. Kaylie Olson, Kutztown University. 5. April Koveleskie, East Stroudsburg University. 6. Katie Carracapa, Rutgers University. 7. Kim Mineo, East Stroudsburg University. 8. Hannah Kreider, Penn State - Berks.

Walk-trot equitation: 1. Emily Wohl, Bloomsburg University. 2. Alyssa Darrenkamp, Penn State - Berks. 3. Kate Deacours, Bloomsburg University. 4. Chelsea Beers, East Stroudsburg University. 5. Tatiana Ballreich, Cedar Crest College. 6. Kelly Kuzmiski, University of Scranton. 7. Jackie Tuttle, Cedar Crest College.

Advanced walk-trot-canter: 1. Heather Chojnacki, Rider University. 2. Kelly Wagner, Kutztown University. 3. Ramona Fittipaldi, Lafayette College. 4. Alyssa Wernham, Bloomsburg University. 5. Meghan Carty, Rider University. 6. Stephanie Testal, Moravian College. 7. Renee Levesque, Rutgers University. 8. Molly Clarke, Lafayette College.