Emily Casali of Delaware Valley College was the only rider with two firsts on November 14th.

CASALI, SMITH LEAD DELAWARE VALLEY TO VICTORY

Readington, NJ - The Delaware Valley Aggies edged Penn by a 35-33 margin to win the final fall Zone 3, Region 2 hunter seat show of the 2004-05 season. Del Val could claim both the high point rider in Emily Casali (who won both of her intermediate classes) and reserve high point rider in novice Kelly Smith (first in novice flat, second in novice fences). Five other Delaware Valley riders, including open rider Melissa Voytershark, also won classes. Voytershark, a winner in open fences on this day, leads the Region 2 Open Rider/Cacchione race by two points over the University of Delaware's Sara Holland headed into the spring portion of the schedule.

Although Penn won only two classes outright (Halerie Mahon in novice fences and Libby MacNeil in beginner walk-trot-canter), the quakers placed second four times (including Jess Schatz twice, in intermediate flat and novice fences) and used their highest score this fall to climb into third place in the team standings. Penn Head Coach Dawne Morrone could claim to be twice as happy, as her other team, the Rider broncs, had their highest score so far this season with 22 points.

Franklin & Marshall, whom had hosted a hunter seat show the day before, finished third with 29 points. Open rider Keren Mitchell and novice rider Meredith Stramm-Strosser each had a first and a second for the diplomats, who find themselves in fourth place overall but only eight behind Penn headed into the break.

The University of Delaware had a good day and ended up with 27 points. Still solidly in second place, the blue hens earned five blue ribbons, including a win for freshman Kristina Christiansen in open flat (which turned out to be the first class of the day after a last-minute change in the running order of classes). Tabitha McAnally, the other University of Delaware open level freshman was second over fences, and both McAnally and Christiansen finished their first semester in Newark with 30 points in the open division.

Barbieri is in: The only alumni rider not to attend college within the region has become the first hunter seat rider to qualify for Regionals. Virginia Tech graduate Blair Barbieri won both alumni classes, advancing to Regionals in alumni flat and moving to within a point over fences. Amber Jewell, a graduate of host Arcadia, was second in both alumni classes and can qualify next time out with a third on the flat and a fourth over fences. Del Val alum Jamie Mast can also reach Regionals in alumni fences if she wins outright at the February 27th show hosted by her alma matter. Mast was third in alumni fences at today's show.

Almost the Most Recent Show: A week after the Arcadia show, there were some Stock Seat Competitions held in the southernmost part of the Region. A pair of shows hosted by Washington College on the 20th was followed by the final regular season stock seat show at Sunnyside Farm on the 21st. Bucks County's two-year run at the top came to an end as Delaware Valley wound up high point stock seat team for the season. Part of the aggies' success can be traced to open rider Whitney Eisentraut, who transfered mid-season from Bucks to Delaware Valley in 2003-04. Eisentraut, who rode in the AQHA Cup Competition at 2004 Nationals, will do so again, as her 91 stock seat points put her 17 ahead of reserve rider Paige Hortman of Utah Valley State College. Congratulations to Del Val Stock Seat Coach Joanne Coniglio on the aggies' first-ever trip to Stock Seat Zones in the Team Competition!

But there's more!: After the final regular season show was complete, most of those in attendance hung around for the Zone 3, Region 2 Stock Seat Regional show later that afternoon. The most interesting aspect of Zone 3, Region 2 Regional Shows is that the top two placings are not announced. The reason for this on all previous occasions was so that the results could be announced at the year-end banquet later in the evening. The problem this time is because the banquet won't be held until the evening of the Hunter Seat Regional Show on April 2nd, everyone will have to wait six months to receive either their red or blue ribbon. With Stock Seat Zones being held a week before Hunter Seat Regionals - which the banquet usually follows - several riders may qualify for Nationals before learning of their placings at Regionals! Coach Coniglio put it best in an e-mail on the subject: "Talk about Suspence!"

There's even more!: At the time it seemed that in spite of the unknown placings, the open qualifiers were Eisentraut and Hortman, as they were the only two riders with 28 points in each western division. However, a few weeks later Hortman opted to transfer for the second time in two seasons, leaving Utah Valley State for Oklahoma State. Exactly what will happen with Hortman's western situation is up in the air (her new region, Zone 7, Region 2 still has four western shows in the spring not to mention Regionals on April 2nd), although her 38 hunter seat points do transfer on an individual basis for certain (she cannot win the Cacchione in either region but can qualify individually with the combined hunter seat points). There is even a chance Hortman can make history by being the first rider to compete hunter seat in the post-season in one Zone and stock seat in another. If everyone approves, Hortman could even fly into Pittsburgh and ride at Zone 3 Stock Seat Zones on March 26th. Who knows? Maybe Hortman will receive her Stock Seat Regionals ribbons at Nationals!

--Steve Maxwell, with assistance from Denise Zeno

Team Totals: Delaware Valley College (High Point Team) 35; University of Pennsylvania (Reserve) 33; Franklin & Marshall College 29; University of Delaware 27; Rider University 22; Villanova University 21; West Chester University 21; Gettysburg College 17; Temple University 17; Bucks County Community College 14; Arcadia University 11; Washington College 10 and Utah Valley State College 5.

High Point Rider - Emily Casali, Delaware Valley College
Reserve High Point Rider - Kelly Smith, Delaware Valley College