Jessica Yankus (left) of Delaware Valley College was reserve high point rider, while teammate Emily Casali (right) was high point rider at the February 22nd West Chester/Temple show.

DELAWARE VALLEY BREAKS 40 POINT BARRIER; WINS NARROWLY

Dover, DE - Even though their leading open rider transferred within the region over the winter break, Delaware Valley College broke the forty point barrier for the second time this season en route to a three-point victory over the University of Delaware. Leading the way for the aggies were a pair of novice freshmen. Both Jessica Yankus, from Snow Hill, Maryland, and Emily Casali, from Medway, Massachusetts placed first in their novice fences classes and second in novice flat. Both were part of three-way ride-off with Brittany Hitz of the University of Delaware. Casali won the ride-off, with Yankus reserve. The aggies scored 41 overall, while the blue hens were close with 38. Also placing first for Delaware Valley were Erin Adams (open flat), Genna Weissner (intermediate flat), Neva Giannini (novice flat), Rebecca Spille (walk-trot), Kate Holben (beginner walk-trot-canter), Noelle Luccioni (advanced walk-trot-canter) and Amy Dyson (same).

Delaware Valley now leads the University of Delaware by a 237-219 margin, with two shows remaining. Should the aggies hold that lead it would mark the first time since 1993-94 that Delaware Valley won the region. Noteworthy for Del Val was that they posted a big score, when in past seasons the aggies generally struggled in shows between the first of the year and regionals.

The University of Delaware certainly had a good day by most standards. Besides Hitz's first in novice flat blue ribbons went to Ashley Leighton (intermediate fences), Sara Holland (open flat) and Lauren Twist (walk-trot). On eleven occassions the hens won second place ribbons, including Jessica Slade (open), Samantha Pyser (novice) and Janine Rapone (also novice) with two red ribbons each.

Almost unnoticed is the renaissance that has taken place at Bucks County. Dee Jones and company are now throughly locked into third place following a 33-point performance at Becher's Brook (pronounced "Beacher's Brook"). Chirsty Aussiker was second in both open flat and intermediate fences, while Kelsey Beers, Michelle Picone and Kristin Weimar each won a section of novice flat. With 180 points overall, Bucks is now 12 points shy of last season's total (when 192 was good enough for fourth place). And for the second season in a row, Bucks County produced the top stock seat team in Region 2. Everything old is new again as Bucks will have a re-match with Kutztown at Zones on April 4th.

What would the Osmonds say?: Paige Hortman, who rode in six fall shows at Delaware Valley, has formed a new team in the region. Hortman, who wants to attend aviation school, discovered that she could take classes at Utah Valley State College through a satellite campus in Philadelphia. Thus Utah Valley State College, which does not field a team in Zone 8, Region 3 (their natural location) can claim residency in Zone 3, Region 2 thanks to transfer Hortman. Hortman's former teammate Adams won open flat but earned nothing in the lone section of open fences while Hortman gained ground in the open rider standings with two third place ribbons. If you count Holland of the University of Delaware in the race (14 points behind Hortman) it appears the Cacchione Rep at Nationals will be from either Del Val, Delaware or Utah Valley State.

Things change in a hurry: Until the next-to-last class of the show, there was a four-way tie for high point rider between Aussiker, Slade, Pyser and Rapone. Following the next-to-last class, all four were eliminated from a ride-off, as Hitz and Yankus moved over both. Casali was second in the last class, and first in the ride-off after that.

Better now than then: Co-Host West Chester University entered the day with 47 points, 45 more than they posted all of last season (West Chester only participated in one IHSA show during the 2002-03 season). Led today by Erin Nolan, who won her novice flat class, West Chester added another 23 points to their team total, now up to 70 points.

Other undergraduates to receive blue ribbons were Caitlin Patton (intermediate fences) and Rebekah Hardy (intermediate flat) of Washington College; Pam Schreier of the University of Pennsylvania (novice fences) and Tracey Mitchell of Temple, who won half of the team's 14 points with a first in novice fences.

Who could ask for anything more?: Several horses from the neighborhood were trailered in for the show. Susan Burkey, who owns a horse named "I've Got Rhythm" but calls her "Abby" was happy that her horse was frequently into the blue ribbons. "My daughter gave up her allowance to buy her," said Burkey, who has now been a horseowner since October. Another horse was brought in by former University of Delaware zone qualifier Jennifer Buck, who along with Cathy Calvelli convinced Bryan Bradley not only to teach lessons but to also attend some IHSA shows as the hen's head coach! This was back in 1993, and by the 1994-95 season (Buck's last with the team), the University of Delaware won their region for the first time. Eight regional titles later Bradley is still head coach, but can the hens come back and make it nine?

Alumni was a four-way battle, with two of the three Delaware Valley graduates winning a class outright. Dawn Kaufmann won alumni flat while Joanne Coniglio won alumni fences. The other Del Val alumni, Jamie Mast, was second in both classes. Coniglio qualifed for Regionals in alumni fences, while alumni flat can claim three qualifiers in Coniglio, Mast and Bucks County graduate Amber Jewell, all with 33 points headed into the leap year show at Stepping Stone on the 29th.

--Steve Maxwell

Show Incidentals: Sunny skies, temperature in the high 40's. All but Alumni flat and open flat classes held indoors. Start time: 9:39AM. Finish: 5:10PM - includes a schooling break totaling 47 minutes. Coaches and Captains meeting held prior to the show. Point cards posted in this region? No. Alumni classes held in this Region? Yes. Judge: Erika Paradee. Stewards: Hefner-Mains/Gettysburg College, Vogt/University of Delaware and Shaw/Washington College.

Team Totals: Delaware Valley College (High Point Team) 41; University of Delaware (Reserve) 38; Bucks County Community College 33; West Chester University 23; Franklin & Marshall College 20; Temple University 14; Gettysburg College 13; Washington College 13; University of Pennsylvania 12; Rider University 11, Arcadia University 8 and Utah Valley State College 8.

High Point Rider - Emily Casali, Delaware Valley College
Reserve High Point Rider - Jessica Yankus, Delaware Valley College