The last time she went to Regionals she advanced to Zones in novice flat. Jocelyn Kozick was riding for Wilson College at that time. Two seasons later, Kozick will be going to Zones again, having placed second in novice fences at Regionals on March 28th.

ZONE 3, REGION 3 REGIONALS RESULTS

Mechanicsburg, PA - Four schools led the way at 2003-04 Region 3 Regionals on March 28th. West Virginia University initially saw three riders advance to Zones, then advanced another when the second place walk-trot rider indicated she would not be able to attend Zones due to personal reasons.

Region 3 high point team Penn State advanced senior and Cacchione qualifier Allison Handler in both open divisions while Tanja Rebernik will also go to Zones for the nittany lions in novice fences. Runner-up Pittsburgh will get three undergraduate rides at Zones, via Jocelyn Kozick in novice fences, Kim Mamula in novice flat and Sidney Rozek in advanced walk-trot-canter. Both Mamula and Rozek came away with blue ribbons in the only classes which featured six or more riders. Though Wilson College missed the first show of the season they will still be well represented at Zones. Gina Tranquillo (open fences), Lisa Havilland (intermediate flat) and Jennifer Friend (advanced walk-trot-canter) were able to make the top two. Tranquillo and Havilland were both members of the 2001-02 Wilson team that won the region, though the only rider from that Wilson team to see action at IHSA Nationals who advanced today is Kozick, who transferred to Pittsburgh the following season. Ironically Kozick rode at Nationals in the same divisions in which she rode today (Kozick was fourth in intermediate flat at today's show).

The West Virginia mountaineers advanced the most riders. Holly Hagedorn was the only rider all season to qualify in intermediate fences, receiving an automatic pass to Zones. Reserve high point open rider for the region Mary Markvan was second in open flat. Jackie Vadas was second in intermediate flat, and third-place finisher Sara Hage got to advance in walk-trot after Renee Shearer of Edinboro withdrew. Other riders who made the cut were Laura Pell of host Dickinson College (in novice flat) and Trisha Myers of Indiana of Pennsylvania, who won the walk-trot class in which Shearer placed second and Hage third.

Only two alumni qualified in each division, and both placed the same way. Pittsburgh graduate Melaina McSweeney won and Edinboro alumni rider Laura Hetz was second. Both join the rest of the bunch in moving on to Zones on April 10th, to be held on the property of the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington, PA. The show will mark the first time since 1994 that Zone 3 Zones are held west of Central Pennsylvania (Wilson hosted in 1999). As was the case in 1994, Penn State will have a full team, as will Stony Brook University and Delaware Valley College. Stony Brook from Region 1 is making their first team appearance since 1998, while Delaware Valley is returning for the first time since that 1994 show at S.F. Ford Stables in Allison Park, which was hosted by the Pitt Panthers. Since that time the Zone grew a fourth region, won this season by Kutztown University. It will be Kutztown's second time at Zones with a full hunter seat team, having advanced in 1998 while still in Region 2. The nittany lions are thus the only team back from last season's Zones competition, which Penn State won by a point over Fairfield and two points over Bucknell.

--Steve Maxwell

Class results, in the order in which they were held, with the top two in each class advancing to Zone 3 Zones on April 10th in Farmington, PA:

Open equitation over fences: 1. Allison Handler, Penn State University (State College). 2. Gina Tranquillo, Wilson College.

Intermediate equitation over fences: Holly Hagedorn, West Virginia University (no other qualifiers).

Novice equitation over fences: 1. Tanja Rebernik, Penn State University (State College). 2. Jocelyn Kozick, University of Pittsburgh.

Alumni equitation over fences: 1. Melaina McSweeney, University of Pittsburgh. 2. Laura Hetz, Edinboro University.

Alumni equitation on the flat: 1. Melaina McSweeney, University of Pittsburgh. 2. Laura Hetz, Edinboro University.

Open equitation on the flat: 1. Allison Handler, Penn State University (State College). 2. Mary Markvan, West Virigina University. 3. Lindsay Passaic, Penn State University (State College).

Intermediate equitation on the flat: 1. Lisa Havilland, Wilson College. 2. Jackie Vadas, West Virginia University. 3. Holly Hagedorn, West Virginia University. 4. Jocelyn Kozick, University of Pittsburgh.

Novice equitation on the flat: 1. Kira Mamula, University of Pittsburgh. Laura Pell, Dickinson College. 3. Tanja Rebernik, Penn State University (State College). 4. Marie Maher, Slippery Rock University. 5. Jaclyn Page, California University of Pennsylvania. 6. Sarah Klingler, Allegheny College.

Advanced walk-trot-canter: 1. Sidney Rozek, University of Pittsburgh. 2. Jennifer Friend, Wilson College. 3. Janice Pelter, Dickinson College. 4. Christie Clingan, Penn State University. 5. Sarah Gaydos, Penn State University - Fayette Campus. 6. Amanda Anderson, Edinboro University. 7. Andrea Shultz, Wilson College.

Walk-trot: 1. Trisha Myers, Indiana University of Pennsylvania. 2. Renee Shearer, Edinboro University. 3. Sara Hage, West Virginia University. 4. Beth O'Neil, Edinboro University. Note - Though she placed second, Renee Shearer has opted not to compete at Zones for personal reasons. By IHSA rules, the rider who placed third in the division advances to Zones, which will be Sara Hage.