Bucknell edges Kutztown in Region 4 opener

Readington, NJ - Led by intermediate rider Jessica Minnotte (pictured), the Bucknell bison equestrian team picked up where it left off last season, winning the zone 3, region 4 season opener at Briarwood Farm. The team from Lewisburg, PA scored 33 of a possible 49 points, three more than last seasons' reserve champions, Kutztown University.

Minnotte was the only rider through the day to win both of her classes, while teammates Kim Lorenz (who rides open) and Caitlin Rothacker (who rides novice) both won a class while placing second in another. The defending region 4 high point open rider, Princeton senior Kelly Wells, also had a first and a second. Lorenz, Rothacker and Wells took part in a ride-off for reserve at the end of the day, with Wells judged to be best.

Though the bison were without Becky Worden, their sophomore open rider who placed second to Wells in the open rider standings last season, co-captain Sara Figoski was on hand, placing first in open fences. Two seasons ago Lorenz had a good season, placing fifth in the region 3 Cacchione standings, while last year Figoski took advantage of the switch in regions, placing third in the region 4 Cacchione standings. Both Lorenz (who is the other co-captain) and Figoski look set to have big years this time. Lorenz is tied with Wells, both with 12 points while Figoski is close with 10 through show one. The only Bucknell rider other than Lorenz, Figoski, Minnotte or Rothacker to win a class was newcommer Elizabeth Spencer-Green, a sophomore from Seattle who only joined the team this season. Spencer-Green pinned first in the only walk-trot class of the day.

Golden bears use same people, get better results: "We don't have any new open riders, but two of the three who are back are riding much better" was Kutztown head coach Bruce Lachiusas' pre-show comment. Stephanie Menninger was possibly one of the two, and her efforts certainly helped the golden bears. Menninger was second in open fences and third in open flat. Laura Trautman, who had a great year as a novice in 2000-01 but struggled in 2001-02 was second in intermediate fences. Freshman Diana Pegg, from New Cumberland, PA was victorious in the other section of intermediate fences, also her IHSA debut. The flat classes after the lunch break really benefited Kutztown, as Heather Hollinger (novice flat), Erica Bechtal (same), Megan Sly (advanced walk-trot-canter) and Carmelina Carroccetto (beginner walk-trot-canter) all placed first while Abby Sears was reserve in her section of advanced walk-trot-canter.

Rutgers gets some new open riders, Princeton gets new "Everything Else.": Both Vicki Gallets and Maureen Henahan returned from last season to ride in the open division, but three newcommers joined the Rutgers open level ranks. Freshmen Danielle Strangos and Nora Helman along with junior Devon Safran made their IHSA debuts for the scarlet knights, with Strangos fairing the best (second in open flat and third in open fences). Princeton University sported 21 rider names in the show program, fewer than only Kutztown and Rutgers, with many of the tigers who won doing it in their IHSA debuts. Lindsay McGregor, a freshman from Los Angeles, was first in intermediate flat and third in intermediate fences. Another freshman, Lexington, VA resident Kristina Ravenhorst, won her novice fences while placing fourth in novice flat. Yet another Californian, freshman Mimi Chubb (from Irvine) won her novice flat. Dyonne Venable, from Hampton, VA placed second in the last class before the ride-off, the freshman earning a red ribbon in advanced walk-trot-canter. Nathaniel Norman, a senior from Providence, RI was third in the lone walk-trot class of the day. Not to be outdone by all the tigers making their IHSA debuts, Allison Roensch won her novice flat class. Princeton team advisor Sue Robichaud was worried that the tigers had pointed a lot of the wrong people. When the team totals were revealed at the end of the day it turned out Princeton still received 27 points, placing them third behind Bucknell (with 33) and Kutztown (with 30). Who knows what may happen if the tigers point the right people?!

More blue ribbons to go around: Other riders to place first were Jen Bukalski of Rutgers (advanced walk-trot-canter), Jennifer Mischello of Bloomsburg (same), Chrissie Baldwin of East Stroudsburg (novice flat), Kristen "K.J." Weiss of Cedar Crest (advanced walk-trot-canter) and three Lehigh mountain hawks, Rachel Suna (open flat), Jessica Wobb and Lena Andrews (both novice fences).

New coaches: Lehighs' new head coach is former Virginia Tech rider Marisa Kalmar. The mountain hawks placed fifth overall, with 14 points (Sunas' first in open flat and one of the two firsts in novice fences are how the 14 points were accrued) while the other new head coach showed up without his new team! Fran Gradel, the Delaware Valley College head coach from 1999 to 2002 will now coach DeSales University. However DeSales will not compete until the next show, hosted by Scranton at Lithia Valley Farms in Factoryville, PA. The Scranton show had been scheduled for October 13th, but Candy Apple Farm turned out to be unavailable that day, so Scranton will host at Lithia Valley a week later. Princeton had a big day with advisor Sue Robichaud handling the coaching duties, as the tigers' head coaching position remains technically open.

Gradel was in attendence for another reason: His daughter Jennifer was making her IHSA debut at Kutztown. Jennifer Gradel placed fourth in both of her intermediate classes, and along with Pegg, Trautman and Courtney Benderman (on the intermediate flat until she points out), the foursome make up an imposing intermediate division for the golden bears.

Phillips picks up where he left off: The region 4 alumni classes had some familiar faces from 2001-02 (Celeste Sisto, Jennifer Price, Ashton Phillips, recent Scranton graduates Nancy Panarese and Maureen Watson), some new faces (Kelly Giunta, Rutgers '00; Maren Vitousek, Amherst '02 who is getting her PhD in biology at Princeton) and some missing faces (Meredith Cornman, Maria McCloskey, Doug Vano, Alicia Kearns and Angie Sell, the latter of whom got married the day before the show but will return for future shows). Trava Soltis, who graduated midway through last season, nearly got credit for winning the alumni fences. The Cedar Crest alum was announced as first place AND reserve in the alumni fences, though in fact it was Virginia Intermont alum Ashton Phillips placing first. The last time he took part in an IHSA class, Phillips placed third in the nation over alumni fences at IHSA nationals in Cazenovia, NY this past spring. Phillips then proceeded to place second to Panarese on the flat, in the alumni debut for the former royal. Katie Tricarico (an '02 classmate of Panarese and Watson) showed up to watch, and there is a chance the former Scranton novice rider may show alumni before the year is out.

Show Incidentals: Cold but clear in the morning, temperature in the low 50's, then sunny skies, with temperatures reaching the high 70's. Start time: 8:45AM. Finish: 4:07PM - includes 37 minute break for coaches & captains meeting and 27 minute lunch break. Point cards posted in this region? No. Alumni classes held in this Region? Yes. Judge: Pat Byrnes. Stewards: Barini/Cedar Crest College, Lachiusa/Kutztown University and Lamont-Francfort/Rutgers University.

Team Totals: Bucknell University (High Point Team) 33; Kutztown University (Reserve) 30; Princeton University 27; Rutgers University 22; Lehigh University 14, Bloomsburg University 12; East Stroudsburg University 11; Cedar Crest College 10 and University of Scranton 7.

High Point Rider - Jessica Minnotte, Bucknell University
Reserve High Point Rider - Kelly Wells, Princeton University