Goucher College freshman Courtney Levine was one of six Gopher riders to win a class at the September 23rd University of Maryland show. Goucher earned eight blue ribbons overall and could claim both the high point and reserve high point riders.

GOUCHER WINS EARLY AND OFTEN, FINISHES WITH 43 POINTS IN SEASON OPENER

Upper Marlboro, MD - One thing was for sure coming into the Zone 4, Region 1 season opener: When the 2006-07 season was finished, there would be a new Region 1 hunter seat team champion. This is because Sweet Briar College, which won the region in 2005-06, has moved west into Zone 4, Region 2.

Of the twelve teams competing in the hunter seat season opener on September 23rd, only two could claim to have ever advanced a full team to Zones. Goucher College did so in both 2003 and 2005, while Mary Washington won the region ten times between 1987 and 2004. By the time the weekend was over, both the Gophers and the Eagles would establish themselves once again as the front-runners.

It was in fact a busy weekend for the region as two english and two western shows were held in roughly a 30 hour span. The Saturday english show kicked off the proceedings (and thus is the focus of this story), with riders entering the ring at 10:43AM. The first rider to win for the season was Goucher junior Brittany Martin, winning the open flat. From Ocean City, Maryland, Martin essentially picked up where she left off in 2005-06, as her previous appearance resulted in two firsts and high point rider honors at the 2005-06 season-ending show hosted by William & Mary. Gopher teammate Jonathan Cohen followed Martin in next section of open flat. From Chicago, Illinois, Cohen would be the first of many freshman to win a class at today's show.

University of Maryland teammates Blair Conard (left) and Veronica Bruce earned similar scores at Saturday's show. Bruce, a freshman, won her debut IHSA ride in novice flat, then finished second in novice fences. Conard, a transfer from Cazenovia, was second in novice flat but then won her novice fences. The Terps scored 24 points on Saturday but earned reserve high point team honors on Sunday with 33.

Lauren Campbell became the first non-Goucher rider to win a class, prevailing in the final section of open flat. The junior from Latham, New York earned the first of four blue ribbons awarded to Mary Washington riders. Region 1 usually holds the flat in each level before the fences, and today was no exception. Mary Washington made it two in a row as freshman Jessica Van Brocklin won the first of two sections of open fences. A short time later, Martin became the first rider to win twice, capturing the blue ribbon in the second section.

Four intermediate classes followed, with freshman prevailing in three of them. Goucher freshman Elizabeth "Boo" Geisse won the first of two intermediate flats and the first of two intermediate over fences. From Chagrin Falls, Ohio, Geisse tied teammate Martin and thus assured there would be a ride-off for high point at the end of the day. In between her two firsts was a second intermediate flat section won by Goucher teammate Ashley Stewart, the only senior from any team to win a class all day. Goucher had a chance to sweep the intermediate but Mary Washington freshman Kristin Eno won the second of two fences classes in her IHSA debut.

There were seven novice sections (four flat, three fences) and at least five would go to riders making their Region 1 debuts. American University freshman Libby Nigro proved that Goucher and Mary Washington would not win every blue ribbon at today's show by capturing the first section of novice flat. Other schools without blue ribbons followed in hot pursuit, as Megan Applebaum of Mount Saint Mary's and Veronica Bruce of the University of Maryland won the following flat sections. The final novice flat section broke a string of five consecutive classes won by freshman, as Goucher junior Sarah Pandolfini won to give the Gophers yet another blue ribbon. This was significant as all five Goucher point riders through the early divisions had won, giving the Gophers a shot at a perfect 49 score. Goucher freshman Courtney Levine then proceeded to win the first novice fences class. However Levine was not their pointed rider in the division. Former Cazenovia College rider Blair Conard placed second to Nigro in novice flat but her University of Maryland debut in novice fences was one place better. The Equiterps would win back-to-back novice fences classes as Allison Akers (who is one of two riders we did not find out the graduating class for) prevailed in the third section.

It was not until the tenth class of the day that a rider from a school other than Goucher or Mary Washington won a class. American University freshman Libby Nigro poses with 'Zak' and Head Coach Trisha Prettyman after winning the tenth class, the first section of novice flat.

The alumni came next, and though nine riders were enterred only two had made the top five overall within the alumni flat or fences in Region 1 last season. One of those riders is 2003 Virginia Intermont College graduate Angee Quattro, who did the region proud by winning the individual alumni over fences at 2006 IHSA Nationals in Harrisburg. Quattro opened the new season by placing third in alumni flat, while 2005 Miami of Ohio graduate Sarah Zichi made her alumni debut memorable with a first in the hack. 2005 St. Mary's graduate Diane Zrimsek finished in between Zichi and Quattro. Quattro proved to be consistant on the day, placing third over fences. 2004 College of William & Mary graduate Jill Wilson, who placed fourth on the flat won the fences class while Zichi was second. 1996 University of Maryland graduate Daphne Boogaard, who has ridden alumni off-and-on this decade, placed fifth in both sections. Rounding out the alumni placings were Hood graduate Jenna Starr with a sixth in alumni flat, Zrimsek with a fourth over fences and Katie Cawood with a sixth in alumni fences. Cawood was known as Katie Lawery when she graduated from the University of Maryland in 2005 (and finished fifth overall in the Region 1 alumni on the flat last season). Her new husband (and we mean new; They were married on September 10th) Will Cawood rode for the University of Maryland back in the fall of 1990. Cawood competed at today's show but did not place. Cawood was one of several alumni riders competing today to attend more than one school before getting a degree. Cawood graduated from Catholic in 2000, Starr initially rode for Centenary College and Boogaard (at whose barn Cawood met Lawery) rode for Southern Seminary before graduating from Maryland. Boogaard is very proud of getting the Cawoods together, and that Katie can now jump fences! The former Miss Lawery was strictly on the flat until almost six months ago, and had fifth and sixth been reversed the pupil would have defeated her instructor!

Three sections of advanced walk-trot-canter followed, with William & Mary sophomore Sandy Gilliland earning the first blue ribbon in the division. Mary Washington continued to pull closer to Goucher as sophomore Stephanie Kulakowski won the second section. It had been a while since a freshman had won a class when Devora McCoys' debut IHSA ride resulted in the fourth blue ribbon of the day for the Equiterps.

The next-to-last class of the day was something called the "Invitational Walk-Trot-Canter Equitation." The class would not count towards regionals, but would serve as a sort of pre-beginner walk-trot-canter class. Niki Novak of St. Mary's won the division made up of seven riders.

One-time Midway College rider Bevin Nicholson (left) is the only new Head Coach within Region 1 so far this season. Her George Mason team scored 17 points, with freshman Mary Potter earning five of them with a red ribbon in advanced walk-trot-canter.

The final official class of the day (at least the final official hunter seat class - Editor) was the lone section of walk-trot. Maggie Woodward of William & Mary added seven points to the Tribes' total, which turned out to be 25 points and a tie for third place overall with Mount Saint Mary's. Though Gouchers' shot at a perfect score went by the boards the Gophers still won with 43 of a possible 49 points. Mary Washington sophomore Jessica English had placed second to Woodward in walk-trot, raising the Eagles total to 37, closer to Goucher than seemed likely about two hours earlier. Following William & Mary and Mount Saint Marys' in third (the latter team pulling this feat off without riders in three divisions) was the University of Maryland with 24 points. The Equiterps hosted today's show at the expansive Prince George's Equestrian Center, where a rodeo was also scheduled to take place in the nearby Show Place Arena.

There was one more hunter seat class to be held. Geisse and Martin took part in a ride-off, during which Judge Nancy Faulkner asked each rider a few questions. Apparently Geisse knew a bit more about 'Natural Aids' than Martin, for the intermediate was crowned the high point rider while the open rider had to settle for reserve.

Lauren Campbell (left) and Jessica Van Brocklin of Mary Washington both won open level classes at Saturday's hunter seat show. On Sunday Van Brocklin would take the early lead in the Region 1 Cacchione/Open Rider Standings while the Eagles would score 45 points to win and pull ahead of Goucher by eight points in the team standings.

Though the ride-off was completed at ten minutes past five, several of the riders in attendance had yet to compete. This is because the first Region 1 western show of the new season started moments later. Sixteen of the 22 riders enterred in the western show competed for the University of Maryland, and as a result the Equiterps went on to win by a 21-5 margin over American (there were no open western or open reining sections held over the weekend). The alumni classes were split between Starr (who won alumni reining) and University of Maryland Coach Trisha Prettyman (who won alumni rail). The next morning the Equiterps had more competition, as the United States Naval Academy was enterred. Maryland still won, this time by an 18-10 margin over the group from Annapolis. Soon-to-be-Married Cedar Crest College graduate Gabby Boulerice won the alumni rail on Sunday while Starr remained undefeated in reining. The second hunter seat show of the weekend was won by Mary Washington, coming close to a perfect score with 45 points. This time the Equiterps were reserve with 33 while Goucher was third with 31. The only other school to score 20 or more was George Mason, who have the only new Head Coach within the region in the person of former Midway College rider Bevin Nicholson. George Mason scored exactly 20 during Sunday's hunter seat proceedings.

Will it be like this everywhere?: This writer attended both the September 23rd University of Maryland show and the October 24th Zone 3, Region 3 alumni-hosted show. At both shows the vast majority of winners were freshman, and it seemed as though more than a third of all competitors were new to the IHSA. It is wonderful to see so much interest from individuals who have been in college for less than a month but it does beckon one question: What happenned to a great number of people who were riding last season? Perhaps the freshmen rode better in practice, or maybe certain people are being held back so that they can play a part in Zones far down the road. Regardless of why, the fact is that freshmen play the largest role within the IHSA most seasons, which gives hope to many programs that they may rise up unexpectedly to compete for region titles.

---Steve Maxwell

September 23rd hunter seat show incidentals: Mostly overcast skies, with temperatures in the low '70's. Start time: 10:43AM. Finish: 5:10PM. Coaches and Captains Meeting held prior to start of show. Point Cards posted in this Region? Yes. Alumni Classes held in this region? Yes. Judge: Ms. Nancy Faulkner, St. Michael's, MD. Stewards: Holbrook/Goucher College, Boteler/University of Mary Washington and Baker/University of Maryland graduate.

Team Totals: Goucher College (High Point Team) 43; University of Mary Washington (Reserve) 37; College of William & Mary 25; Mount St. Mary's University 25; University of Maryland 24; St. Mary's College (MD) 18; George Mason University 17; University of Richmond 16; American University 15; Christopher Newport University 10; Hood College 9 and George Washington University 8.

High Point Rider - Boo Geisse, Goucher College
Reserve High Point Rider - Brittany Martin, Goucher College