Amanda Bartkowiak (on left, with coach Nancy Peterson) was the only Hollins rider to win a team class at 2004 Zone 4 Zones on April 9th. Bartkowiak also won the individual novice flat, but would Hollins take a team to IHSA Nationals for the seventh season in a row?

VIRGINIA INTERMONT PULLS AWAY

Laurinburg, NC - Whether it was the home turf advantage, something in the water, or simply solid riding, Region 3 was almost unstoppable at this year’s Zone 4 Zone Finals, held at St. Andrews Presbyterian College on April 9th. Riders from Region 3 claimed nine of the sixteen bids to Nationals, with Virginia Intermont winning the Collegiate Cup Competition over Hollins University (from Region 2) and Mary Washington College (from Region 1).

The first individual class of the day set the tone. The seventh of eight riders to compete in Individual Open Fences, Virginia Tech’s Ashley Duda, laid down an indisputably fabulous trip for a decisive win, beating out past and present Cacchione riders Cary Chenoweth, Caitlin Lane, and Erika Jewell. St. Andrews’ Angela MacFawn was hot on Duda’s heels, earning the red ribbon and a trip to Nationals with the kind of accurate, flowing ride the Region 3 faithful have become accustomed to seeing from her. Duda and MacFawn, both known within their region for outstanding sportsmanship as well as talent, have been untouchable in the post season. (The girls were ½ at last week’s Zone 4 Region 3 Regionals as well). 2003 Region 2 Cacchione rider Cary Chenoweth put in a nice ride for 3rd place honors, just out of reach of Nationals.

Another Region 3 rider had a stellar day in the Intermediate division. Jennifer Tabisz of Virginia Intermont was one of three riders to pick up a pair of blue ribbons today. She first bested a class of seven in Individual Intermediate Fences, guaranteeing herself a trip to Nationals along with reserve champion Glenna Kassel of Randolph Macon Women’s College. Tabisz then went on to win the Collegiate Cup Intermediate Flat class over Mary Washington’s K.D. Klepper (in second) and Hollins University’s Jenn Adams. This win, along with four other Collegiate Cup wins, assured Virginia Intermont a trip to Nationals in the team competition.

After jumping into the IHSA scene mid-season, Mary Washington College freshman Elizabeth Coughlin nearly went undefeated in both Open Fences and Flat coming into the Zone Finals. Competing in the Collegiate Cup classes for Mary Washington, Coughlin continued her winning streak, besting Jenn Champagne (Hollins) and Erika Jewell (VI) over fences and on the flat. Although she did not attend enough regular shows this season to qualify for Regionals as an individual this year, Coughlin will no doubt be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come.

The third rider to achieve “double blue” status was Amanda Bartkowiak of Hollins University. After dominating the Collegiate Cup Novice Fences class over Nora Harris (VI) and Katherine Carlucci (Mary Washington), Bartkowiak later went on to win the Individual Novice Flat class over reserve champion Katie DeLucas of St. Andrews.

Another Region 2 rider captured the blue in Individual Novice Fences. Sarah Michaels became the first Washington and Lee rider of the day to qualify for Nationals, riding a lovely course for the win, with St. Andrews’ Matt Lawson right behind her in second place.

Both Individual Open and Intermediate flat classes brought more slots for Nationals to Regions 2 and 3. Region 2 Cacchione rider Caitlin Lane bounced back from a disappointing over fences trip to win the Individual Open Flat. Called back on top for testing, Lane displayed the style and grace that brought her to the top of her region to win the class. Elon’s Jozi Snowberger, the Reserve Champion at Region 3 Regionals, repeated last week’s excellent performance for second place, making her Elon’s sole representative at Nationals. The University of Virginia’s Lauren Richardson moved to the top of her Individual Intermediate Flat class after performing a nearly flawless test, with Intermont’s Taylor Barlass picking up Reserve Champion honors.

Region 3 held a monopoly over the Individual Walk-Trot-Canter class, with St. Andrews’ Sarah Rhymer and Intermont’s Brad Allen finishing first and second, respectively. Blake Bullard of the University of Virginia took home the final Individual Championship in the Walk-Trot class, with Mary Washington’s Layne Havens finishing in second. Until Havens came through, no Region 1 individual rider had placed above third at Zones since Kate Fournel of Goucher won the individual open fences to start 2003 Zone 4 Zones last April. The drought of 14 straight (hunter seat) Zone 4 Zones individual classes without a Region 1 National Qualifier was over.

In the Collegiate Cup team competition, Virginia Intermont won by nine points, a landslide by most IHSA standards. With wins by Kimberly Hezzlwood (Intermediate Fences), Tabisz (Intermediate Flat), Nora Harris (Novice Flat), Rachel Ellis (Walk-Trot-Canter) and Christine Shanks (Walk-Trot), the team from Bristol, VA grabbed the lead early and kept it throughout the day. The fight for second place was much tighter, perhaps the closest at Zone 4 Zones since April of 2000. The representative from Region 1 had struggled in each of the Zones shows since then, but today Mary Washington made it more than interesting. Tied with Intermont after two classes (Thanks to Coughlin's first over fences), Mary Washington fell back to third, then used the second place finish by Klepper and the second blue ribbon of the day for Coughlin to overtake Hollins and move to within a point of Intermont. Through five classes, Virginia Intermont had 28, Mary Washington had 27, and Hollins had 25. Most people were unaware that Hollins had the "current" longest streak nationwide of consecutive trips to IHSA Nationals for a hunter seat team on the line, having advanced through Zones every season since 1997-98 (when they last won it all).

However the team from Roanoke, VA would find a way. Though Intermont continued to win the team classes, Amy Fitzwater (novice flat), Amanda Coody (walk-trot-canter) and Hope Sweenson (walk-trot) all placed second, giving Hollins the Reserve Champion ribbon by one point over Mary Washington. Some of the Zones shows around the country deliberatly put an open or intermediate class at the end of the day, as to take the pressure off the lower level riders. This was not one of those cases, though considering what was at stake it would not be a surprise to see Zone 4 Zones end with something other than the Team Walk-Trot or Team Walk-Trot-Canter in 2005.

As always, St. Andrews put on a spectacular show that received the utmost praise from riders and coaches alike. Both the weather and the horses were exceptionally cooperative, and the show ran smoothly from start to finish. The course, designed by Debbi White, was challenging but straightforward, asking enough questions to keep things interesting but simple enough to let rider style and skill determine the winners rather than the course. Naturally, White included one of her classic “speed bumps”: a small, narrow pile of brush with no standards that had countless people asking, “Are we supposed to JUMP that?” throughout the course walk.

While impressed with the talent, attitude, and professionalism of all riders, this reporter was particularly impressed with the competitors from St. Andrews. While it is easy to include the “hometown advantage” into the equation, one must also keep in mind how much time and effort is involved in running a top-notch horse show and trying to look your best in the ring all in the same day. The St. Andrews students could be seen running back and forth from the barn to the ring and back again all day long, taking care of horses and moving jumps and just generally performing the countless tasks involved in hosting and running a horse show, pausing only to get themselves into the ring to perform, more often than not victoriously. White, coach Peggy McElveen, and their students are to be commended for once and again going above and beyond the call of duty and hosting a fantastic Zone Finals.

--Emily Gold

Show Incidentals: Sunny and clear. Highs in the upper 70's. Start time: 9:58AM. Finish: 2:24PM - Coaches & Captains meeting held prior to the show. Judges: Alice Coke, Franklin, TN and Mindy Darst, Lebanon, OH. Stewards: Morgan/Wake Forest University, others unknown.

Class results, in the order in which they were held, with the top two in each individual class advancing to IHSA Nationals in Murfreesboro, Tennessee May 6th through 8th:

Individual open equitation over fences: 1. Ashley Duda, Virginia Tech. 2. Angela MacFawn, St. Andrews Presbyterian College. 3. Cary Chenoweth, Bridgewater College. 4. Jesica Mangun, Mary Washington College. 5. Maisy Grassie, Goucher College. 6. Erika Jewell, Virginia Intermont College. 7. Robyn Sonis, University of Maryland. 8. Caitlin Lane, Washington & Lee University.

Team intermediate equitation over fences: 1. Kimberly Hezzelwood, Virginia Intermont College. 2. Heather Hurst, Hollins University. 3. Erica Rozek, Mary Washington College.

Team open equitation over fences: 1. Elizabeth Coughlin, Mary Washington College. 2. Jenn Champagne, Hollins University. 3. Erika Jewell, Virginia Intermont College.

Individual intermediate equitation over fences: 1. Jennifer Tabisz, Virginia Intermont College. 2. Glenna Kassel, Randolph-Macon Woman's College. 3. Mara Sullivan, Virginia Tech. 4. Alexis, Starer, Bridgewater College. 5. Cheryl Mazarowski, James Madison University. 6. Carrie Veneman, College of William & Mary. 7. Sarah Slater, Elon College.

Individual novice equitation over fences: 1. Sarah Michaels, Washington & Lee University. 2. Matt Lawson, St. Andrews Presbyterian College. 3. Katie Parnell, Sweet Briar College. 4. Mike Gaches, St. Mary's College (MD). 5. Vanessa Carter, Hollins University. 6. Catherine Wynne, Virginia Intermont College. 7. Jenna Starr, Hood College. 8. Sonnie Ingalls, Virginia Intermont College. 9. Lauren Richardson, University of Virginia.

Team novice equitation over fences: 1. Amanda Bartkowiak, Hollins University. 2. Nora Harris, Virginia Intermont College. 3. Katherine Carlucci, Mary Washington College.

Individual open equitation on the flat: 1. Caitlin Lane, Washington & Lee University. 2. Jozi Snowberger, Elon College. 3. Corinne Davies, Sweet Briar College. 4. Erika Jewell, Virginia Intermont College. 5. Diane Zrimsek, St. Mary's College (MD). 6. Katie Goodrich, Washington & Lee University. 7. Angela MacFawn, St. Andrews Presbyterian College. 8. Maisy Grassie, Goucher College. 9. Cary Chenoweth, Bridgewater College.

Team intermediate equitation on the flat: 1. Jennifer Tabisz, Virginia Intermont College. 2. K.D. Klepper, Mary Washington College. 3. Jenn Adams, Hollins University.

Team open equitation on the flat: 1. Elizabeth Coughlin, Mary Washington College. 2. Erika Jewell, Virginia Intermont College. 3. Jenn Champagne, Hollins University.

Individual intermediate equitation on the flat: 1. Lauren Richardson, University of Virginia. 2. Taylor Barlass, Virginia Intermont College. 3. Mike Gaches, St. Mary's College (MD). 4. Leigh-Ann Farmer, Christopher Newport University. 5. Caitlin Biggerstaff, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 6. Tricia Norkunas, Lynchburg College. 7. Carrie Veneman, College of William & Mary. 8. Morgan Graber, Virginia Intermont College. 9. Nicole Cologne, Lynchburg College.

Individual novice equitation on the flat: 1. Amanda Bartkowiak, Hollins University. 2. Katie DeLucas, St. Andrews Presbyterian College. 3. Jency Bennitt, St. Andrews Presbyterian College. 4. Bethany Standley, Lynchburg College. 5. April Elliot, Bridgewater College. 6. Maggie Johnson, College of William & Mary. 7. K.D. Klepper, Mary Washington College. 8. Kim Butterbaugh, Virginia Intermont College. 9. Doria Fleisher, St. Mary's College (MD).

Team novice equitation on the flat: 1. Nora Harris, Virginia Intermont College. 2. Amy Fitzwater, Hollins University. 3. Kane Ramsey, Mary Washington College.

Individual walk-trot-canter equitation: 1. Sarah Rhymer, St. Andrews Presbyterian College. 2. Brad Allen, Virginia Intermont College. 3. Amanda Scott, Hollins University. 4. Elise Branch, Hollins University. 5. Amanda Phillips, James Madison University. 6. Adria Fix, Goucher College. 7. Kelly Zeytoonian, Virginia Tech. 8. Kristi Hanley, Sweet Briar College. 9. Jo Gormley, Sweet Briar College.

Team walk-trot-canter equitation: 1. Rachel Ellis, Virginia Intermont College. 2. Amanda Coody, Hollins University. 3. Brianna Egan, Mary Washington College.

Individual walk-trot equitation: 1. Blake Bullard, University of Virginia. 2. Layne Havens, Mary Washington College. 3. Stephany Smathers, Randolph-Macon Woman's College. 4. Jennifer Parshall, Virginia Intermont College. 5. Sarah Marsh, St. Andrew's Presbyterian College. 6. Emily Carper, College of William & Mary. 7. Holly Burt, Wake Forest University. 8. Kathy Wang, Washington & Lee University. 9. Ashley Brewer, Christopher Newport University.

Team walk-trot equitation: 1. Christine Shank, Virginia Intermont College. 2. Hope Sweenson, Hollins University. 3. Kimberly Hardison, Mary Washington College.

Team Totals: 1. Virginia Intermont College 49. 2. Hollins University 40. 3. Mary Washington College 39.