From left to right are Emily Wahl, Sara Klee, Katie Wines, Taylor Hansen, Muffy Warsaw, Head Coach Waverly Ernst, Adam Moore, Rachel Feiner, Kelly Corbitt and Samantha Halperin of the University of Florida. The Gators are in a happy mood here, having just won the 2007-08 hunter seat season opener at Georgia Southern by a 33-32 margin over Savannah College of Art & Design while defending Region 3 champion College of Charleston was third with 21 points (photo and accompanying article courtesy Waverly Ernst/University of Florida Equestrian Team).

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA WINS REGION 3 SEASON OPENER

Brooklet, GA – Although Savannah College of Art and Design won the most classes at the Zone 5, Region 3 season opener at Georgia Southern University on September 29th, the University of Florida Gators had strong placings from their point riders to finish ahead of SCAD for the high point team award. Samantha Halperin the Gators and Nikki Perrin of the SCAD Bees tied for the high point rider award and Perrin earned the title through a ride off. The season opener also showed a big upset for the undefeated 2006-07 College of Charleston team who did not win a single class at the GSU meet.

The University of Florida had several incoming freshman as point riders (37 freshman joined the Gator hunter seat team, making up over half of the 66 member hunter seat roster and comprising the largest freshman class in the riding program's history). True freshman Emily Wahl and Rachel Feiner gave the Gators a strong start; Feiner with a team second in Open Flat and individual fifth place in Open Fences and Wahl with a team win in Open Fences and individual third place finish in Intermediate Flat. Junior Samantha Halperin led the Gators to an even better score with a team win in Intermediate Flat and a team second in Intermediate Fences. A consistent pair of thirds in Novice Flat and Novice Fences from Sophomore Katie Wines added to the Gators team point card. Freshman Tayler Hansen had a good showing for the team in Advanced Walk-Trot-Canter but walked away with an honorable mention placing and senior Walk-Trot rider Adam Moore finished the day with a sixth place for the team.

Freshman individual riders Sara Klee and Kelly Corbitt started their IHSA careers impressively, with Klee winning and Corbitt fourth in separate sections of Novice Flat. Fellow Gator and Zone 5, Region 3 2006-07 Reserve Cacchione Cup Rider Muffy Warsaw brought in an individual fifth place in Open Flat and third place in Open Fences. Senior Melissa Orzeck brought home an individual fifth place in Intermediate Flat during her quest to qualify for regionals before graduation in December.

Florida hunt seat coach Waverly Ernst, who also rode for the Gators as an undergraduate, is looking to keep the consistency the Gators showed during the GSU fall meet throughout the season and lead the club sports team to a regional victory for the first time since the 2002-03 season. The Gators will host the next Zone 5, Region 3 Hunter Seat competition at their home training facility, Roulette Jumpers, in Ocala, Florida on October 13, 2007.

--Waverly Ernst