Goucher Repeats as Zone IV Region I High Point College

Postel Finishes Second in Region's High Point Rider Standings

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. —  Unlike last season when Goucher went into the final IHSA riding show of the regular season with a nearly insurmountable lead in the Zone IV Region I standings, director Patte Zumbrun's riders were still fighting off Mary Washington and Christopher Newport for the 2012-13 regional title heading into today's show at Hazelwild Farm.

In fact, the Gophers' advantage over their closest pursuer was trimmed from 18 points down to 12 when they finished in second place at yesterday's show.

Answering the bell like only a true champion would, however, Goucher's riding program went out and distinguished itself as the high point college at today's show. The 37 points the Gophers earned allowed them to widen their final advantage over both of the teams that had a chance to catch them.

Adding in today's 37 points, Goucher ended the 2012-13 season with a total of 298 points and captured its sixth IHSA Zone IV Region I crown in the past 11 years. Mary Washington finished 14 points back in second place; Christopher Newport was a distant third (259 points).

As the Region I champion, Goucher earned the right to compete against the top riding programs from the other three regions at the IHSA Zone IV Championships, which will take place April 6 in Laurinburg, N.C.

Goucher's Addie Jabin (Annapolis, Md./Severn School) took home reserve high point rider honors from today's show for earning a blue ribbon in open equitation on the flat and a red ribbon for open equitation over fences. Teammate Karli Postel (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Oaks Christian School) also turned in a first-place performance in open flat, but she came up five points short of being the region's high point rider for the second year in a row.

Three other Goucher riders earned blue ribbons: Laura Adriaanse (Nottingham, Pa./Unionville) in advanced in walk-trot-canter equitation, Fanny Eaton (New York, N.Y./Convent of the Sacred Heart) in beginning walk-trot-canter and Kaili Janette (New Haven, Conn./Hebrew High School of New England) in walk-trot.

Joey Fink (Baltimore, Md./The Park School) was awarded second place in intermediate flat, while Laura Malone (Weston, Mass./Weston) was the recipient of red ribbons in both the jumping and flat phases in the novice division.