Goucher Riders Capture IHSA Regional Crown

Postel Earns Distinction as Region's Reserve High Point Rider

TOWSON, Md. — Goucher captured its fourth IHSA Zone IV Region I title in the past eight years today by finishing seven points ahead of Mary Washington at the region's final riding show of the 2009-10 season.

As the Region I champion, director Patte Zumbrun's riding program has earned the right to compete against the top programs from the other two regions — Hollins in Region II and Virginia Intermont in Region III — at the IHSA Zone IV Championships in Blacksburg, Va., on April 11. Zone IV will send two teams on to the IHSA National Horse Show in Lexington, Ky., in May.

Through the first six shows of the season, Goucher and Mary Washington had each earned 216 points, so the two of them entered today's show tied for first place in the Zone IV-I standings with Christopher Newport (170 points) a distant third. Today, Goucher picked up 36 points and Mary Washington was third with 29 behind George Washington (30).

Individually, Goucher's Karli Postel (Newbury Park, Calif./Oaks Christian School) was awarded first place in open equitation over fences and second in open flat, and scored enough points to move up from third place to second in the region's high point rider standings. William & Mary's Katherine Wallace finished with 72 points, Postel was eight points back with 64 points and Goucher's Amory Brandt (Saratoga, Calif./Lynbrook) ended up in third place (60 points).

Postel and Brandt became Goucher's fourth and fifth regional qualifiers today: Postel in open fences and Brandt in both open fences and open flat. The previous qualifiers, all of whom will represent Goucher at the IHSA Zone IV Region I Championships in Williamsburg, Va., on April 3, are Courtney Levine (Miami, Fla./Miami Palmetto) in novice fences, April Kerns (Timonium, Md./Dulaney) in advanced walk-trot-canter and Lori Scott (Catonsville, Md./Catonsville) in walk-trot.

Levine turned in a first-place performance today in intermediate fences and Catherine Gregory (Oregon City, Ore./Canby) did the same in intermediate flat.