Goucher Achieves Perfect Score, Lowers Gap to Nine Points

Brandt Makes Move Up to Third Place in High Point Rider Standings

TOWSON, Md. — Goucher had to make up a 20-point deficit at today's show if it was to catch Mary Washington in the race for the IHSA Zone IV Region I title and director Patte Zumbrun's riders nearly pulled it off by achieving a perfect score.

But the 49 points earned by Goucher today only closed the final gap to nine points as Mary Washington was awarded a score of 38 points. In the final Zone IV Region I team scoring for 2010-11, Mary Washington was first with 313 points, Goucher placed second with 304 and Christopher Newport a distant third with 221 points. Mary Washington will compete against the first-place programs from Regions II and III at the Zone IV Championships on April 10.

Goucher's Amory Brandt (Saratoga, Calif./Lynbrook) placed first today in open equitation over fences and open equitation on the flat, picking up 14 points, which made her the event's high point rider.

Brandt was able to pass to riders from other schools to finish in third place in the Zone IV Region I high point rider standings for 2010-11. Brittany Hill from Mary Washington claimed the title of high point rider for the region with a final score of 83 points, finishing ahead of Goucher's Karli Postel (Newbury Park, Calif./Oaks Christian School) with 66 points and Brandt with 63.

In the intermediate division, Addie Jabin (Annapolis, Md./Severn School) took top honors in the flat phase and Taylor Marcus (Unionville, Pa./Unionville) placed second in jumping.

Laura Parks (Apex, N.C./Raleigh Charter) took first in novice fences and third in novice flat; Vajra Kingsley (New York, N.Y./Lincoln County) placed first in novice flat.

Additional first-place performances by Goucher riders: Jillian Levine (Gaithersurg, Md./Seneca Valley) in beginning walk-trot-cater and Madison Tidwell (Sun Valley, Idaho/Middle College) in walk-trot.

Three more Goucher riders qualified to compete at the Region I Championships on April 3 as the result of their performances today: Brandt in both open fences and open flat, Marcus in intermediate fences and Parks in novice flat. Prior to today, the following earned a spot at regionals: Postel in open fences and open flat, Jabin in novice fences and novice flat and Effie Bourgin (Savage, Md./Atholton) in advanced walk-trot-canter.