Postel Earns Top Score in Medal Phase, Places Fifth Overall

Goucher's National Team Places Fourth at ANRC Championship

HARDEEVILLE, S.C. — A three-rider team representing Goucher consisting of Amory Brandt (Saratoga, Calif./Lynbrook), Taylor Marcus (Unionville, Pa./Unionville) and Karli Postel (Newbury Park, Calif./Oaks Christian School) placed fourth out of the nine riding programs which competed at the 34th annual National Intercollegiate Equitation Championship conducted by the American National Riding Commission.

The three-day event concluded today.

Individual riders contended in three phases: a dressage sportif, which is a program ride comprised of hunter seat equitation movements provided by the ANRC, a hunter trials equitation course over rolling terrain over cross country-type jumps, and a hunter seat equitation medal phase in a ring. The dressage sportif counts as 40 percent of an individual rider's overall score, while the other two phases count 30 percent apiece.

Postel posted the highest score (26.70) in the medal phase, plus she placed third in hunter trials (25.275) and 10th in dressage sportif (30.88) to finish in fifth place in the overall individual results with a score of 82.86.

Brandt was sixth (25.95) in the medal phase.

A team's score in each of the three phases was determined by adding its top two individual scores together. Goucher finished in first place in the national team medal results with a score of 52.65, which was the combined scores of Postel and Brandt.

Goucher also placed fourth in hunter trials results (48.075) and fifth in dressage results (59.20) to wind up in fourth place in national overall team results (159.93).

The Betty Belser Memorial Trophy for the overall high point team went to Savannah Art & Design, which accumulated a team score of 170.35. Centenary was runner-up (162.29) and Virginia Intermont placed third (160.28). In fifth place behind Goucher was Sweet Briar (157.94), followed by St. Andrews Presbyterian (151.83), Sewanee (148.83), Florida International (127.13) and Georgia (40.80).

All competitors were also required to take a written test made up of questions relating to the theory of forward riding and horse science/horse management. Brandt earned the top score (98.0) in the written examination and Marcus placed fourth (97) and their combined score of 195 pushed Goucher to the top in national team written results.

The ANRC also offered a novice division for the first time this year and Goucher's two entrants were Addie Jabin (Annapolis, Md./Severn School) and Chaz Kellogg (Pennington, N.J./Wellesley).

Jabin participated only in the written phase where she placed second (93.0). Kellogg was seventh in the written examination (82.0).

Goucher's novice team was second in the written phase, sixth in dressage sportif and medal, and seventh in hunter trials to finish in sixth place overall with a score of 67.71.