Only Three Teams Finish Ahead of Goucher in Series

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — Goucher finished in fourth place behind only Savannah Art & Design, Bridgewater and Virginia Tech at the Winter Classic Tournament of Champions, conducted today at Hazelwild Farm.

The 27 points head coach Jen Bunty's riders earned today, combined with the 23 points they collected at the Tournament of Champions Preseason Classic back in September, landed Goucher in a tie with Mt. Holyoke for fourth place in the final 2013-14 Tournament of Champions series standings, the best showing in the history of the school's equestrian program. The Tournament of Champions is a non-sanctioned exhibition series where each of three annual events are structured like an IHSA riding show.

Two Goucher riders picked up a pair of ribbons during today's competition. Joey Fink (Baltimore, Md./The Park School) came away with two red ribbons for placing second in open equitation over fences and open equitation on the flat; Alison Radgowski (Northport, N.Y./Northport), entered in the intermediate class, took third place in the flat phase and sixth in jumps.

In the novice division, Anna Carmichael (Colorado Springs, Colo./William J. Palmer) placed third in the flat phase.

Goucher's only first-place performance today came from Sarah Lummis (Westminster, Md./Winters Mill) in advanced walk-trot-canter equitation. Joel Brandis (Portland, Ore./Grant) was awarded sixth place in walk-trot.

Savannah Art & Design was today's high point college with a team score of 36 points. Bridgewater finished second with 33 points and Virginia Tech third with 31. Mt. Holyoke finished four points behind the Gophers in fifth place with a score of 23 points.

Today's showing sealed the overall series title for Savannah Art & Design, which ended up with a score of 67 points. Bridgewater placed second, six points back. Randolph (54 points) also finished ahead of Goucher (50) and Mt. Holyoke (50). Virginia Tech (49 points) was sixth, followed by St. Andrews (43) and then a three-way tie among Virginia Intermont (40), Massachusetts (40) and Boston (40).

Tom Brennan of Charles Town, W.Va. served as judge at today's event.