IHSA Crowns Fink National Champion in Open Flat

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Senior Joey Fink (Baltimore, Md./The Park School) became the second national champion in the history of Goucher's equestrian program when he was awarded first place in open equitation on the flat this afternoon at the IHSA National Horse Show, which is being held at The Big E Coliseum.

One of the riders Fink outperformed was Emily D'Alessandro from St. Lawrence, who was back to defend her title. D'Alessandro, instead, dropped all the way to ninth place.

The runner-up to Fink, who placed fifth in open flat last year, was Elizabeth Hay from Charleston; finishing in third place was Bethany Ockwell from Findlay.

Goucher's other national riding champion was Katie Nix, who claimed a blue ribbon in walk-trot-canter equitation in 2000.

The Gophers also had an individual entrant in intermediate equitation on the flat today. Laura Malone (Weston, Mass./Weston) was recognized as an honorable mention.

Fink, who is Goucher's representative in the open division of the Hunter Seat Collegiate Cup, will compete in both the jumping and flat phases on Saturday. The Gophers did not score in any of the three rounds that were contested today as Alison Radgowski (Northport, N.Y./Northport) placed ninth overall in intermediate flat and Anna Carmichael (Colorado Springs, Colo./William J. Palmer) took eighth place in novice flat and 11th in novice fences.

At the end of the first day of competition, Centenary (N.J.) sits in first place in the Hunter Seat Collegiate Cup standings with 13 points, two points ahead of Savannah Art & Design and three in front of Stanford.