Gophers Rule Zone IV Region I for Fifth Straight Year

OATLAND, Md. — By earning a near-perfect score of 47 points at today's riding show at The Other Left Farm, Goucher grasped an insurmountable lead in the 2015-16 IHSA Zone IV Region I standings and claimed another region title.

Today's haul boosted head coach Jen Bunty's squad's season-long total to 285 points, giving the Gophers an 85-point lead over George Washington, which sits in second place, and a 100-point advantage over Mount St. Mary's, which moved ahead of Georgetown into third place. Only one more Zone IV Region I show remains this season and the most any team could gain on Goucher is 49 points.

The region title is the Goucher's riding program's fifth straight and ninth in the past 14 years.

Six Goucher riders claimed a total of seven blue ribbons for first-place performances at today's show. In the open division, Cary Hundley (Ellicott City, Md./Marriotts Ridge) and Ashley Bent (Phoenixville, Pa./Phoenixville Area) were both awarded first place in the jumping phase; Hundley, who qualified to compete in open fences at the Region I Championships in April, added a red ribbon for placing second in open equitation on the flat and was named the show's reserve high point rider.

Anna Carmichael (Colorado Springs, Colo./William J. Palmer) was designated as the high point rider after taking first place in intermediate equitation over fences and on the flat.

In the novice division, Kaduk Sherpa (East Aurora, N.Y./The Park School of Buffalo) took first place in the jumping phase and Erika Scott (Stonington, Conn./The Williams School) earned a blue ribbon in the jumping phase and a red ribbon in the flat phase.

Wren Wakeman (Addison, Maine/Washington Academy) was awarded first place in walk-trot-canter equitation and Madison Salvino (Woodstock, Ga./Woodstock) second in walk-trot.

The final IHSA Zone IV Region I riding show of 2015-16 will take place at Goucher's equestrian facilities on March 19. Heading into that event, Bent and Hundley are tied for first place in the high point rider standings with 67 points apiece. They enjoy a 13-point lead over Devon Wood of Georgetown.