Hundley Will Represent Goucher in Cacchione Cup

TOWSON, Md. — With Goucher having already claimed the 2015-16 Zone IV Region I title, one thing left to be determined at today's IHSA riding show was the region's high point rider and Cacchione Cup qualifier.

Goucher's Ashley Bent (Phoenixville, Pa./Phoenixville Area) and Cary Hundley (Ellicott City, Md./Marriotts Ridge) began the day tied for first place in the region's 2015-16 high point rider standings with 67 points apiece. Devon Wood from Georgetown was in third place, 13 points back.

Hundley added 12 points to her total with a first-place performance in open equitation over fences and a second-place finish in open equitation on the flat. She finished three points ahead of Bent, who earned nine points for placing second in open fences and third in open flat.

"They both had fantastic years and it was exciting for the whole team that it came down to two of our riders," head coach Jen Bunty said following the show. "Either one would have been a worthy competitor for the Cacchione Cup and I believe Cary will represent Goucher and Region 1 well."

The Cacchione Cup is awarded at the IHSA National Horse Show to the nation's top collegiate rider in individual hunter seat.

Goucher riders were awarded a total of five blue ribbons at today's show. In addition to the one Hundley picked up in open fences, Anna Carmichael (Colorado Springs, Colo./William J. Palmer) accquired blue ribbons in both the jumping and flat phases at the intermediate level, and Maia Miller (Seattle, Wash./Roosevelt) and Grace Flannery (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) did the same in novice flat.

Madison Salvino (Woodstock, Ga./Woodstock) placed second in walk-trot.

Goucher, which went into the show with an 85-point lead in the Region I standings, came out ahead of the second-place team by 95 points, 320-225, even though it finished in second place. Georgetown, which finished in third overall with 221 points, was the high point college today with 37 points. Goucher was second with 35.

Today's second-place finish snapped Goucher's streak of having placed first in 21 consecutive IHSA Zone IV Region I riding shows dating back to Feb. 16, 2013.

The team champions from each of the five regions will gather at the Zone IV Championships at Hazelwild Farm Equestrian Center in Fredericksburg, Va. on April 9 to vie for the zone's two berths in the Collegiate Cup Hunter Seat competition at the 2016 IHSA National Horse Show. In addition to Goucher, those team champions are Bridgewater (Va.), St. Andrews, Mary Washington and Virginia Tech.

Goucher also added one more name today to its list of individual riders who are qualified to compete at the Zone IV Region I Championships on April 2 at The Other Left Farm, Oatland, Md. Miller will join Carmichael in the flat phase in the novice division.