Schlossberg Clinches Goucher's Sixth Bid to Nationals

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — Goucher was in second place, but had not yet clinched the zone's only remaining bid to the Collegiate Cup Hunter Seat competition at the 2016 IHSA National Horse Show heading into the final rotation at the Zone IV Championships today.

St. Andrews had already claimed one bid because it had first place wrapped up. Mary Washington, however, still had a shot at catching head coach Jen Bunty's riding team and qualifying for nationals as the 2015-16 Zone IV reserve champion.

The final class was walk-trot equitation and Goucher's entrant was Ari Schlossberg (Barrington, Ill./Barrington Community). He ended the suspense by earmning seven points for a first-place performance, securing the Gophers' bid to nationals.

• Today's competition, which was conducted at Hazelwild Farm Equestrian Center, kicked off with open equitation on the flat, followed by open equitation over fences. With Cary Hundley (Ellicott City, Md./Marriotts Ridge) placing third in open flat and Ashley Bent (Phoenixville, Pa./Phoenixville Area) finishing in fifth place in the jumping phase, Goucher earned six points.

• Anna Carmichael (Colorado Springs, Colo./William J. Palmer) was awarded first place in intermediate flat, which added seven points to Goucher's total. In the jumping phase, Alison Radgowski (Northport, N.Y./Northport) wound up in third place.

• Third-place performances by Clea Lerner (Los Angeles, Calif./Renaissance Arts Academy) in novice flat and Kaduk Sherpa (East Aurora, N.Y./The Park School of Buffalo) in novice fences bolstered Goucher's score by eight points.
  

• In the next-to-last rotation, Sarah Lummis (Westminster, Md./Winters Mill) earned five points by placing second in walk-trot-canter.

• Today's event brought the 2015-16 high point colleges from each of Zone IV's five regions together to battle for two bids to nationals. St. Andrews, titlists out of Region III, were crowned zone champions after scoring 39 points. Goucher was second with 37, followed by Virginia Tech (Region V) in third with 32 points, Mary Washington (Region IV) in fourth with 31, and Bridgewater (Region II) in fifth with 29.

• The bid to nationals is the sixth in the history of Goucher's equestrian program.

• Three Goucher riders qualified to compete for individual honors at nationals today: Hundley in open fences, Carmichael in novice flat and Fanny Eaton (New York, N.Y./Convent of the Sacred Heart) in advanced walk-trot-canter. All three were designated 2015-16 Zone IV reserve champions for second-place performances.