Equestrian Posts Banner Weekend in Final Tune-Up Before Zone IV Championships

TOWSON, Md. - The Goucher College equestrian program hosted a pair of shows this weekend at home, and at both events, the Gophers excelled in their final action before the Zone IV Championships in a few weeks.

First, on Saturday, the Gophers and UMBC hosted an IHSA show, in which Goucher finished in a tie for first as a team with Maryland.

On the day, senior Cary Hundley (Ellicott City, Md.) was the high point rider of the show, finishing in first in open flat and open fences.

Elsewhere, four other Goucher riders had first-place finishes on Saturday. Sophomore Rena DiPaula (Westminster, Md.) was on top in Intermediate Fences, first-year Lizzie Casa (New York, N.Y.) was first in Novice Flat, and seniors Ashley Edwards (Leonardtown, Md.) and Kate Matthews (Concord, Mass.) were top finishers in Walk Trot Canter. With their first-place finishes, Edwards and Matthews qualified for Sunday's regional show.

Meanwhile, senior Stephanie Detwiler (Lancaster, Pa.) was second in Walk Trot Canter (to qualify for Sunday's Regionals), fellow senior Kyle Kihn (Boulder, Colo.) was runner-up in walk trot (to clinch a regionals spot), and first-year Sarah Edmunds (Lancaster, Pa.) was third in Open Fences to take another regional spot.

Rounding out the top finishers on Saturday was senior Ari Schlossberg (Barrington, Ill.), who was third in Intermediate Flat, and first-year Emily Fewster (Towson, Md.) who placed fifth in novice flat.

On Sunday, Goucher hosted the IHSA Zone IV Region Finals, and the Gophers dominated the competition on the day, taking seven of the possible 14 slots to move on to the Zone IV Championships in April.

On the day, Hundley once again led the Gophers, winning Regional Championships in two events - Open Flat and Open Fences. Meanwhile, DiPaula was a Region Champion in Novice Fences, as was Matthews in Walk Trot Canter.

Elsewhere, Edmunds was the Reserve Regional Champion in Open Fences, as was Edwards in Walk Trot Canter. The final Reserve Regional Champion for Goucher was Kihn, who did it in Walk Trot.

The Goucher College equestrian team now sets their sights on the 2018 IHSA Zone IV Championships on April 7th. The show will take place at Sedgefield Showgrounds in Greensboro, N.C.

--GOPHERS--