Goucher Equestrian Wins George Mason/George Washington IHSA Show

ALDIE, Va. – Irene Elise Powlick (Salt Lake City, Utah/Skyline) was named the Reserve High Point Rider to help Goucher College earn the team championship at the George Mason/George Washington IHSA Show on Sunday.

Along with being named Reserve High Point Rider, Powlick was first in open fences and second in open flat.

The Gophers won the event out of 13 teams to lengthen its lead in Zone IV Region I standings to 45 points. It was Goucher's sixth team championship of the season.  If the Gophers are able to lengthen their lead to 49 points this weekend, they will clinch the Zone IV Region I title for the 10th consecutive year, with one show still to go.

Emily Axel (Davenport, Iowa/Davenport Central), Wren Wakeman (Addison, Maine/Washington Academy) and Nadia Langer (Chevy Chase, Md./Washington Waldorf) were also victorious on the day. Wakeman won the novice flat and placed second in novice fences while Langer took first in novice fences and Axel won the intermediate fences.

Halle Taylor (Easton, Md./International School of Dakar) finished second in novice fences and Cherise Madrid (Braintree, Mass./Braintree) was second in beginner walk trot canter.

Courtney Sloan (Annadale, Va./W.T. Woodson) (intermediate flat), Rachel Stockslager (New Freedom, Pa./Susquehannock) (novice fences), Jessica Wiggins (San Jose, Calif./Notre Dame) (walk trot canter) and Anna Wright (novice flat) each registered a fourth-place standing on the afternoon.

IHSA competition is broken up into five categories based on experience. The Open division has the most experienced rider, while intermediate is No. 2, novice is No. 3, walk trot canter is No. 4 and Walk trot is No. 5. The top three categories include two sub-sections; the "flat" which is a pattern that does not include jumping, and a fences section. In addition, when teams are on the road, like the Gophers were at Mary Washington, they are using the horses at the home stable. The riders are judged on their ability to adapt, communicate, and perform with an unfamiliar horse.

Goucher returns to action when the squad travels to the Maryland/American IHSA Show at The Other Left Hand Farm in Gaithersburg, Md., on Sunday.