Great Weekend for IHSA Teams

Read about the St. Andrews Equestrian IHSA clean sweep click here!

Weekend of Feb 25 - 26

Pebbles, Liz and four students are traveling to Charleston later today to attend the Path International Educational day hosted by Charleston Area Therapeutic Riding. Sessions include Motor Development, Sensory Integration, Basic Training Principals of the Horse, Leading and Long Lining, Developmental Vaulting and Lunging and Interactive Vaulting. Participants have been asked to share a lesson plan or favorite game which will be copied and share. The educational day sounds like a wonderful opportunity to learn, network and harvest some new ideas for teaching.


Meanwhile, the western team travels to Montrose Farm in Chapel Hill to compete in their last show of the regular season on Saturday. They currently lead the region in points but will need strong rides to maintain that lead and advance to Semi-Finals in Delaware at the end of March. On Sunday they return to Chapel Hill for Regionals which determines which individuals will go to Semi-Finals. The top two in each class qualify.

At home on Saturday we are hosting Open House and Sunday our last regular IHSA hunter seat show. The hunter seat team has a strong lead over their closest rivals UNC - Chapel Hill; Coach Duda will be working hard to try and qualify as many of her riders for Regionals as possible. St. Andrews hosts IHSA hunter seat Regionals March 24th (the same weekend as Semi-Finals for the western team).

So once again we are super busy with preparations for all these events. Spring break is not too far away, we will be ready for a break!

IDA Competition at Averett University February 18 & 19

The dressage team spent the weekend at Averett University in Danville VA, competing in back to back Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA) shows. Saturday the weather was beautiful, warm and sunny. Junior Lindsey Agaliotis and sophomore Erin Hudson started out the day with second and third places in first level test 3. Lindsey was beaten by her rival in the division Emily Henderson from Averett by 0.146 of a percentage point. “We are so close,” said Agaliotis, “I had a great ride, Emily just knows the horses better and she rode really well today.” In lower training senior Lauren Parker put in a spectacular ride to win the division. The ride was so good that Averett coach Ginger Henderson was over heard describing what was going on to the horse’s regular rider. Parker earned 68.75% which was way ahead of the second place at 63.75%. St. Andrews teams placed third and fourth on Saturday.


Sunday was as cold and wet as Saturday was beautiful. Show management modified the schedule to ride tests in the short ring to speed things along and provide a warm up space if the weather became too wet. Lindsey Agaliotis drew the same horse on Sunday and improved her score to win the division with a score of 69.828%, Emily Henderson placed second this time with only 0.826 of a percentage point separating them. Senior Andrea Tito who did not place on Saturday put in a beautiful ride on the same horse to improve her score and finish in sixth. In upper training St. Andrews took 3rd, 4th and 5th with strong rides from sophomore Brianna Carter and seniors Casey Curtis and Lauren Parker who pointed out of the lower training division with Saturday’s win.

In lower training senior Paige Tillison drew the same horse she rode on Saturday and put in a beautiful test scoring 71.428% which was more than 10 percentage points ahead of Sarah Jones who was second with a score or 60.208%! At the introductory level Jenna Marten rode strongly to win the division and Hannah Firth placed 4th. These strong rides led St. Andrews teams to first and second place on a very wet and cold day.

“We had a great weekend,” said Coach Jackie Dwelle, “Saturday, the team learned valuable lessons about showing off the horses to the best of their ability whether they were the strongest or the weakest draw in the division. We put those lessons to good use on Sunday. I am very proud of all the riders, they took what they learned and applied it to their riding, a great example of analysis and critical thinking in the sporting arena.”

There is one show left in the IDA season. Under IDA rules the winning team earns 7 points the second placed team 5 points. Only the top four shows count towards qualifying for the National Championships. Averett leads the region with 24 points to St. Andrews 23. Whoever wins at St. Andrews on March 18th will qualify for the trip to Centenary College at the end of April. On the individual level juniors Lindsey Agaliotis in first level and Jenna Marten in the introductory level could qualify for Nationals – it all comes down to the last show!

Pictures of the weekend our on our facebook page taken by Pebbles Turbeville - thanks Pebbles!

Results

Saturday

First Level Test 3
2nd Lindsey Agaliotis 67.919%
3rd Erin Hudson 62.581%

Training Level Test 3
6th Brianna Carter 60%

Training Level Test One
1st Lauren Parker 68.75%
6th Paige Tillison 60.416%

Introductory Test B
3rd Hannah Firth 67.5%
6th Jenna Marten 63.75%

Team placings
SAU A 3rd
SAU B 4th

Sunday
First Level Test One
1st Lindsey Agaliotis 69.828%
6th Andrea Tito 60%

Training Level Test 2
3rd Brianna Carter 68.75%
4th Casey Curtis 66.607%
5th Lauren Parker 66.25%

Training Level Test 1
1st Paige Tillison 71.428% - High Point Rider!
2nd Sarah Jones 60.208%

Introductory Level Test B
1st Jenna Marten 68.125%
4th Hannah Firth 65.313%

Team Results
SAU A 1st
SAU B 2nd

Coaching Challenges

Great rides from many of our riders Saturday. Lindsey Agaliotis rode her best on the fancy buck skin Captain to earn a score of 67.919%. She was beaten by a little more than 0.1% by Emily Henderson from Averett riding Francie. Lindsey rode her best; Emily has the advantage of riding the Averett horses on a regular basis. The upper training riders rode well but were again bested by riders from Averett and NCSU’s team captain Andrea Massa. At lower training Lauren Parker riding as an individual had a beautiful ride on the impressive black horse George scoring 68.74% to win the division and point out of lower training. Good ride for a well-deserved score, which sadly did not help the team points. In the introductory division Hannah Firth rode a well-balanced and accurate test on Boo to place third with a score of 67.5% behind a horse which was considerably stronger in first and second.


Moving forward I have moved some riders around on the two teams and within the individual divisions. Having ridden the horses yesterday, we have some insights into what makes them tick. I’m excited to push the team to do better today and show off their horsemanship skills.

Crazy Weekend!

This coming weekend is looking a little bit crazy! Today Ashley Duda and four student boarders leave for Raleigh Indoors. Safe travels ya’ll! Saturday we are hosting an IHSA western show at the equestrian center the action starts at high noon! And if that was not enough Jackie will be travelling with the dressage team to Averett University in Danville, VA for back to back dressage shows on Saturday and Sunday. Pebbles is travelling with us to help drive the team and keep us organized! We have eleven riders riding each day. We will do our best to post results etc. on this page so check back often!

In House Interns

Classes are in full swing and several students are pursuing internships with various staff members this semester. Dr. Kellam has six students participating in a Veterinary internship . Their duties include treating horses at the equestrian center as well as learning about the duties of a Veterinary Technician. Cases this semester have included eye injuries, wounds, skin diseases as well as routine health maintenance including vaccinations. The interns have been busy administering daily meds. as well as keeping records of all treatments.

At the barn Angie Cormack and Andrea Tito are doing barn management internships with barn manager Kellie Garrabrant. They are responsible for assisting with the supervision of the work study students and making sure that all horse care is completed correctly. Their big project has been to photograph and inventory all of the tack in all areas of the barn which is a huge task.

Andrea Tito is also serving as the social media intern this spring. She has reported on horse shows, developed videos for YouTube and posted numerous photographs on our facebook page. Obviously, she cannot attend every event that our teams travel to so part of her duties include working with staff and students to get results sent in to be posted on our facebook wall. Thank goodness for texting and smart phones!

The final group of in house interns will do the bulk of their internship with Peggy McElveen, Equestrian Program Director, and the equestrian staff at IHSA Nationals in Raleigh, April 29 – May 6th. Their duties will revolve around horse show management and organization and they are in for an incredibly busy time.

Internships are an important part of the St. Andrews experience; students have been placed in many settings for their internships. In house internships are common too although we usually do not have such a large group benefitting from this experiential learning opportunity.

IHSA Hunter Seat & Western Teams Work Hard to Maintain their Regional Leads

Big weekend for the equestrian team. Saturday we hosted the first IHSA hunter seat show of the spring semester. The weather was cool (having been in the 70s for most of the week) and the horses were not as well behaved as they might have been. Several classes were stopped (one more than once) when our equine partners decided they just had to show off how good they were feeling. With safety being foremost in our minds horse substitutions were made and the classes restarted. All this took additional time and the show ran until after 5:00 making it a long day for all involved. Our students worked tirelessly, with good humor and great attitudes all day demonstrating the “can do” philosophy that is part of being involved in our equestrian team.

We were rewarded by the hunter seat team that turned in a perfect score of 49 points to win the championship ribbon. Alexandra Fullerton won high point rider with Katie Hansen as reserve. St. Andrews now leads their closest rivals UNC-Chapel Hill by 45 points. (Complete results below)

Meanwhile the IHSA western team traveled to Martin Community College to compete in back to back shows Saturday and Sunday. The temperatures were a few degrees cooler in Williamston but fortunately they were showing indoors which helped a bit. Individual riders did well on both days however the designated point riders faced a few challenges leaving St. Andrews as reserve champion each day. Shannon Leggett was high point rider Saturday and reserve high point rider Sunday. At the end of the weekend St. Andrews still leads North Carolina State by nine points with two shows to go before semi-finals.

IHSA Hunter Seat Team Standings as of 2/4/2012

St. Andrews University 249

UNC-Chapel Hill 204

North Carolina State University 192

East Carolina University 185

Duke University 168

Coastal Carolina University 116

UNC-Wilmington 110

UNC-Charlotte 108

Virginia Commonwealth University 98

Davidson College 37

Martin Community College 14

Individual Results

Open Flat A

2nd Kim Graves

Novice Flat A

5th Tara Algeri

Open Flat B

1st Katie Hansen

Walk, Trot, Canter A

3rd Madison Edwards

4th Julie Griffin

Intermediate Flat A

2nd Alie McGraw

Novice Flat B

1st Katie Mentzel

Open Fences A
2nd Regi Barasch

Open Fences B

1st Katie Hansen

2nd Kim Graves

Walk Trot Canter B

3rd Sarah Lishen

4th Brittany Powell

Novice Flat C

3rd Park Hoey

5th Catherine McDowell

Intermediate Flat B

1st Regina Barasch

Novice Flat D

5th Sarah Williams

Intermediate Fences A

1st Kali Cram

Intermediate Fences B

1st Nikki Napoleone

Walk Trot A

1st Morgan Potts

Intermediate Flat C

4th Kayla McBath

Novice Fences A

1st Alexandra Fullerton

Novice Fences C

1st Abigail Skillman

Novice Flat E

1st Michelle Eld

Walk Trot Canter C

1st Cami Glaff

Novice Flat F

1st Alexandra Fullerton

Beg. Walk Trot A

5th Lacy Burke

Walk Trot Canter D

4th Chandalyn Chranowski

Novice Flat G

3rd Dara Corbett

Walk Trot Canter E

3rd Hillary Todd

6th Paula Kramer

Walk Trot Canter F

1st Mia Dipillo

5th Bridget Newman

Busy Weekend of Competition for the Equestrian Team

This weekend is a tad busy! The western IHSA team is traveling to Martin Community College for back to back shows Saturday and Sunday. Assistant barn manager Rachel Buckler is travelling with the team to assist Carla, keep points and report back so we can keep everyone informed. Meanwhile at home we are  hosting an IHSA hunter seat show on Saturday. Home hunter seat shows require an enormous effort from all team members. Team members groom and tidy the horses, clean the tack and the barn, share horse holding duties, and keep thing running. Work study and the barn staff start early and stay late. Staff serve in various capacities including announcing, running the draw table, working the paddock, posting points and pitching in wherever they are needed. We live by the saying it takes a village… and it SO true! Our village will be spread a little thin this weekend! Go Knights!

Tournament of Champions and Ride-Like-A-Knight Updates

The past week was pretty busy. Ashley Duda and six hunter seat riders made the drive to Mary Washington University in Fredericksburg, VA. The Tournament of Champions is an invitational IHSA style show that pits the strongest teams in the nation against one another. Coach Duda had prepped her team well and improved their previous team placing to sixth. That is sixth in the nation! Not too shabby!

Meanwhile at home the Ride-Like-A-Knight program installed a new lift for mounting riders. This lift was funded by The Elizabeth Fund.

The Elizabeth Fund exists to enrich and enlarge the lives of youth and adults with physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities through the therapeutic horsemanship program at St. Andrews University.

Established in 2010 through the generous $25,000 gift by Joe Junod '69 and Marilyn Greene, it is named in honor of their mothers, Elizabeth Donaldson Junod and Dr. M. Elizabeth Peck.

“We are both committed to programs assisting people with disabilities,” said Greene. “Our mothers were both great humanitarians, and lovers of animals as well. Since I have a special love for horses, we decided to focus on giving to this program and dedicate these efforts to the memories of our mothers.”

The lift will be used to offer services to a wider range of riders in the Ride-Like-A-Knight program. Before that can happen, staff, students and especially the horses need to be trained in its use. This will be a great learning opportunity for the students in the RLAK program.

Looking ahead to next weekend, we are hosting our first IHSA hunter seat show of 2012 on Saturday and the western team travels to Martin Community College for a double header Saturday and Sunday. It is good to be busy!

Busy Start to Spring Semester

Life throws you curves, last weekend I was in Florida with Peggy and Debbie Bell at the College Preparatory Invitational in Wellington FL, and this weekend I am bundled up at home with a cold and icing my back which decided that the misery of a cold needed company! Meanwhile while I am laying around (I am icing my back as I type) the equestrian program has been really busy.

• Lessons started early this semester so we can finish early and focus our energies on IHSA Nationals which we are hosting in Raleigh in May in 2012 – there will be lots more about that in the coming months.
• Riding Council organized a cleanup of Hasty Road this Saturday which was well attended and the road is now beautifully clean. (Why do people throw trash into nature, do they do that in their houses too? Yuk!)
• Scot Evans is teaching a clinic this Sunday/Monday for the hunter seat riders – always an interesting and inspiring opportunity.
• Riding Council is organizing horse cleanup for our first IHSA hunter seat show of the spring semester which is scheduled for Feb. 4th.

 As for me, it’s back to the chiropractor and work tomorrow! Can’t wait to be busy again!

 

The History of the St. Andrews Equestrian Program

The book is here! The project completed by the History and Theory of Modern Riding class has been turned into a book discussing the history of the St. Andrews Equestrian Program starting in 1969! If you would like a copy of the book please send a check for $25 made out to St. Andrews University. Attn: Jackie Dwelle, 9167 Hasty Road, Laurinburg, NC 28396. Shipping is free. Below is the introduction to the book.





Front Cover: Main photograph is the Lesson barn in 2007.

Top left to right, Jon Conyers with his dog Kaleb; Kira Gainey showing Chessie; Peggy McElveen and Sami Cram class of 2012

Second row Oscar Allen who has been with the program since at least 1984, cleaning stalls, mowing, raking pine straw etc. Oscar turned 80 in 2011 and still works at the equestrain center; Kelsey Moody showing at IHSA Nationals 2010 in reining.

Therapeutic riding photo Liz Harris Adams, Liz Capalbo and Katie Tieman holding Special; Shelby French with a team in the early 1980s; J.R. McCaulley jumping on campus, J.R. was a member of the team that competed in Panama in 1993, his team mates were Susan Yeaman Deal, Beth Anna Perry and Cathy Kassell Geitner; Sarah Rhymer mounted with Debbi White and Bob Cacchione at IHSA Nationals; Christine Eidson showing Max in an IDA show in 2005.



Introduction

In 1958 a Charter for a Consolidated Presbyterian College was registered with the North Carolina Secretary of State by representatives of Peace College in Raleigh, Flora Macdonald College in Red Springs and Presbyterian Junior College in Maxton NC. Friends of Peace College filed successful litigation to be excluded from the proposed consolidation and so it was that on September 22, 1961 St. Andrews Presbyterian College opened its doors to 750 students from the merger of Flora Mcdonald and Presbyterian Junior College 4.

From the beginning St. Andrews’ core curriculum was considered to be the school’s greatest asset. The campus was built to accommodate students with disabilities which in 1961 was many years ahead of the 1990 American with Disabilities Act. The buildings and walkways were designed with ramps to create a modern and accessible facility 1.

Eight years later during the 1969 – 1970 academic year a small group of students with the support of the Dean of Students, Rodger Decker, formed a new club, The St. Andrews Hoofers 2. Marguerite “Bunky” Simpson the first president of the new riding club brought the first horse, Popsi, onto campus in 1969 and a new era for St. Andrews was born 3.

For the last 42 years, the equestrian program has consistently functioned as a student directed and driven program. From the very beginning students have organized the program demonstrating their interest in horses, developing the program into a varsity sport, supporting academic programs and throughout the history of the program sharing their enthusiasm with others in multiple roles including teaching, event management, and service projects.

The drive demonstrated by the students has been matched over the years by the staff and faculty. Many people have contributed to the program, sharing their knowledge, guiding students, creating opportunities and facilitating student driven ideas. You will meet some of these extraordinary people and learn about their accomplishments in the chapters of this book. Looking forward the equestrian program is always evolving; some of the current staff and faculty shared their dreams with the research team.

What Bunky Simpson and her peers started in 1969 has grown today into a nationally respected equestrian program that still embodies the motto adopted early in the program’s history Equitation Elicits Excellence.

This book was researched and developed by the Fall 2011 History and Theory of Modern Riding class. Many hours were spent in the college archives exploring the numerous publications and artifacts that have been collected over the years. Personal interviews with students, instructors, and faculty both past and present were conducted to pull together as much information as possible with the goal of developing a publication that reflects the beginning, development and growth of one of the leading collegiate equestrian programs in the United States.

References
1. The History of St. Andrews University retrieved Dec. 11, 2011 http://www.sapc.edu/aboutsa/history.php.

2. “Elise Eleazer, “The History of the St. Andrews Equestrian Program, Nov 28, 1993.

3. Interview Marguerite Simpson Garfield Nov. 2011.

4. Melton, George E. St. Andrews: A Brief History. 1981. Print.

History of the St. Andrews Equestrian Program

I spent my entire Christmas break helping out at the barn, but mostly working on the History of the St. Andrews Equestrian Program project. It is now 50+ pages and will be printed in book form with lots of color pictures. The history starts in 1969 with the first horse on campus moves onto the Shelby French Era and ends with the Peggy McElveen era and looks at the development of the various programs. Lots of memories from students and staff and some thoughts looking forward.  The History will be available for sale, $25 free shipping to U.S. addresses. Hope to send it to the printers today! Email dwellejm@sapc.edu if you are interested!

A Christmas Story...

I entered this story in the Fayetteville Observer Children's Christmas Story contest. They published the winners today and this was not one of them! So the blog seems like the perfect place to put it. Enjoy!

Away in a Manger…

“T’was the night before Christmas and all about the house, nothing was stirring, except for a mouse.1”

“Wait, wait, wait, we live in a barn!” said Bailey interrupting Max’s musings, “and we spend most of our time in this huge pasture, plus the mice do clean up for us where you and I drop food while we eat due to our failing teeth at our advanced age.”
Max sighed, “I know, but Christmas time seems so special to our humans.”
“You are a horse! A retired one at that! What do you know about Christmas!” Bailey tossed his head and rolled his eyes.
“I know that our humans think that Christmas is a pretty special time of year. They are kind to one another and give gifts to the people that they hold dear.” Max dropped his head and licked his lips. “I also get extra treats at Christmas for no reason that I can tell other than they are feeling extra kind.”
“I know dude, they really seem to change at this time of year.” Bailey conceded as he ever so gently pushed Max’s nose aside from a particularly green patch of clover.
Just then Haflinger pony Toby wandered over, “Mind sharing the clover?” he asked.
“I mind,” said Bailey flatly, snarling the corner of his nostril nearest to Toby to emphasize the point. Toby looked hopefully at Max who backed up a step and lowered his head indicating that the clover was up for grabs as far as he was concerned. “Toby, do you think humans are kinder at Christmas time?” he asked.
Toby kept one eye on the clover and the other on Bailey as he thought about the question. “Well, maybe, they do seem to spend more time together, sharing food and giving one another gifts.”
“Why do they do that at this time of year?” asked Max.
“I think it has something to do with that display they put in the courtyard for everyone to see,” said Toby. “There is a family as well as sheep and other animals, shepherds and some dudes in fancy looking outfits that must be important in some way. The dressed up guys also look to be giving gifts to the baby.”
“Plus the scene is in a barn,” added Max. “I’ve heard the humans talking about how barns are great equalizers, something about all people being the same when they are at the barn. I’m not sure exactly what they were talking about but they all agreed that the barn is their favorite place to be.”
“I’ve heard comments like that too,” said Toby, “they were saying, when they are at the barn, they can just be themselves and don’t have to worry about what other people think. In fact now that you mention it I also heard the program director telling someone how important it is to her to have everyone feel welcome when they are at the barn. She also said that the barn is a place where everything is always the same and everyone respects each other’s point of view.”
“Well they are always happy to see us and they give us lots of hugs and praise no matter what time of year it is,” said Bailey. “But they don’t’ always treat each other that way all the time, I have heard them talking and saying some not very nice things to each other. Maybe they have to be reminded to be nice to one another and that is what Christmas is for.”
“So is that why there are people and animals in the display?” asked Max.
“I think it is one of those barn yard themed birthday parties,” chimed in Toby. “There are guests with gifts, all they need is a cake. Although I suppose the candles might be a bit hazardous in a barn particularly as the baby is sleeping in a feed tub bedded with straw”
“It looks like our therapeutic horsemanship program to me,” observed Bailey.
“How do you mean?” asked Max.
“Well everyday, families bring their children to see us horses. Some of them ride, some of them brush us and some of them just enjoy watching others ride. We also have the volunteers that take care of us, and help the children with their riding and other skills, sort of like the shepherds caring for the sheep.” Bailey lifted his head from the clover patch for a moment allowing Toby to grab a bite.
“What about the guys with gifts, they fit well with Toby’s birthday idea” said Max.
“Gifts are not just for birthdays although this could well be a birthday party. The humans who teach lessons and organize all our events wear matching shirts that make them stand out from the families and volunteers,” said Bailey “The gifts maybe birthday presents or perhaps they are symbols of appreciation or recognition from the guys in the fancy clothes.”
“Oh the gifts are the easy part!” exclaimed Toby. “Gifts come everyday in one form or another. Remember that little girl last month who has been coming to ride with us for two years? Well she never said a word and then suddenly she started saying “walk on” and “whoa” like she had been doing it all her life. I overheard her mother saying that since that day she has started to speak more at home. I was so excited to hear her speak for the first time that I almost trotted off – luckily I managed to stop myself just in time!
“That’s not all,” Bailey said “Last week we needed to raise money for new equipment for the program so the program director posted an appeal on her facebook page and someone was kind enough to donate all the funds needed, just like that! Did you not see the fancy new saddle that Marshmellow has been wearing? They bought that, as well as some other items that make riding more comfortable for the riders.”
Toby looked a little troubled, “So which is it?” he asked. “Does the display represent a birthday party or is it a reminder to humans to treat one another well or is it just a representation of our riding program?”
Bailey being the leader of the herd considered this for a minute while Max managed to grab the last few bites of clover. Finally, Bailey spoke, “I think it is all of them,” he stated. “It looks like it is the baby’s birthday which serves as a reminder to humans to be kind to one another and in our little bit of the world this just happens to occur at a therapeutic horsemanship center.”
“Well there is one thing about the display that you have not yet explained,” said Toby. “and that is the giant star hanging over the barn.”
“Oh I know what that is,” said Max through the last mouthful of clover, “it represents the head lights on the pick up truck that is coming up the lane right now with our warm mash and blankets to keep us comfortable on a cold winter night. Follow those lights to the barn, its time for dinner!”


1. Clement Clarke Moore (1779 - 1863)

The semester is coming to an end...

The end of the semester comes so quickly! Last weekend Ashley and six members of the IHSA hunter seat team made the drive to Centenary College in New Jersey to compete in the invitational IHSA Tournament of Champions (TOC). Schools are invited to compete in TOC competitions based on their success so the competition is very tough as the best intercollegiate teams in the country are represented. St. Andrews ended up in 13th place out of 25 which is not too shabby considering the competition.
The team visited Washington DC, specifically the Lincoln Memorial, made a stop to take a lesson at Regina Barash’s barn in the Bronx and did a quick tour of the USEF team headquarters in Gladstone NJ. From all reports it was an amazing trip for all involved.

With finals starting tomorrow (today is study day on campus) equestrian activities are limited to stress reducing hacks and pleasure rides. Tonight the equestrian staff don their Chef hats for an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party in the Party Palace. The menu consists of warming dishes including soups, chilli, chicken and dumplings and of course Pebbles’ brownies. Finals start tomorrow, good luck to everyone!

Intercollegiate Horse Show Scoring

The fall intercollegiate season comes to a close with St. Andrews teams having the following points.

Hunter Seat 200
Western 144
Dressage 16

This places the hunter seat and western teams in the lead in their respective regions by 32 and 20 points and the dressage team one point behind Averett University in their region. The point value differences come from the different approach taken by the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) and the Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA).

IHSA and IDA both use the same system when it comes to awarding points to individual riders.

1st – 7 points
2nd – 5 points
3rd – 4 points
4th – 3 points
5th – 2 points
6th – 1 point

Individual riders in both organizations accumulate points towards year end awards and for the opportunity to ride at Regionals for IHSA or Nationals for IDA. IHSA has more competitive layers at the end of the year than IDA.

In IHSA, point riders are designated by the coach at the coaches meeting prior to the start of the show. Schools may have more than one rider in each division but only one rider’s score counts for the team. In IDA usually 2 teams of 4 riders from each school compete for the day’s points. IHSA Hunter Seat has 8 designated point riders with one drop score. IHSA Western has 6 designated point riders with no drop score. IDA teams count the best 3 scores (by point value determined by their individual placing in their division) from each team of 4 riders. At the end of each show the most each team can score is as follows.

IHSA Hunter Seat – 49 points
IHSA Western – 42 points
IDA Dressage – 21 points

In IHSA the team’s points from each show are cumulative. For example three perfect shows in hunter seat would earn 147 points. In IDA the winning team earns 7 points, the second place team 5 points etc. So a perfect score for three shows for IDA would be 21 points. To further complicate things no matter how many shows are held in a region for IDA only a team’s top 4 shows count. If a school has a second team their points do not count towards qualifying. In IHSA each region must have a minimum of 5 shows to qualify for Regionals and therefore Zones and finally Nationals.

Very confusing and this does not address all the rules in both organizations that start with “In the event…".

I’ll discuss individual scoring and qualifying for Regionals and Nationals in a later post.

Currently, all St. Andrews Intercollegiate Equestrian Teams are strong contenders in their respective regions.

Regional Standing for All St. Andrews' Intercollegiate Teams

IHSA Hunter Seat - After 5 shows
St. Andrews University 200
UNC-Chapel Hill 168
North Carolina State University 161
Duke University 154
East Carolina University 154
Coastal Carolina University 116
UNC-Charlotte 89
UNC-Wilmington 89
Virginia Commonwealth University 84
Davidson College 37
Martin Community College 14

IHSA Western - After 4 shows
St. Andrews 144
NCSU 124
VA Tech 82
High Point University 59
Martin Community College 43

IDA – After 3 shows
Averett University 17
St. Andrews University 16
Furman University 10
North Carolina State University 11

Show teams, Alums etc.

As is the case with most weekends during the semester the equestrian staff were going in several different directions this past weekend. Carla and the western team had back to back shows at Martin Community College and the show team with Ashley and Heather were showing in Raleigh at an NCHJA show. Peggy headed to Raleigh Friday to support the show team and I accompanied Carla as the second driver to Williamston NC.

The western team arrived early Saturday morning for a 2:00 start. We were able to watch some of the horses school and Carla ran through patterns on foot with her riders. They have miniature cones which they set out to practice patterns. The show started late and did run a little slowly which intensified the chill in the air which you really feel if you spend most of your time on the bleachers! Unlike St. Andrews, Martin does not have a small army to run their shows and does a wonderful job with only 17 students and 2 staff. The day was long but our riders were focused and very supportive of one another. At the end of the day NCSU came out ahead. Peggy was keen to be updated so we were soon into a pattern of texting placings and accumulated points back and forth after each class.

After checking into our hotel we went to the Shamrock restaurant for dinner. The food is family style ranging from burgers and fries to seafood and steaks with vegetables - something to appeal to everyone. At the end of the meal Kimmy made an announcement that Alum Leah Davison had paid for everyone’s dinner! What a great supporter! Brittany called Leah right away and the entire team thanked her for generosity and support.

Sunday the show was not scheduled to start until 11:00 a.m. so I made a quick visit to the NCDCTA Harvest Moon dressage show at the Horse Complex. Talk about a contrast! At the western show the music was country and the classes ran when folks were ready. In dressage land, classical/elevator music was piped into the indoor arena and riders reported to the ring at their appointed time. The atmosphere was serene and organized. I spent a happy hour at the show watching FEI level tests before returning to the hotel pick up the team.

Sunday’s show ran more smoothly than Saturday’s. We started on time at 11:00 and were done by 3:30 including running the BOB Derby to raise money for IHSA Nationals 2012. I got better at texting Peggy (I have a 5 year old flip phone) and she texted back that she was at Elon’s IHSA show to see Alum Rob Jacobs ride in the Alum class. Rob was second on the flat and first over fences. At the western show our riders were really on form beating NCSU by one point!
The drive home is only about 3 hours but it seemed longer as we were driving directly into the sun which is low in the sky at this time of year.

A good weekend for the SAU equestrian teams. The western team showed grace and determination with many challenges during the weekend, our alums remain involved with the program in one way or another and the show team earned many ribbons and represented St. Andrews well to the horse show world. Very happy to be part of this wonderful program!

Good weekend for western and show teams!

The western team still leads the region by 20 points after this weekend's back to back shows.

Katie Hansen and Alexandra Fullerton were champion and reserve champion in the NCHJA Equitation Finals in Raleigh.

For a complete report of this weekend's shows click here!

November 19th, 2011 - Riding Open House

High School Seniors sign up for Riding Open House on Nov 19th? This is the only open house this year where you will have an opportunity to ride our horses! Come meet the coaches, tour the incredible equestrian center and learn about the many and varied programs St. Andrews has to offer. Click here to register!

Questions? Drop me an email dwellejm@sapc.edu

Dressage Team Fight for Regional Lead

Twelve riders, one coach and a barn manager serving as the second driver and cheering section for the dressage team left in the first frost of the year to travel to the Averett Equestrian Center early Sunday morning. The day turned out clear and fine with a cool breeze as the Knights battled to retain their regional lead.

In first level test 2, Junior Lindsey Agaliotis found it difficult to establish a good working relationship with her horse in the limited 10 minute warn up. She earned 66.8% to place third for the day. Sophmore Erin Hudson who is small in statue drew the largest first level horse but put in a very respectable test to earn 65.40% and 4th place. In the upper training division Senior Casey Curtis laid down a solid ride to place 5th with 66.40%, Senior Olivia Taylor had what appeared to be a beautiful ride on a sensitive horse but failed to show the quality in the movements with coefficients to finish a disappointing 9th in the division.

In lower training sophmore Brianna Carter rose to the occasion scoring 67.9% and earning 2nd place after requesting a re-ride due to the horse she drew having significant issues with the flowers in the ring. Senior Lauren Parker was right behind her with 67.5% and 3rd place riding the same horse. At the Introductory Level St. Andrews riders rose to the occasion with Jenna Marten scoring 72.5% for 2nd place and freshman Masha Peckham scoring 67.5% for 4th and Senior Katelee Johnson placing 5th with 66.30% in a large division with 12 riders.

At the end of the fall season this leaves the Knights trailing Averett University by one point. “I have challenged the team individually and as a group to tell me how they plan to improve their riding by February when we compete again,” said coach Dwelle. “Although this is a team sport it is the responsibility or each individual to improve their skills, everyone has a different challenge. Averett is a strong school and will be difficult to beat, their riders have more opportunities to compete at schooling and recognized shows than our riders and this gives them a competitive edge.”

The Knights have three shows left in the spring a double header at Averett Feb 18th – 19th and the final show March 18th at St. Andrews.

Regional Standings after 3 shows
St. Andrews University 16
Averett University 17
Furman University 10
North Carolina State University 11

St. Andrews Team B – 10 points
Erin Hudson First Level Test 2
Casey Curtis – Training Level Test 3
Paige Tillison – Training Level Test 1
Jenna Marten – Introductory Level Test B

St. Andrews Team A – 9 points
Lindsey Agaliotos – First Level Test 2
Olivia Taylor – Training Level Test 3
Brianna Carter – Training Level Test1
Hannah Firth – Introductory Level Test B

Individual Results
First Level Test 2
3rd Lindsey Agaliotis 66.80%
4th Erin Hudson 56.40%

Training Level Test 3
5th Casey Curtis 66.40%

Training Level Test 1
2nd Brianna Carter 67.90%
3rd Lauren Parker 67.50%

Introductory Level Test B
2nd Jenna Marten 72.50%
4th Masha Peckham 67.50%
5th Katelee Johnson 66.30%

IHSA Hunter Seat Team Increases Their Regional Lead!

Judge Diann Langer from Johnston, SC endured cool temperatures and a light but persistent wind to judge today’s IHSA Hunter Seat show. Eleven schools fielded riders including Davidson and Virginia Commonwealth who have not competed at St. Andrews this season. Team veterans Kim Graves, Alie McGraw and Katie Hansen all won their flat classes setting the standard for the remainder of the day. Freshman Regina Barasch won her section of Open Over Fences and followed that up with a win in her Intermediate Flat class becoming one of three riders tied for high point rider. In the ride off at the end of the day Regina came out ahead of the two riders from Duke to earn the championship title. The Knights continued to show their strength throughout the day placing well in just about every class leading to a strong win with 46 points to Virginia Commonwealth’s 36.

At the end of the day the BOB Derby brought a new first to St. Andrews and IHSA where coaches from 8 of the 11 schools competed against one another to raise money for IHSA Nationals 2012 and more importantly Regional bragging rights! Equestrian Program Director Peggy McElveen added a dash of fun to the event with a draw for candy hidden in brains (cold cooked spaghetti) to go with the Halloween theme for the day. The 8 coaches rode briefly on the flat and then each one was required to complete a western style pattern and jump 4 fences including a trot fence. Coach Thom Pollard rode a smooth pattern and nailed his fences on Feeny to win the blue ribbon for NCSU.

Regional Standings
St. Andrews University 167
Duke University 131
UNC-Chapel Hill 130
North Carolina State University 128
East Carolina University 116
Coastal Carolina University 97
UNC-Charlotte 77
UNC-Wilmington 67
Virginia Commonwealth University 62
Martin Community College 14

Team Results Oct 29th
46 St. Andrews University
36 Virginia Commonwealth University
35 UNC-Chapel Hill
33 Duke
33 Davidson
30 NCSU
26 UNC-Charlotte
25 UNC-Wilmington
21 Eastern Carolina
21 Coastal Carolina

St. Andrews Results
Open Flat A – 1st Kim Graves
Novice Flat A - 1st Alie McGraw
Open Flat B – 1st Katie Hansen
Novice Flat B – 1st Park Hoey
Intermediate Flat A – 1st Kayla McBath
Open Fences A – 2nd Regina Barasch, 4th Cat Stumberg
Open Fences B – 3rd Kim Graves
Open Fences C – 3rd Katie Hansen
Walk, Trot, Canter A – 1st Caitlin Karolak
Novice Flat C – 1st Abigail Skillman
Walk, Trot, Canter B – 2nd Hillary Todd, 3rd Sarah Lishen
Intermediate Fences A – 4th Keli Van Den Heuvel
Intermediate Fences B – 2nd Nikki Napoleone
Intermediate Fences C – 1st Kali Cram
Walk, Trot, Canter C – 1st Tori Burkey
Walk, Trot A – 1st Valerie Robey
Novice Flat D – 3rd Tara Algeri
Novice Flat E – 2nd Michelle Eld
Walk, Trot B – 3rd Morgan Potts
Walk, Trot, Canter D – 1st Jackie Rigsbee, 4th Chandalyn Chrzanowski
Novice Flat F – 6th Kali Cram
Walk, Trot, Canter E – 1st Mia Dipillo
Intermediate Flat C – 1st Regina Barasch
Walk, Trot, Canter F – 3rd Julie Griffin, 4th Sara Hackney
Novice Fences B – 3rd Alexandra Fullerton
Bob Derby – Thom Pollard NCSU

High Point Rider – Regina Barasch, St. Andrews
Reserve High Point Rider – Caroline Culbertson, Duke