Equestrian Highlights
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April 12, 2008
Zone Championships
Skidmore CollegeThe IHSA Zone 2 Championships were hosted by Skidmore College last weekend in beautiful Saratoga Springs, New York. Coach Lori Rakoczy was honored to escort two Sarah Lawrence riders to the prestigious occasion - Junior Liz Stitzel, competing in Open Fences and Open Flat and Sophomore Galina Pavel, competing in Novice Fences. At stake was a trip to the National competition held in Los Angeles in May. The top two finishers in each event would earn a spot at Nationals.
Liz was seeking to make an extraordinary third consecutive trip to Nationals. Coach Rakoczy said Liz rode "fabulous" but the effort fell just short as the decorated junior barely missed qualifying in Open Fences, finishing in third place. What makes this razor-thin margin even more unpalatable is the fact that starting next year Zone 2, because of its size and high level of competition, will be sending 3 riders on to Nationals - the only zone in the country to do so. Even so, a third place finish is exceptional and Liz should be quite proud of another outstanding year anchoring the Gryphon equestrian squad.
Galina Pavel, competing for the first time in such a large and pressure-filled event rode superbly but wasn't able to ribbon. Galina, only a sophomore, will surely be a significant part of the equestrian team over the next two years.
Equestrian - like figure skating and gymnastics - is a difficult sport for the competitors to maintain an uncluttered mind as the results are not as simple as win-loss. The riders are at the mercy of the judges and their seemingly arbitrary method of ascribing points to a performance. This doesn't favor any rider over another as all are subjected to the same system - but it does leave the riders vulnerable to relentless thoughts of "what if". And all of the Gryphon riders handled the pressure and stress of competition admirably throughout the year.
All the over-used cliches in sports parlance were applicable to this year's equestrian team. Coach Rakoczy has nothing but praise for all her riders who displayed dedication, tenacity and a great sense of teamwork all season long.
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Show: March 30, 2008
Regional Championship Horse Show
Centenary College
Sometimes it is best to not have too much time to ponder a significant occasion, instead letting the momentum of the event take over unimpeded by over-analysis and trepidation. And so it appears that the scant one day of rest for the Sarah Lawrence riders was enough for several outstanding performances in the Regional Championship Horse Show contested on Sunday—with two Gryphons advancing to the Zone Championships, one step removed from Nationals.
Junior Liz Stitzel has already had a storied tenure as a Sarah Lawrence equestrian. This legacy was further expanded on Sunday when Liz was crowned Regional Champion in Open Fences and Regional Reserve Champion in Open Flat. With these rides, Stitzel qualified for the Zone Championships. Not to be overlooked by her achievements on the course, Stitzel also won the Regional Sportsmanship Award. This laurel, voted on by her peers, is perhaps an even more cherished honor. Joining Liz at the Zones will be sophomore Galina Pavel. Galina had a strong finish to take third place in Novice Fences. And though she didn't qualify for the Zones, senior Jessica Hilbert concluded her Sarah Lawrence riding career with a 5th place finish in Novice Flat.
The Zone Championships will be held at Skidmore College on Saturday April 12th, in beautiful Saratoga Springs, New York.
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Show: March 29, 2008
All Region Horse Show
Readington, NJ
"We saved the best for last" is a cliche and declaration which is the ideal utterance for any team or individual to deliver –with authority– at the conclusion of a competition. And the Sarah Lawrence equestrians did indeed reserve their nonpareil effort for the final regular season show of the season as the Gryphons claimed 2nd place, capturing the reserve championship ribbon at the All Region Horse Show at Briarwood Farm in Readington, New Jersey on Saturday. The schedule could not have concluded any more satisfyingly for Coach Lori Rakoczy's riders who have steadily displayed improvement all season long—and to have the hard work return such a tangibly rewarding result should be a source of pride for the entire squad.
The kudos this day were plentiful for Sarah Lawrence. First year Lauren Junge won the Walk Trot (her first blue ribbon); sophomore Galina Pavel placed 3rd in two intermediate events, Fences and Flat; senior Maggie Fenwood rode to 3rd place in Novice Flat; fellow senior Jessica Hilbert had an outstanding day winning both the Intermediate Flat and Fence events. And finally, team captain Liz Stitzel continued her superior riding by claiming 1st place in Open Fences and Open Flat.
There is precious little time to savor the superb result for the six Gryphon riders who have qualified for the regional championships. The Regionals will be contested tomorrow afternoon at Centenary College.
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Show: March 8, 2008
William Patterson Horse Show
Centenary College
One always aspires - no matter what the profession or pastime - to conclude the days leading up to a vacation on an up-note, establishing momentum for when one returns from a brief hiatus. The Gryphon riders accomplished such a feat leading up to their Spring Break at the William Patterson Horse Show in New Jersey, as Sarah Lawrence added another name to the list of those who have qualified for the Regional Championships.
Though Sarah Lawrence did not fare well overall for the afternoon, finishing in 10th place, there were several outstanding performances - most notably Lit Stitzel's 3rd and 4th places finishes in Open Flat and Open Fences respectively, ensuring the senior a spot at Regionals. Liz - the only Gryphon to qualify in the Open Division - now joins Jessica Hilbert, Galina Pavel, Sandra Glascock, Samantha Fein and Stefanie Armitage for the Regionals Championships.
Upon returning from Spring Break, Sarah Lawrence will compete in their final regular show for the season on Saturday, March 29 at Briarwood Farm in Readington, New Jersey. The Garden State will be their home away-from-home that weekend as the Regional Championships will be held the following day - Sunday, March 30th - at Centenary College.
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Show: March 1, 2008
Vassar Horse Show
Valley Crest Farms, Millbrook, New York
Though the famous phrase reads "rust never sleeps", the Sarah Lawrence equestrian team displayed not a trace of tarnish as Coach Lori Rakoczy's squad competed in their first show in more than three months on a raw and cloudy afternoon in scenic Dutchess County, New York at Valley Crest Farms.
The Vassar College-hosted event yielded several stellar performances from the Sarah Lawrence riders with two more Gryphons qualifying for the Regional Championships.
One of the most satisfying components to this year's team has been the improved riding from newcomers and veterans alike. Such was the case again on Saturday. Canadian first-year Emma Greenberg won her first ISHA blue ribbon, winning the Beginner Walk Trot Canter contest. Emma's strong ride will no doubt bolster her confidence for future shows. And Liz Stitzel, the brilliant junior from Vermont, rode to another first place in her storied career, claiming the Open Flat division. Additional notable accomplishments included Sandra Glascock, Galina Pavel and Rachel Schwarz combining for four third place finishes. And, most satisfyingly, two seniors - Sandra Glascock and Jessica Hilbert - qualified for the Regional Championships in the Novice Flat Division.
Sarah Lawrence will have little down time before their next competition—the William Patterson Show to be held on March 8th. On that date, the Gryphons will look to increase their tally of Regional Championship-bound riders.
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Show: November 17, 2007
Marist Horse Show
Valley Crest Farm, Millbrook, New York
Participating in an equestrian event is an exercise in polarities as extended periods of inactivity alternate with short bursts of competition requiring laser-like focus. One needs a great degree of self-discipline to succeed and the last thing one desires is another obstacle to disrupt that concentration. Unfortunately for all the riders last weekend at the Marist Horse Show in Dutchess County—the last show of the fall season—freezing temperatures made the task of competing that much more burdensome. However, the Sarah Lawrence equestrians showed their mettle with several excellent rides, with yet another Gryphon qualifying for regionals.
In all, eight Sarah Lawrenceriders recorded a top-three finish. Senior Samantha Fein's 3rd place finish in Advanced Walk Trot secured her a place in the regional championships, making her the 4th Gryphon rider to qualify. Another senior, Sandra Glascock, had her finest ride ever for Sarah Lawrence, capturing 1st place in Novice Flat. Other notable results included first-year Emma Greenberg, a Canadian native, placing 2nd in Beginning Walk Trot and fellow first-year Caitlin Durham also scoring 2nd place. Junior Liz Stitzel, one of the finest riders in the region, returned to form with a strong showing, claiming 2nd place in Open Fences and 3rd place in Open Flat.
Coach Rakoczy is extremely pleased with how the first half of the season unfolded. With three regular season shows remaining in the spring, there are several Sarah Lawrence riders who are within reach of qualifying for regionals. The equestrians will now enjoy a well deserved and extended break from competition.
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Show: November 10, 2007
SUNY New Paltz Show
Briarwood Farm, Readington, New Jersey
With the fall season winding down, the goal for many of Coach Lori Rakoczy's riders on the Sarah Lawrence equestrian team is to qualify for the spring regional championships. So with that in mind, the Gryphons once again traveled across the Hudson to western New Jersey, this time to compete in the SUNY New Paltz show – one of the final two shows of the fall portion of the schedule.
And indeed, it turned out to be a fruitful afternoon of competition as two more Sarah Lawrence riders qualified for the regional championships. Sophomore Galina Pavel turned in a superb 1st Place performance in Novice Flat and placed 4th in Novice Fences. The results earned her a spot in the regional competition for both events. Junior Stephanie Armitage earned a spot in the regionals with an impressive 2nd place result in Walk Trot. Other notable rides included senior Sandra Glascock's 2nd place finish in Novice Flat with fellow senior Maggie Fenwood right behind in 4th place.
Sarah Lawrence will look to qualify additional riders for the championships when they travel to Millbrook, New York on November 17th for the final show of the fall semester.
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Show: October 28, 2007
Group Show at Briarwood Farm
The day after competing in the USMA show, the Sarah Lawrence equestrians made another trip to the Garden State to compete in the Group Show at Briarwood Farm in Readington, New Jersey. Centenary College won the event but the Gryphon riders performed well, finishing 6th out of eleven schools — more importantly though, several Sarah Lawrence riders made progress toward qualifying for regional and national championships.
Liz Stitzel had another stellar afternoon of riding. The junior won first place in Open Fences and took second in Open Flat. With this effort she was awarded high point rider for the day and moved into second place in high point rider standings for the region. Liz is putting herself in good position to duplicate last year's exploit when she won high point rider for the region and automatically qualified for the Cacchione Cup at Nationals. If she again sits atop the regional rankings, Liz will make the trip out to Los Angeles to compete at Nationals in May.
There was more good news for the Sarah Lawrence riders. Senior Jessica Hilbert finished 4th in Novice Fences and 5th in Novice Flat — though this wasn't one of her strongest performances of the season, Jessica nonetheless has accrued enough points to qualify for the regional championships horse show in Novice Flat; First Year Emma Greenberg finished second in the Beginning Walk Trot Canter; Galina Pavel repeated her effort from the day before with another second place showing in Novice Fences and Stephanie Armitage took second place in Walk Trot.
Next up for the Gryphons is the SUNY New Paltz-hosted event, again at Briarwood Farm, on November 10th. After a long weekend of competing, the team can definitely use the two week break to gird themselves for the last two shows of the year.
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Show: October 27, 2007
United States Military Academy show
The Sarah Lawrence equestrian team traveled to the Centenary College Equestrian Center to compete in the United States Military Academy show in Long Valley, New Jersey. It turned out to be a historic day for the region's equestrians as it was the first IHSA (International Horse Show Association) show to have two rings running simultaneously with two separate judges - quite an impressive feat, considering there were over 300 rides on the afternoon. Centenary College, this region's perennial powerhouse, claimed victory for the afternoon. The Gryphons finished in a very respectable 6th position out of 12 regional colleges.
Coach Lori Rakoczy's squad could count numerous superb performances for the afternoon. Jessica Hilbert, one of four seniors on the squad captured second place in Novice Flat. Sophomore Galina Pavel took second place in Novice Fences and junior standout Liz Stitzel came in second in Open Fences.
With the short equestrian campaign now more than halfway complete, the Gryphon riders will look to amass enough points to qualify for regional and national competition. The team won't have to wait long for their next event as they'll compete in the group show tomorrow at Briarwood Farms in New Jersey.
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Show: October 13, 2007
Stevens Institute of Technology Intercollegiate Horse Show
With temperatures finally befitting the autumnal portion of the calendar, the Sarah Lawrence College equestrian team traveled to rural New Jersey to participate in the Stevens Tech-hosted horse show at the Centenary Equestrian Center. The Gryphons finished 8th in the 12 team event. Centenary College —which also claimed victory the week before— claimed overall victory for the afternoon.
Coach Lori Rakoczy, who has been very pleased with her riders' performance thus far, has put together a deep and varied squad. Ideally, one always has a blend of veterans and newcomers on a team and such is the case with the Gryphons this year as there are five first-year riders to go along with the eight juniors and seniors on the squad (and one sophomore).
Junior Stephanie Armitage had the strong showing of the day for Sarah Lawrence as she claimed third place in the Walk Trot competition.
The Sarah Lawrence riders will get two weeks of practice time before they return to the Centenary Equestrian center for a show hosted by the United States Military Academy on Saturday, October 27th.
Complete results for the Gryphons:
- Liz Stitzel 5th place Open Fences
- Sandra Glascock 4th place Novice Flat
- Galina Pavel 4th place Novice Flat
- Jessica Hilbert 5th place Novice Fences
- Rachel Schwarz 6th place Beginner Walk Trot Canter
- Caitlin Durham 6th place Beginner Walk Trot Canter
- Emma Greenberg 4th place Beginner walk Trot Canter
- Stephanie Armitage 3rd place Walk Trot
- Samantha Fein 4th place Advanced Walk Trot Canter
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Show: October 7, 2007
SLC vs. Drew University
In unseasonable and record-setting hot conditions where temperatures flirted with the ninety degree mark, Sarah Lawrence and Drew University hosted the first IHSA (Intercollegiate Horse Show Association) Zone 2, Region 1 horse show of the season at Briarwood Farm in Flemington, New Jersey on October 7th. More than a dozen area colleges —Zone 2 is represented by riders from New York and New Jersey colleges— participated in the event. Centenary College, which has a perennially strong equestrian program, claimed victory for the day. Sarah Lawrence finished 7th.
There were several superb results for Coach Lori Rakoczy's riders. Stephanie Armitage, junior from Virginia won first place in the Walk Trot competition for Sarah Lawrence's only victory of the afternoon. Junior Liz Stitzel, the lauded anchor of this veteran squad, took second place in Open Fences and 3rd in Open Flat. And veteran Jessica Hilbert, senior from Maryland, received a third place score in the Novice Flat competition.
Next up is a competition hosted by Stevens Tech held at the Centenary Equestrian Center in Long Valley, New Jersey on Sunday, October 13th.
The complete results for the Gryphon riders:
- Liz Stitzel - 2nd place Open Fences, 3rd place open flat
- Sandra Glascock - 4th Place Novice Fences
- Jessica Hilbert - 3rd Place Novice Flat
- Galina Pavel - 4th place Novice Fences,6th place Novice Flat
- Rachel Schwartz - 5th place Beginner Walk Trot Canter
- Stephanie Armitage - 1st place walk trot
- Aston Hollins McClanahan - 5th place Novice Flat
- Caitlin Durham-- 6th place Beginner Walk Trot Canter