October 8, 2005
For Immediate Release
Contact:  Carole Grills
(413) 585-2703

 Smith Equestrians Places Third in Opening Show of the Season

Northampton, MA:  Smith College hosted the first IHSA (Intercollegiate Horse Show Association) show of the 2005-06 season today with the home team taking third place out of ten schools.  The University of Massachusetts won the show with 34 points followed by Mount Holyoke in second with 32 and Smith third with 30.

            The Pioneers rode well as Katherine Obara (Portsmouth, RI), Layne Chaya (Berwick, PA) and Kelly Pruden (Parsippany, NY) qualified for regionals.. Jill Medinger (Newtown, CT) and Elyse Lasser (Brookfield, CT) finished as High Point Rider and Reserve High Point Rider in the intermediate division. Winning blue ribbons for Smith were Emily Hertz (Brattleboro, VT), Chaya, Christine Stine (East Dover, VT), Obara, and Jane Kim (Closter, NJ). Taking seconds were Medinger (in 2 events), Michaela LeBlanc (Cotuit, MA), Lasser, Susan MacLauchlan (Somers, CT), Amanda Downing (Cardiff By the Sea, CA), and Jessica Willis in the alumnae event. Yellow ribbons were won by Bronwyn Riggs 
(East Bridgewater, MA), Nancy Cannon (Greenville, DE), Medinger, Barrett Phillips (Goochland, VA), LeBlanc and Lasser.

            The Pioneers will compete again on Saturday, October 15^th at the University of Massachusetts Show.