Geneseo’s equestrian team competed in its second home showcase of the season on Saturday Nov. 1 at head coach Kim Sanford’s Leg Up Stables. The team concluded the showcase with 34 points, placing third behind St. Lawrence University and Cazenovia College whose teams garnered 45 and 42 points, respectively. Eleven teams competed in the showcase. While the team continues to chase St. Lawrence and Cazenovia, many individual riders saw personal successes.
Senior Kayla Geier, junior Emma Witherwax, sophomore Monica Schneider and freshman Samantha Childs all scored first-place finishes, with Witherwax accumulating enough points to qualify for a six-person-ride-off for High Point Rider honors.
Sophomore Tessa Horn, junior Katherine Nickels, senior Christa Pappalardo and senior Brianne Szopinski all secured second place in their respective areas, with Witherwax placing second in Novice Fences in addition to her first place Novice Flat victory.
The team also had eight third placements in other events.
Syracuse University and Ottawa Univeristy found themselves tied at 25, nine points behind Geneseo.
The Knights competed on Sunday Nov. 2 at Cazenovia. The team placed fifth with 26 points, behind Cazenovia with 41, St. Lawrence and Syracuse with 33 and Ottawa with 31.
Only Pappalardo rode away with a first-place finish––in Novice Flat––yet senior Ashley Olin secured two second places in Intermediate Fences and Novice Flat. Senior Anna Eschler and Nickels also secured second place finishes, in Novice Flat and Intermediate Fences respectively.
The team had 10 third placements as well, with Schneider placing third twice in Novice over Fences and Novice Flat.
While the Knights struggled at Cazenovia, the team did have several members move up in class. Both Olin and senior Chloe Degre qualified for regionals and moved up in class on Sunday Nov. 2, while senior Emily Lockard and Nickels moved up in their classes on Saturday Nov. 1.
The equestrian team will be competing at St. Lawrence on Nov. 15 and 16.