Equestrian scores corrected
The Dartmouth equestrian team completed an outstanding performance at a show Saturday at Middlebury College. The points of one rider from each of eight classes counted toward the team total.
Immediately following the competition, it was believed that Dartmouth as a team placed third behind first-place Colby Sawyer College and the second-place University of Vermont. But there was a problem with UVM's point sheet.
A rider's number was incorrectly written down, and her class numbers reversed. She was accidentally recorded for seven points twice based on her flat class, though she came in fourth over fences. This new development tied UVM for third, and put Dartmouth as the reserved champions for the day.
"It was so impressive to beat UVM at this first show," Coach Sally Boillotat said yesterday. "Last year they went to the nationals and were fourth in the nation out of three hundred.
"I'm really excited...I think we can go all the way and win the Regionals."
At Middlebury, Jennifer Renz '01, placed first in the Open Fences Competition.
Renz is considered an Upper Level Rider -- one of the best in the country. She has competed on the International Inter-Collegiate Equestrian team in Ireland.
Junior Julia Hoover's first place award in the Novice Fences will allow her to compete in the next level, Intermediate. She also qualified for the Regional Competition at the end of the year.
Jennifer Hill '04 placed first in the Novice Flat.
"I've been coaching her to improve her position so that she can do better in the Inter-Collegiate shows," Boillotat said. "It worked."
Second place honors went to Maren Winnick '02 (Open Fences), Sara Irom '02 (Intermediate Fences), Lindsay Clayton '04 (Intermediate Fences), Andrew Westgate '03 (Novice Fences), Ashley McCaughan '04 (Novice Fences), Crosby Haynes '04 (Open Flat), Jennifer Renz '01 (Open Flat), Sara Glazer '04 (Intermediate Flat), Julia Hoover '02 (Novice Flat), and Kelsie Clark '03 (Advanced Walk/Trot/Canter), Reiko Imai '03 (Advanced Walk/Trot/Canter).
"We have never had so many first and second place winners combined," Boillotat raved. "Even though Dartmouth didn't win the show, our team was the winner that day based on the number of firsts and seconds that we got."
