The competition used a slightly different format than Dartmouth is accustomed to, as head coach Sally Batton recently formed the Athletic Equestrian League a new league that is separate from the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association.
Co-captain Kelly Tropin '13 said that although the Big Green was not sure what to expect of the new format which featured a unique type of jump course the team was "intrigued" by the competition's structure.
"We didn't feel that it was anything out of our reach," she said.
Co-captain Cristina Herren '12 said the team was happy to end the season with the Classic, which hosts a wide pool of competitors and does not count toward regular season points.
"There's a lot less pressure," she said. "Everyone obviously still wants to do well, but it's a lot of fun."
Among the winners, Faye Keegan '12 and Rochele Brown '13 had standout performances and were both named High Point Champions. Brown earned first in the walking, trotting and cantering divisions, while Keegan was the top finisher in Open. Tropin and Janna Wandzilak '14 also nabbed victories in their respective divisions.
"Generally at a horse show we have one or two individuals that do well," Tropin said. "So it's really special when the whole team comes together and does well."
The team adeptly handled the event's cold and windy conditions, gaining an advantage over other teams, according to Tropin.
Big Green riders demonstrated their adaptability and ability to "ride intelligently and judge the horses quickly," Herren said.
Tropin said the most difficult part of the competition was not riding, but rather the responsibilities associated with the team hosting its own show.
"It's a lot of coordination pulling out the horses, getting them ready and making sure that they're well-prepared," she said. "We worked pretty hard in the days surrounding the show."
Despite any planning difficulties, the ability to ride at home with familiar horses provided a large advantage for the Big Green, Herren said.
The show also featured a beginner division, in which novice rider Danielle Baez '12 competed. Although Baez said she did not do as well as she hoped, she said she was proud of her improvement over the course of the season.
"After I got off my horse, I just didn't feel confident about the performance I had put in," Baez said. "But I'm excited to ride in the fall when there will be more shows and I will be better practiced."
Baez added that being mindful of what judges look for in a rider's performance is often what she finds most difficult during a show.
"There are just so many things you have to keep track of at the same time," she said.
Although the team has finished its season, Sarah Spangenberg '11 qualified for the National Championships which will take place Thursday in Lexington, Ky. as a result of her performance in Regionals and Zone Finals.
Spangenberg did not have the chance to qualify for Nationals in previous years, in part due to her D-Plan, but Tropin and Herren expressed their confidence in Spangenberg's ability to perform well this coming Thursday.
Herren said Spangenberg is one of the team's most consistent riders, and that her rides at Zones proved that she can succeed on a national level.
"She's very calm and really good at dealing with different horses," Tropin said. "I think she has a really good shot at Nationals, so we're all looking forward to hearing how she does."
Tropin added that she was incredibly pleased with the team's overall results in the spring, noting that other riders also qualified for Regionals and Zones during the season.
"I think that we had a really strong showing," she said. "And to close the year with a win at home was really nice."
