Competing in two shows over the course of a week, the members of Brown's equestrian team sacrificed their spring breaks to the quest to win a team regional title and to obtain individual invitations to compete in the upcoming Zone Championships. Unfortunately, Brown's score on Saturday, March 26 at Connecticut College was not high enough to surmount the point margin by which it trailed the University of Connecticut, leaving the Bears with a second-place finish in the region. The show wrapped up the regular season.
"We had a tough morning. The judging wasn't great and the horses we drew were not the most desirable. But, there's more to it," said co-captain Alexis Gilbard '06. "I mean, we can - and almost always do - ride much better than we did Saturday. I think our finishes in the Novice, Intermediate and Open fence classes were the worst of our season."
"It was just a heart-breaking way to end the season," she added. "At the end of the day, we just knew we weren't going to win the show, and therefore, the region. ... We just sort of accepted defeat. It wasn't easy."
The second show over break was the Regional Championship competition. On April 2, qualified riders met at the University of Connecticut in hopes of gaining an invitation to the Zone Championships. To qualify for the Regionals, a rider had to accrue a given number of points during the season or have accumulated enough points to advance into a higher division. Twenty of Brown's riders met these criteria.
The Regionals were bittersweet for many, as they marked the abrupt end to an exciting and successful season. For a few, they were memorable and promising. And for first-year Whitney Keefe '08, they were nothing but smiles.
"It was an exciting day for me because it was my first big success this year. I mean, I've done okay, but this was a much more significant win, and more competitive," Keefe said. "I just hope it goes well from here."
Keefe earned first place in both the flat and fences classes of the Open division - an exceptional accomplishment for a first-year rider, particularly considering the design of the fences class, which required switching mounts.
After a spectacular first round ride, Keefe and five others were called back for a ride-off - requiring the competitors to swap horses with one another - to help the judges determine the most skilled rider.
"I was lucky to draw the horse I did, and it was weird because I drew him twice - in the first round and the ride-off," Keefe said. "He was a bit skittish, but it worked out well. In comparison to what I could have gotten to ride, he was awesome."
Handling her mount expertly, Keefe finished her ride-off smoothly - and was then called back, yet again, for a third ride against just one other competitor. Again, the riders exchanged horses - an adjustment that did not seem to affect Keefe, who rode to victory.
The only other Brown rider to secure a spot at the Zone Championship over the weekend was Novice rider Grace Peloquin '07, who finished second in her fences class. Peloquin, like Keefe, completed a spectacular first round and was then called back for additional testing, which included a question from the judge. Peloquin answered correctly after a few moments of deliberation.
Co-captain Galyn Burke '05, who competed in the Walk-Trot-Canter division at the show, was frustrated with the number of third, fourth and fifth place finishes by Brown riders, short of the required first or second necessary to move on to Zones.
"The Regionals are a crapshoot, because there is the chance that the judges may be biased, the horses might be challenging and anything else might affect the outcome. If you ride well, and something out of your control goes wrong, well it doesn't really matter - unless you get first or second," Burke said.
"I am definitely not taking anything away from Grace or Whitney though," Burke added. "They both rode great and deserve it. It's great that we got two girls that far. Still, there were a few others we all figured would do really well who didn't, for whatever reason."
Jamie Peddy '06, another co-captain, will compete with Keefe and Peloquin during the postseason, both at the Zone and the national competitions. A skilled rider and consistent winner, Peddy is a contender for the celebrated Cacchione Cup, which is awarded to the winner of a special Open division event held at the National Championships, which she will compete in regardless of her performance at the Zones.
The only team competition remaining is April 24 in Hackettstown, N.J. There, Brown will compete with the other equestrian teams in the Ivy League in an isolated competition that is unrelated to the seasonal action. During the season, Brown competes against teams within its region - a grouping of teams that is independent of the Ivy League.
