On Oct. 1, Sweet Briar College’s IHSA team, with coaches Jon Conyers and Krista Steinmetz, traveled to Walnut Spring Stables in Blacksburg, Va., for an IHSA show hosted by Radford University.

The show got off to an interesting start when Open Fences rider Mollie Linden ’10 was initiated into the IHSA with six very nice fences, followed by an unplanned dismount due to saddle slippage. Happily, her re-ride proved successful and she was rewarded with a third-place finish. Linden also finished third in her Open Flat class.

Kristin Dillon ’10 followed up in good style with a first-place finish in her Intermediate Flat class. In another Intermediate Flat class Lindsay Mills ’09 rode to fourth place, leaving her needing only two more points to qualify for the regional competition.

Robin Bicknell ’08 and Rachel Field ’10 each placed fifth in their respective Novice Flat classes. IHSA veteran Katie Bird ’09 finished third in the Novice Flat and Paige Kaylor ’10 won her Novice Flat class. To finish out the day, the lone senior of the team, Jennifer Summerfield, rode to a third-place finish in her Advanced Walk/Trot/Canter Class and Laeun Sung ’09 was third in her Walk/Trot class.

Accumulating 26 points total, Sweet Briar’s team of mostly new riders finished fifth out of the 10 teams in attendance. Hollins University ended up high point team with 41 points and the University of Virginia (under the coaching of Jodie Weber ’06) was reserve high point with 35 points. Overall, team members were excited about their performance at the show and are looking forward to the next show at Hollins University on Oct. 21.

Representing SBC’s IHSA team at Radford were Coach Jon Conyers (back row, from left), Paige Kaylor, Katelynn Dunn, Katie Bird, Mollie Linden, Chelsea King, Lindsay Mills, Jennifer Summerfield, Robin Bicknell, Alison Carr and Coach Krista Steinmetz; and Kristin Dillon (front row from left) and Laeun Sung.