A Sweet Briar College rider won the Randolph-Macon Woman’s College Medal for the second year in a row.

Jessica Soler, on SBC’s Closing, was the top rider in the Randolph-Macon Woman’s College Medal finals.Jessica Soler ’09, riding Closing, took the championship ribbon as the winner of the R-MWC Medal finals on Sunday, Oct. 8. She was among five SBC students who rode in the competition. Each had competed in qualifying events during the past year, accumulating enough points to ride in the finals.

All of the Sweet Briar riders who had qualified participated on SBC-owned horses over a 10-fence equitation course. Jenny Walkiewicz ’09, riding Special Occasion, was the first competitor to show. Jessica McCarthy ’08 and Morning Edition were next to go, putting in a consistent round. Soler and Closing were ninth in the order. Alison Carr ’08 riding Konigen and Alex Hiniker ’09 riding Night Shift were among the last to ride the course.

Out of the 18 competitors who competed in the finals, three of five SBC riders placed in the top six ribbons. McCarthy’s strong over-fences trip helped her to place sixth. Carr was consistent over fences and on the flat, which secured her a third-place finish.

– By Mimi Wroten ’93, associate director and instructor of riding
All of the riders (from left, Jenny Walkiewicz, Alex Hiniker, Jessica McCarthy, Alison Carr and Jessica Soler) rode well and learned from their experiences of the day. With the sun shining, the riders posed for a group picture to remember the knowledge, experience and pride they felt from being able to compete in the R-MWC Medal finals.