The Sweet Briar College Intercollegiate Horse Show Association team held tryouts for the 2007-08 season on Sept.14 and had a fabulous turnout.

More than 40 riders participated and were evaluated by a judging panel made up of SBC riding program director Shelby French, associate director and instructor Mimi Wroten, IHSA head coach Jon Conyers and IHSA assistant coach Emily Casali. Each rider had a chance to show her skills in a flat class judged on equitation, and many had the opportunity to jump a course of fences to be judged on precision and accuracy.

The judges managed to whittle down the riders and make a callback list. Those who were called back rode for a second time on a different horse. The decision was difficult, as the girls raised the bar with each ride. They showed how determined they were to fill a spot on the IHSA team.

The Sweet Briar riding program congratulates the following riders for impressing the judges and pulling ahead of the pack to make the team this year:

Erin Aufox ’11, Louisville, Ky.
Katie Bird ’09, Salisbury, Md.
Kristin Dillon ’10, Philomont, Va.
Sarah Fishback ’10, Versailles, Ky.
Allison Garrison ’10, Shipman, Va.
Renn Goldberg ’11, Boring, Md.
Laura Jones ’10, High Point, N.C.
Paige Kaylor ’10, Owings Mills, Md.
Mollie Linden ’10, Mesa, Ariz.
Caitlyn Lindsey ’11, Vienna, Va.
Nell Malbon’11, Virginia Beach, Va.
Heather McPheeters ’10, Columbia, S.C.
Courtney Otten ’11, Reston, Va.
Erica Palmisano ’11, Manassas, Va.
Melissa Ramos ’10, Leesburg, Va.
Morganne Young ’11, Hebron, Conn.

Shows remaining in the fall schedule will be held Oct. 20 at Hollins University and Nov. 3 at Bridgewater College.

— By Emily Casali , IHSA assistant coach