Sweet Briar’s American National Riding Commission team took advantage of spring break to log some time preparing for the ANRC national championship finals next month.
Team coach and SBC riding director Shelby French took her team to PSJ March Madness II, a Progressive Show Jumping event, over the weekend of March 14. The annual show in Aiken, S.C., has become a regular stop for French’s ANRC teams as they get ready for the season’s remaining competitions.
This year’s outing was a “hugely successful show with everyone bringing back ribbons,” French said. “It was a great time to build team cohesiveness and it was even more special because so many of the riders’ parents were able to be there to support their daughters. We had beautiful weather in a relaxed environment and it allowed everyone to really do their best.”
Katie Davilli ’09, riding SBC’s Nassau, took one of the show’s top spots as champion in the Adult Hunter division. She also was third in the Adult Hunter Classic, which was won by her teammate Sarah Fishback ’10 riding her own Almond. They were joined by Alison Sims ’09 in the fifth spot and Allison Wynn ’11 in the eighth.
Sims, riding SBC’s Hatrick, also was reserve champion in the Adult Equitation Division, while Wynn, on SBC’s Renaissance, placed in every Adult Hunter class in which she competed.
Riding SBC’s Cassie, Morganne Young ’11 placed fifth in the Children’s Hunter Classic. Kathryn Brock ’09 and her horse, Paloma, won a class in the Amateur Owner Hunter and just missed the reserve championship for the division.
In the ANRC, riders compete on the same horse throughout the season, forming a partnership that is a critical part of judging. The Aiken show is another opportunity for riders to work with their mounts in tough competition and get used to showing in a different physical environment, where footing and terrain are less familiar.
The team’s next event is the spring equitrial this weekend at Sweet Briar. French will use the show to determine which three riders will represent Sweet Briar as a team at nationals, and which three will compete as individuals.
She also will decide on four ANRC members to represent SBC at the Old Dominion Athletic Conference championships hosted by Bridgewater on April 11.
The ANRC national championship show will be held April 19 and 20 in Sewanee, Tenn., hosted by the University of the South.
