The equestrian team will head up to Hanover, NH this weekend to compete in the annual Ivy Invitational. The Ivy Invitational features all the teams in the Ivy League with the exception of Harvard this year.
Due to the fact that teams compete only against other teams in their assigned region during the season, it will be the first time that Cornell and the other Ivy schools competing will get to face off against each other this year.
Of the Ivy teams, Brown was the only team to make it to nationals. Dartmouth had several individual riders make it to nationals this year. The Red had four riders qualify for zones, but none advanced to nationals.
“We are very excited for the show,” said senior captain Julie Canter. “It has been a long but good season for us. The atmosphere for this show is a bit more relaxed.”
Since there is a smaller field of teams at the Invitational, the Red will have the opportunity to bring more riders to the show.
In the open division the Red will have several riders competing. In the open fences four riders will represent the Red: senior captains Helen O’Brien and Zoe Orecki as well as fellow senior Stacy Oxley and junior rookie Jessie Nehring. In the open flat they will be joined by Canter, who is coming off a strong performance in the Varsity Invitational Championships last week, as well as junior Kiva Iscol and sophomores Jeanette Pettit and Noelle Battle.
In the intermediate division, senior Nicole Bowen will lead a group that includes freshman pair Kate Reynolds and Erica Rosen.
The novice division will consist of sophomore Eva Conant and freshmen Gillian Pech.
The walk-trot-canter division will be made up of juniors Bonnie Arzuaga and Patty Kahwaty and sophomores Emi Knafo and Erin Goodrich and freshmen Becky Hermann and Kate O’Shea. Junior Kim Huppe and freshman Linda Nguyen will ride in the walk-trot division.
This show is also the last one of the season for the Red. For the seniors, this will be their last show as Cornell riders.
“It is a last hurrah for many seniors,” indicated head coach Chris Mitchell. “It is important that they show at the Ivies. For many of them they have come full circle. Four years ago when they competed as freshman at the Ivies they did not have a coach. All have worked hard and been dedicated. I expect them and everyone on the team to do well.”
Archived article by Chris Callanan