The weekend proves to be paramount for the Cornell equestrian team. In their first show of the season, twenty-two of the team’s thirty members are headed to SUNY- Mooresville this weekend where the Red seeks to redeem its fourth-place showing last year. Senior captain Brooke Hafets said that the team is excited about the upcoming show.
“We are so ready. We usually place well at Moorseville,” she said.
The team is highly optimistic despite the prospect of facing its toughest competition, Skidmore, which placed first in the region last year and first in the Moorseville show last year. With two of its rivals leaving the region this season, the Red hopes to capitalize on the fact that this season is its first full season with head coach Chris Mitchell. The head coach of the Mooresville team is also the Red’s former head coach.
This weekend’s show may prove critical for senior Missy Potter and sophomore Dawn Greenberg who have to score well to qualify out of their respective divisions. The team is led by Hafets and her classmate and co-captain, Laura Rubinate. The team also expects a strong showing from junior Julie Canter — the highest scorer on the team a year ago. Canter placed second in the region for the coveted Cacchione Cup, which is awarded to the rider with the most points in the nation.
Rubinate expects this weekend and the rest of the season to go well. “With the exception of Skidmore, there should be less competition at this show. This should be a good year — we have many returning riders as well as new riders,” she said.
Archived article by Tamara Webster