Acorn

This past weekend, the Drew University Equestrian team competed at the IHSA Zone 2 Region 1 Championship show at Briarwood Farm in Readington, NJ.

To say the least, the team made a huge impression. The team earned four of 10 championship titles at the Regional Championship Show, and two Reserve Champion honors -- the best finish in the team's history in Regional Championship competition.

Junior Kristine Kennedy is the Zone 2 Region 1 Open Equitation over Fences Regional Champion and the Zone 2 Region 1 Open Equitation on the Flat Reserve Champion for 2005. She will compete in these classes at the Zone Championship horse show this Saturday at Skidmore College.

Kennedy is the first Drew rider since Megan McGuire in 1998 to earn the Open Fences title. She is also riding for the Zone Cacchione Cup title, and will be representing Drew at the National Horse Show in May in the Cacchione Cup class.

Junior Gary Hochman is the Zone 2 Region 1 Walk Trot Canter Equitation Regional Champion. He will compete in this class in the Zone Championship horse show this Saturday at Skidmore College. Hochman is the first Drew rider to earn this Regional title.

Freshman Tori Frederick is the Zone 2 Region 1 Intermediate Equitation on the Flat Regional Champion. She will also compete in this class in the Zone Championship horse show this Saturday at Skidmore College. Frederick is the first Drew rider since Katie Chase in 1997 to earn this title.

Sandra Sayre is the Zone 2 Region 1 Alumni Equitation over Fences Regional Champion and the Zone 2 Region 1 Alumni Equitation on the Flat Reserve Champion for 2005. She will compete at the Zone Championship as well.

Additionally, junior Kate Baer earned a 6th place in the Intermediate Fences class. Other riding Rangers who competed at this show included junior Laura Caccavone, senior Allison Keane, and sophomore Deanna Wallach.

Coach Karen Sykes is thrilled with not only the riders' performances at this show, but also with the season overall. "I am so proud of the team, their energy and enthusiasm is outstanding and their hard work and dedication to the sport is showing in these amazing results."

The Drew University Equestrian Team is reserve champion in both the Hunt Seat and Western competition. This is the first time the team has won both titles in the history of equestrian competition at Drew.

Sykes is expecting strong performances at the zone finals, as well as the Nationals in May.

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