POTSDAM, N.Y.—Seven members of the SUNY Potsdam equestrian team have qualified for and will compete in Saturday's Intercollegiate Horse Show Association Zone 2 Region 2 Championship at St. Lawrence University this Saturday, March 28.
Seniors
Ellen Norton (Fishkill, N.Y./John Jay East),
Christine Schofield (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury),
Carlene Benson (Averill Park, N.Y./Averill Park),
Kali Jarvis (Canastota, N.Y./Cazenovia),
Casey Cunniff (Wakefield, R.I./South Kingstown),
Kaitlin Brand (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./F.D. Roosevelt) and junior
Rose Wendling (Burnt Hills, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) will represent Potsdam at SLU. To qualify each rider had to earn 36 points in their class.
Norton will be representing the Bears in the intermediate flat competition. A four-year member of the team, Norton had four top-three finished during the season. She finished the regular season strong with a first place finish in intermediate over the fence at St. Lawrence on Feb. 22. Norton has qualified for regionals in each of the last three seasons.
Schofield will compete in novice flat. A three-year member of the team, Schofield had five top-three finishes. She also led the team with three first place finishes this season. Schofield was first in the novice flat at St. Lawrence on Nov. 15, at Cazenovia on Feb. 21 and St. Lawrence again on Feb. 22. Saturday will be Schofield's second regionals appearance.
Benson will be competing in novice flat and novice fences. Also a Bear for four seasons, she compiled three top-three finishes on the year. She won the novice flat competition at Cazenovia on Feb. 21, which allowed her to point out to the intermediate level during the same show. Benson is making her second trip to regionals
Jarvis also will ride in both the novice flat and novice fences events. In her fourth year with the Bears, she had a team-high six top-three finishes. She posted a first place finish in novice flat and was second place in novice fences at Cazenovia on Nov. 2 to capture the title of High Point Rider for the show. She was also first in novice fences at Cazenovia on Feb. 21.
Cunniff will represent Potsdam in advanced walk trot canter. Cunniff, in her second season with the Bears, garnered two first place finishes at Cazenovia (Oct. 26 and Nov. 2) in advanced walk, trot, canter.
Brand will compete in advanced walk trot canter as well. She is another four-year veteran for Potsdam. She had two top-three results this season, including a second place finish in novice fences at SLU on Nov. 16.
Wendling, who also competed for the Bears swimming team as a freshman, rounds out the group in walk trot. The junior, who joined the team last season, recorded third place finishes in beginner walk trot canter at Geneseo on Oct. 26 and at Cazenovia on Nov. 2.
The Bears will each battle for a top-two finish in their class in order to advance to the upcoming zone championships.
