SYRACUSE, N.Y. – While most eyes in the equestrian world were focused on Churchill Downs in Lexington, Kentucky, Intermont Equestrian at Emory & Henry College hoisted hardware of its own on Saturday, capturing the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association Collegiate Cup in the most dramatic fashion. It was the first IHSA team crown under the E&H moniker and fourth in program history (2004, 2005, 2007).
The three-day show was held at The New York State Fairgrounds Expo Center in Syracuse, New York.
The Wasps kicked off the championship with three rides on Thursday. Freshman Avery Dewan (Virginia Beach, Va.) kicked the competition off with a fourth-place finish in Novice Equitation Over Fences. Freshman Emilie Fink (Jamesport, N.Y.) was the reserve champion for Novice Equitation on the Flat. Thursday's action completed with another reserve champion ride in Intermediate Equitation on the Flat from freshman Hayden Wilkes (Shamong, N.J.) to give Emory & Henry the lead after day one.
On Friday, freshman Abby McCoy (Cogan Station, Pa.) got the day started by finishing eighth in Intermediate Equitation Over Fences. A sixth-place ride by freshman Becca Pagnini (Beaverdam, Va.) in Walk/Trot/Canter Equitation set up freshman Devynn Osborne (Fort Blackmore, Va.), who was fourth in Walk/Trot Equitation to keep the Wasps ahead of Savannah College of Art & Design by four points (34-30).
Saturday saw the two Open classes to decide the Collegiate Cup. Senior Francisco Caba-Guil (Almería, SPAIN) increased E&H's lead to 40-35 over SCAD with his fourth-place performance in Open Equitation Over Fences.
The Collegiate Cup was decided in Open Equitation on the Flat. Emory & Henry junior Bobbie Jo Adsit (Montpelier, Va.) needed a fourth-place finish to clinch the title, going up against the top riders in the country including the 2019 Cacchione Cup winner, Adam Edgar of SCAD. Adsit not only eclipsed the necessary mark to win the title for the Wasps, but bested the field, to earn Champion honors.
The Intermont Equestrian program has won 21 national championships since its establishment under Virginia Intermont College. With the closure of VI in the spring of 2014, Emory & Henry College took over the program and has won one IHSA National Championship and three Intercollegiate Dressage Association titles in the past five years.
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