HARRISBURG, Pa. – After the last two Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association National Championships were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Intermont Equestrian at Emory & Henry College was finally able to defend its national championship from 2019.
The Wasps were successful in their goal, and hoisted the IHSA Collegiate Cup on Saturday. This marks the fifth IHSA team title for the Intermont Equestrian program and the second under the Emory & Henry moniker. The team also won in 2004, 2005, and 2007 as part of Virginia Intermont College.
The three-day show was held at Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
On Thursday, E&H kicked of the competition earning a trio of top-four finishes in the Collegiate Cup. In Limit on the Flat, freshman Kendall Madison (Westtown, N.Y.) earned a victory while senior Makalyn Williams (Granville, Ohio) was third in Limit Over Fences. Senior Emilie Fink (Jamesport, N.Y.) closed things out with a fourth-place ride in Intermediate on the Flat.
The Wasps also had a pair of individuals competing on Thursday. Williams grabbed sixth in Limit on the Flat as senior Abby McCoy (Cogan Station, Pa.) was 10th in Open Over Fences.
Friday's action began with Intermediate Over Fences with senior Madelyn Lowe (Red Lion, Pa.) taking ninth place. Freshman Laney Stogdale (New Hope, Va.) competed in Introductory, earning an honorable mention. Novice on the Flat competition saw freshman Maddie Whitley (Stuarts Draft, Va.) earn the second blue ribbon for E&H on the weekend.
In the USEF/Cacchione Cup which recognizes the top collegiate hunter/jumper rider in the country, McCoy registered a seventh-place finish.
Saturday, Emory & Henry clinched the win as McCoy took sixth in Open Over Fences and senior Hayden Wilkes (Shamong, N.J.) was sixth in Open on the Flat.
The Intermont Equestrian program has won 22 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 two IHSA National Championships and three Intercollegiate Dressage Association titles.
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