Skidmore Riding Team Wins Season Opener
The Skidmore College riding team poses with their ribbons after winning a season-opener Stable Game competition on Saturday at the Van Lennep Riding Center in Saratoga Springs. Photo by Super Source Media.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — With the threat of a snowstorm on their horizon, the Skidmore College riding team won their season-opening Stable Game competition on Saturday, totaling 42 points. SUNY Cobleskill and Morrisville State College tied for reserve with 30 points. Skidmore riders also added 12 wins to their Blue Ribbon Challenge.
Six Skidmore open riders started the day, with Harper Sanford winning section A and Sadie Nesbitt winning section B. Isa Jensen won section B of the Intermediate Fences, and Lily Josephs and Eleanor Peterson each won their section of Limit Fences.
Thoroughbreds continued to dominate on the flat, winning the first six flat classes. Sanford won section A of Open Flat, and Kenya Sanders won section B. Charlotte Lyon and Georgia Quackenbos each won their section of Intermediate Flat, and Josephs and Peterson returned to win their sections of Limit Flat. Winning both of their classes, Sanford, Josephs, and Peterson rode off for the High Point Rider Award. Peterson came out on top, with Josephs taking the Reserve High Point title.
Two team members also made their Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association debut. Rose Reber rode to fourth in the Pre-Novice Equitation, and Sadie Applegate overcame some unexpected behavior from her mount to win her Introductory Equitation.
The day wrapped up with special awards presented to Peterson, who won Ride of the Day for her trip in the Limit Fences on Clay, and Aidan McNamara who was awarded Horse Handler of the Day. Skidmore’s Skye was awarded the Horse of the Show award, for his versatility in all levels of jumping competition.
Currently, eight Skidmore riders are qualified for Regional Finals. Sanders leads the Regional Cacchione ranking for Open Riders with 65 points, with Sanford close on her heels with 64 points.
The team competes next at Morrisville State College on Feb. 22.
Individual Results
Kenya Sanders ’25 Open Fences 3rd, Open Flat 1st
Harper Sanford ’25 Open Fences 1st, Open Flat 1st
Sadie Nesbitt ’25 Open Fences 1st, Limit Flat 3rd
Lillard Preschlack ’26 Limit Flat 2nd
Avery Johnson ’28 Open Fences 5th
Aidan McNamara ’27 Open Fences 5th
Charlotte Lyon ’25 Intermediate Fences 5th, Intermediate Flat 1st
Isa Jensen ’27 Intermediate Fences 1st
Georgia Quackenbos ’25 Intermediate Flat 1st
Lily Josephs ’25 Limit Fences 1st, Limit Flat 1st, Reserve High Point Rider
Eleanor Peterson ’26 Limit Fences 1st, Limit Flat 1st, High Point Rider, Ride of the Day
Rose Reber ’28 Pre-Novice Equitation 4th
Alice Wrede ’27 Introductory Equitation 2nd
Sadie Applegate ’27 Introductory Equitation 1st