Equestrian Competes at Grand Champion Show Stables

By Abigail Abbott

STOUGHTON, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University equestrian team competed Saturday at Grand Champion Show Stables, hosted by Stonehill College.

Sophomore captain Abigail Abbott (Wareham, MA) opened the day in intermediate flat and rode to a third place finish aboard Ginny, a 15.3hh Warmblood mare. Abbott then piloted Connor, a 16.2hh bay Dutch Warmblood gelding, to a second place finish in intermediate fences.

Junior captain Emily Desmond (Braintree, MA) rode Jazz, a 14.1hh buckskin pony, in the intermediate flat division and placed fifth. Desmond then guided Gryffin, a 16hh Warmblood gelding, in a challenging limit fences class and took reserve honors.

Freshman Julia Max (Salem, NH) had an amazing ride aboard Zikina, a 16.1hh Dutch Warmblood mare, in the limit fences division and took home the blue ribbon. She followed that ride with a third place result in limit flat atop Uno, a 15.1hh chestnut draft cross gelding.

Senior Hannah Arsenault (Attleboro, MA) also rode Gryffin to a fifth-place finish in the limit flat division.

Sophomore Alyson McKeon (Worcester, MA)  saddled up on Octavius, a 16hh Warmblood gelding, in the limit flat division and finished in reserve.

Freshman Melanie Schick-Fernandez (Abington, MA) followed up her IHSA debut in limit flat aboard Uno and rode to a sixth-place finish.

Freshman Becky Costa (Foxborough, MA) took the reins of Octavius in the novice flat division. Costa took home a sixth-place ribbon in the event.

Junior Maeve Murray (Marshfield, MA) also rode Zikina in pre-novice flat and grabbed the 6th place ribbon.

Senior Alexis Silva (Halifax, MA) wrapped up the day with her IHSA debut in the introductory division. Silva had a stellar ride on Holly, a 14.3hh bay pony, and came home in fifth.

Bridgewater finished in sixth place in the teams standings.

The Bears will be back in action on October 27th at the University of Connecticut this Sunday for another day of showing.