Stonehill Wins Season-Opening Show


Senior co-captains Miranda Williams (left) and Kristen Stachnik both posted first place finishes on Saturday and qualified for regionals over Stonehill's two shows this weekend.

Skyhawks also compete Sunday as well
Stachnik and Williams both qualify for regionals

EASTON, Mass. (October 7, 2013) – The Stonehill College equestrian team opened its fall schedule with a pair of shows over the weekend, turning in a first place finish on Saturday with four blue ribbon performances, and qualifying two riders for regionals in the spring.

Stonehill won Saturday's show it co-hosted with Brandeis University at August Farm in Holliston, Mass., with 35 points as four riders posted blue ribbon performances, led by senior co-captain Kristen Stachnik (Westhampton, N.Y./Westhampton Beach) who won her intermediate fences class and pointed out to qualify for the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Zone 1, Region 4 Championships in the spring.

Senior Amanda Horn (Huntington, N.Y./Walt Whitman) placed first in her open flat class while also placing second in her open fences class. Junior Danielle Franchi (Islip, N.Y./Islip) also competed in both open events and placed third on the flat and fourth for fences.

Senior co-captain Miranda Williams (Hopkinton, Mass./Hopkinton) also placed first in her intermediate fences class, while sophomore Chloe Robertson (Marion, Mass./Old Rochester Regional) won her walk-trot-canter class. Freshman Ashley Eng (New Milford, Conn./Nonnewaug) collected a blue ribbon in her collegiate debut with a first place showing in her walk-trot class.

Sophomore Fiona Carroll (Alexandria, Va./Bishop Ireton) placed second in her walk-trot-canter class, while classmate Dara D'Agostino (Canton, Mass./Canton) was second for novice fences and sixth in novice flat. Sophomore Molly Machain (Andover, Mass./Andover) also finished second for her novice fences class and fourth for novice flat.


Kayleigh McDonnell posted a first place finish in novice fences on Sunday.

Sophomore Rachel Fox (Smithfield, R.I./Smithfield) placed third in her intermediate flat class for Stonehill. Senior Sara Kelly (Braintree, Mass./Braintree) placed fifth for intermediate flat, while junior Justine Mitchell (Sunderland, Mass./Frontier Regional) finished fifth in her walk-trot-canter class.

Stonehill finished tied for sixth in Sunday's show hosted by Wheaton College, Curry College and Tufts University at Walnut Hill Farm in North Attleboro with 25 points. Boston University won the show with 40 points. Williams highlighted the performances with her third place show in her intermediate fences class to point out and qualify for regionals next spring. Junior Kayleigh McDonnell (Rutland, Vt./Rutland) earned a blue ribbon in her novice fences class to go with a fourth place show in novice flat.

Franchi posted a pair of second place finishes in her open fences and open flat classes, while senior Caitlin Wright (Old Lyme, Conn./Mercy) placed second in her walk-trot-canter class. Kelly showed second in her intermediate flat class to go with a fourth place showing for intermediate fences. Fox collected second place in her intermediate fences class, while placing fourth for intermediate flat.

D'Agostino placed third in her novice flat class, while Eng posted a third place finish for her walk trot class. Stachnik added a fourth place finish in her intermediate flat class.

Stonehill is back in action on Saturday, October 26, when it competes at the Boston University Show, hosted at Holly Hill Show Stables, in Hanover, Mass.

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