Regional Champion Skyhawks to compete for team title, while Ahern will also ride in Cacchione Cup and is joined in individual competition by Herring.
| Ahern |
EASTON, Mass. (April 5, 2024) – The Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Zone 1, Region 4, Champion Stonehill College equestrian team has a busy weekend of championship competition ahead of it as it participates in the IHSA Zone 1 Championships, hosted by the Skyhawks region, at Mount Holyoke College's Equestrian Center on Saturday.
Stonehill captured its 11th IHSA Zone 1, Region 4 Championship after earning three first-place ribbons throughout the year. Stonehill will compete as a team at the Zone 1 Championships for the first time since the 2018-19 season. Prior to that, the last time the Skyhawks competed as a team at Zone was after the 2011-2012 campaign.
The Skyhawks will also be represented in individual competition as well, led by junior Madeline Ahern, who has been named the Zone 1, Region 4 Cacchione Cup rider after finishing highest overall in the top division events throughout season. The top three riders from this weekend's Cacchione Cup class will qualify to represent the Zone at the IHSA National Championships in May. Ahern has totaled five blue ribbons including finishing as the high-point rider at the Brandeis Show and reserve high-point rider at Boston College during the fall semester. She also qualified for her second-straight Zone Championships appearance individually after placing second overall in open fences last weekend during the regional championships.
Senior Sarah Herring has also qualified for the Zone Championships for the second-straight year as an individual and will compete in open flat equitation after qualifying with a first-place finish at last weekend's regional championships. She was also named the Region 4 Captain of the Year last weekend and leads the team with six blue ribbons throughout the campaign. Ahern and Herring will look to ride their way as individuals to another IHSA National Championship appearance after qualifying a season ago in both the open fences and intermediate flat events, respectively.
| Herring |
The individuals that will compete for the team at Zone Championships include:
Herring in flats
Ahern in fences
Grace Faddoul in flat
Lauren Eager in flat and fences
Rosalie Martin in flat
Mariah Russo in flat
Lindsey Simmons in fences
The top two teams competing on Saturday, along with the top two individuals and top three Cacchione Cup riders will advance to the IHSA National Championships which will be held at Tryon International in Mill Spring, North Carolina, May 2-5.
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.
