Cougars Finish Top 10 In The Nation at IHSA Nationals

Thursday, May 3

Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex - Harrisburg, Pa.

ALL DAY

College of Charleston

IHSA Nationals

Cougars Finish Top 10 In The Nation at IHSA Nationals

5/8/2018 11:50:00 AM | Equestrian

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The College of Charleston equestrian team closed out its 2017-18 season with an eighth-place finish at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) National Championship Horse Show held at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex.

Skidmore won the national championship with 30 points followed by Reserve Champion SCAD with 28 points. It marked CofC's 27th all-time appearance at nationals under head coach Bob Story.

"The team really put in some extremely strong rides throughout the competition," Story said. "I'm proud of how the girls rode and represented The College. Being in the Top 10 in the nation is the result of a lot of hard work throughout the year by the whole team."

Junior Hannah Bentz (Boca Raton, Fla.) placed fourth in the T. McDonald Horsemanship Challenge and sophomore Gabrielle Bernier (Parkton, Md.) fourth in Novice Flat.

In Intermediate Flat, junior Sophia Meserve (Portsmouth, N.H.) finished fifth, while sophomore Samantha Bledsoe (St. Charles, Ill.) was sixth in Walk/Trot/Canter, junior Shannon Rice (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) seventh in Open Flat and senior Rio Parker (Baltimore, Md.) 10th in Open Fences.

RIDER RESULTS
Hannah Bentz – T. McDonald Horsemanship Challenge – 4th Place
Gabrielle Bernier – Novice Flat – 4th Place
Sophie Meserve – Intermediate Flat – 5th Place
Samantha Bledsoe – Walk/Trot/Canter – 6th Place
Shannon Rice – Team Open Flat – 7th Place
Rio Parker – Open Fences – 10th Place

ALSO COMPETED AT IHSA NATIONALS
Elizabeth High – Individual Walk Trot
Elif Caynak – Team Walk Trot
Molly Coyle – Team Novice Fences