The Delaware Valley Hunt Seat Equestrian team competed in a doubleheader weekend at the Regional Effort Show and the Bloomsburg-hosted show at Ridge Road Stables in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.
The Aggies finished fourth on Saturday behind Lafayette, Bloomsburg, and Rutgers before placing third on Sunday. DelVal tied Rutgers but lost the tiebreaker. Despite the results, the Aggies maintained a strong 20-point lead over second-place Lafayette heading into this weekend's show at Alvernia.
Two Aggies qualified for Regionals during the weekend. Sophomore Micayle Timmons qualified in Novice, while sophomore Ruth Zwart earned her spot in Limit Flat.
DelVal had several blue-ribbon performances across both shows. Sophomore Alaina Guerrisi and senior Mia Gowran won in Limit Flat, while freshman Colby Simpson and senior Gianna Spinelli claimed victories in Novice. Junior Helen Brickner won in Intro, junior Madison Heitman captured a win in Pre-Novice, freshman Olivia Panuska won in Limit Fences, senior Paige Gatz took first in Open Flat, and freshman Roisin Reilly won in Pre-Novice.
Gatz represented the Aggies in Open, also earning fifth over fences and sixth on the flat. In Intermediate Flat, senior Rhiannon Swimelar led DelVal with a second-place finish. Senior captain Sophia Frisbie placed third, while junior captain Maggie Mitchell finished fourth. Gowran competed in Intermediate Fences, earning fourth and third-place finishes.
Panuska led the Aggies in Limit Fences, highlighting a strong overall showing for DelVal in the division. Junior Alexandra Adams earned second- and third-place finishes, while senior Makenna Hummel and junior Nevaeh Anderson each took second. Junior Samantha Wills placed fifth, while Swimelar and Guerrisi both finished sixth.
Guerrisi and Gowran led the way in Limit Flat with wins. Hummel earned a second-place finish, junior Emma Conway placed fourth and third, and Adams took fourth. Juniors Elsa Heacock and Alicia Smoot finished fifth and sixth, respectively, while Zwart earned her Regional qualification with a fifth-place finish.
In Novice, Spinelli added a sixth-place finish to her win. Sophomore Maggie Gardner and Timmons also earned sixth-place finishes, as did junior Samantha Shwartz. Heitman added a third-place finish in Pre-Novice. Brickner earned second place in addition to her Intro win, while sophomore Keira Larkin also placed second.
The Aggies return to competition this Saturday, Oct. 24, at Ludwig's Corner Show Grounds for the Alvernia-hosted show.
