The Morrisville State College western equestrian team opened team competition for the 2012-2013 season Sunday, claiming reserve honors in the morning show before following with high point team honors in the afternoon.
Cobleskill registered 32 team points in the morning to claim high point team honors, while Morrisville State finished as the reserve high point team with 20. Rianna Nalepa (Endicott, N.Y.) and Kelsey Stewart (Cuttingsville, N.Y.) tied for high point rider accolades in the morning, each posting 10 team points behind their respective finish in the reining and open horsemanship classes.
Nalepa topped the open horsemanship class to collect her first collegiate win of the season.
Four additional Mustangs took home blue ribbons from the show including Kelly Hunter (Red Hook, N.Y.) in the advanced western horsemanship class; Erica Strickfaden (Gowanda, N.Y.), Rebecca Gates (Holley, N.Y.) and Avanti Johnson (Parsipanny, N.J.) in the intermediate II class.
In the afternoon show, Morrisville State recorded 33 team points to collect high point team honors, narrowing out Cobleskill who finished as the reserve high point team with 26.
Megan Freemantle (Middlefield, Conn.) was reserve high point rider for Morrisville State, posting a first place finish in the reining class.
Gates, Strickfaden and Johnson repeated top honors in the intermediate II classes, respectively, while Nicole Lagree (Saranac Lake, N.Y.) collected the blue ribbon in the intermediate I horsemanship class.
Jessica Gilchrist (Evans Mills, N.Y.) topped the field in the beginner horsemanship class.
Morrisville State returns to the riding arena on the 18th, hosting a double show at the Swamp Road Riding Arena.