MOUNT IDA TAKES RESERVE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM AWARD AT MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE

The Mount Ida women’s equestrian team opened up its 2006-07 campaign with a superb performance, earning a Reserve High Point Championship at the Middlebury College Intercollegiate Horse Show on Saturday.

It was the Mustangs best finish in a season-opening show.

Edging out Mount Ida for the High Point Award was the University of Vermont. The Mustangs finished ahead of Dartmouth College, the University of New Hampshire, Colby-Sawyer College, Middlebury College, Colby College, Castleton State College and the University of Maine.

Mount Ida received solid individual performances from senior Sara Smith (St. Louis, Mo./Laude Horton Watkins) and junior Heather Vezina (Charlton, Mass./Shepard Hill Regional), along with the freshman trio of Lila Pemberton (Acton, Mass./Acton-Boxboro Regional), Autumn Iverson (Sharon, Mass./Norfolk County) and Jen Solomon (Northport, N.Y./Northport Senior).

All five riders picked up first place finishes in their classes. Smith was the top performer in the Novice Division Fences, while Vezina earned top honors in the Walk-Trot Division. Iverson and Solomon tied for first place in the Advanced Walk-Trot-Canter Division, and Pemberton ended atop the Novice Division Flat standings.

The Mustangs will be back in action this weekend, when they travel to the University of Vermont for an Intercollegiate Horse Show on Saturday.