Gunnell, Miller Win National Titles as Saints Continue to Shine
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Wally JohnsonJenna Gunnell won the national title in walk-trot equitation on Friday
St. Lawrence University’s riding team added its third and fourth national champions of the 2011 Intercollegiate Horse Show Association National Championship Show and remains third in the team standings heading into Saturday’s final two events.
Sophomores Jenna Gunnell and Sophie Miller each won their classes at the 2011 national championship show to join Casey Zuraitis and Jordan Koivu as winners at the nationals.
In Saturday's penultimate event in the team competition, open equitation over fences, senior Suzanne Snyder finished eighth of 16 riders as the Saints held on to third place in the team standings. SLU went into the final event, open equitation on the flat, four points behind second place Skidmore and eight behind leader Centenary.
Gunnell, who was Zone II champion in walk-trot, won the national individual title in that event on Friday, leading a field of 16 riders in that event and Miller won the team championship class in walk-trot-canter. The Saints’ total of four national champions in the 2011 show doubles the previous program high, which was two in four shows, the latest prior to this season being 1988.
SLU high point rider Snyder finished 14th overall in the Cacchione Cup competition among the nation’s high point riders. Snyder was fourth of 24 in the Phase II competition on the flat on Friday after finishing 21st in the over fences phase. The top 24 in the fences phase among 36 total riders in the competition advanced.
Miller becomes the second national equestrian champion in her family, following her mother, Hilary Simons Miller, who was national novice on the flat champion in 1980.