La Cañada High Equestrian Team Members Receive Top Honors at IEL Awards Banquet

The Interscholastic Equestrian League (IEL) recently held its 2005 -- 2006 season awards ceremonies at the Sportsman’s Lodge in North Hollywood, where several La Cañada High student riders were honored.

Nearly 350 people attended the year-end ceremonies which included a banquet, the awarding of $12,000 in scholarships, and recognition for the top schools and riders in this year’s competitions.

Sixty-five schools represented by more than 425 riders competed in this year’s horse shows. Riders competed in Novice, Freshman, Junior Varsity, and Varsity divisions in Hunter, Equitation, Dressage, and Jumper disciplines. Although individual and team awards are given out at the end of each show, the IEL year-end banquet is the venue to recognize the top riders and schools for the entire season.

For La Cañada, this was the year of the “dream team,” as the Spartans ended the 11-year reign of La Reina High as overall high point team. The Spartans traded the lead position with La Reina all year long, with only an 18 point lead midway through the season.

Going into the final show of the season, La Cañada had fallen behind by 12 points, but the Spartans were determined not to let the elusive top spot slip from their grip this time.

With one of the most dominating performances in La Cañada’s 17-year equestrian history at the final show of the season, the Spartans finished the year with a 147 point lead over their nemesis, La Reina.

Individual awards for the season were presented to Megan Fitzpatrick, who received the Freshman Division Hunter Reserve Champion ribbon. Stephanie Green was the Junior Varsity High Point Champion, Hunter Champion, and Equitation Champion, while Daphne Thompson was the Junior Varsity High Point Reserve Champion.

Michelle Morris was awarded the trophy for Varsity Equitation Reserve Champion, and Fiona Dodson was the Varsity Dressage Reserve Champion. In one of the most prestigious single events, the IEL Varsity Medal Final, Samantha Harrison took the Champion spot. Stephanie Green finished her stellar year with her Reserve Champion finish in the Junior Varsity Medal Final.

In addition to being the number one IEL team overall, La Cañada was awarded the Freshman Team Reserve Champion trophy for the season, the Varsity Team Reserve Champion, and the Junior Varsity Team Championship.

While the least experienced members of the Spartans’ equestrian team, the Novice riders, did not win any year-end individual or team awards, without their top 10 finish out of the 65 schools, La Cañada would have sadly finished second again this year -- it truly was a “dream team’ effort.

Anyone interested in joining the La Cañada Equestrian Team should e-mail harrisonsca@sbcglobal.net. The team is looking for all levels of hunter/jumpers, equitation and dressage.Photo Courtesy of Lashawne HarrisonEQUESTRIAN TEAM WINNERS ? Members of the La Cañada High Equestrian Team display the trophies and awards they won at the recent Interscholastic Equestrian League Awards Banquet. Winners, from left, are Stephanie Green, Olivia Warner, Cynthia Nufer, Ryan Ash, Sarah Green, Meghan Fitzpatrick, Paige Parker and Jennifer Love. Team members not pictured are Annie Bonaccorso, Christine Daly, Emma Davis, Molly Davis, Fiona Dodson, Amie Hersey, Annabell Lee, Lacy Green, Samantha Harrison, Lisa Magill, Michelle Morris, Chelsea Samuels, Barbara Solish, Daphne Thompson and Natlie Sherif.lsp-horseawards.0608-BPhotoInfo471ROAQK20060608j0i42knc(LA)