Oct. 8, 2008
COLLEGE STATION - Texas A&M freshman rider Lia Chafee (Wakefield, R.I.) has been busy in her first semester of college.
In addition to beginning her academic education halfway across the country in Texas, Chafee has been shuttling back to the East Coast on some weekends to continue her personal riding career as well.
This past weekend Chafee competed in the East Coast United States Equestrian Team (USET) Talent Search in Gladstone, N.J., held at USET headquarters.
Chafee scored an 81 in the flat phase and went on to place 24th among 96 riders competing in the three-phase competition (flat, gymnastics, and jumping). Her score of 78 during the jumping phase allowed her to ascend from 39th to 24th place in the final standings. The jumping phase of this competition differed slightly from collegiate competition in that it was judged both on style and on time.
"This event is an extremely prestigious competition," A&M hunter seat coach Linzy Woolf said. "The qualification process and standards are extremely tough and each of the riders are held to the highest standards of competition. Each year, the judges are usually long-time top professionals in the equitation and jumper industry, many of those having served in some capacity on the U.S. Olympic Team. The judges are looking for up-and-coming young riders who are the best in the nation to be the potential U.S. Olympic team members of the future."
Chafee qualified for the USET Talent Search by compiling a total of 90 points over the past year in shows in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York. Points were awarded based on placings at these shows (1st = 30, 2nd = 15, 3rd = 10 and 4th = 5).