BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University equestrian team opened the 2024-2025 season with a sixth-place performance at Holly Hill Show Stables in Hanover, Massachusetts on Saturday. The show was co-hosted by Boston University and Tufts University.

Sophomore captain Abigail Abbott (Wareham, Mass.) opened the day in intermediate fences and rode to a second place finish aboard Penny, a 16hh chestnut Crossbred mare. Abbott then piloted Ginny, a 15.3hh bay Warmblood mare to a third place finish in intermediate flat.

Junior captain Emily Desmond (Braintree, Mass.) had an amazing ride in the intermediate flat division on Hamilton, a 16.1hh bay gelding, and took home the blue ribbon. Desmond also hopped on Porsche, a 15.1hh dark brown Appendix mare and jumped to a seconnd place finish in limit fences. She ended up in a four-way tie for reserve high point rider of the day that was then determined by a competitive question off where she lost to another rider.

Freshman Julia Max (Salem, Mass.) made her IHSA debut in the limit flat and fences divisions. Max guided Penny to a sixth-place result in the over fences class. She followed that ride with another sixth-place peformance in limit flat atop Goldie, a 15hh Palomino mare.

Senior Hannah Arsenault (Attleboro, Mass.) rode Tuesday, a 16.2hh Crossbred gelding, to a fifth-place finish in the limit flat division. 

Sophomore Alyson McKeon (Worcester, Mass.) also rode Penny in the limit flat division and came home with a sixth-place finish.

Freshman Melanie Schick-Fernandez (Abington, Mass.) made her IHSA debut in limit flat aboard Randy, a 14.2hh grey gelding, and rode to a sixth-place finish.

Freshman Becky Costa (Foxborough, Mass.) made her IHSA debut in novice flat on Kasper, a 15hh grey Welsh/Arab cross gelding. Costa took home a third-place ribbon in the event. 

Freshman Kaitlin Volpe (Millis, Mass.) had an outstanding ride on Surreal, a 15.3hh grey mare, in the pre-novice division. Volpe rode away with a second-place finish in her IHSA debut.

Junior Maeve Murray (Marshfield, Mass.) wrapped up the day in the pre-novice division. Murray also rode Surreal and came home with the sixth-place ribbon in her IHSA debut.

The Bears will be back in action on October 26th at Grand Champion Show Stables in Stoughton, Masschusetts for the Stonehill College show.