The Sweet Briar College riding program held its annual awards ceremony Monday, April 28 at the Elston Inn & Conference Center.

All riders in the program were invited to attend and riding level certificates of achievement and awards for first-, second-, third- and fourth-year riding team athletes were announced. Each coach gave a brief recap of the highlights of their teams’ season and recognized their most valuable members.

The following awards were presented to riding team athletes for academic year 2007-08:

Rose Awards for Most Valuable Riders
A single rider from each team is selected as the most valuable contributor on the team. There is no fixed standard for selection, although only one award is given per team. The coach or coaches make the final selection. Coaches may consult with captains or representatives from the team or decide on their own.

• The Intercollegiate Horse Show Association team Rose recipient is Heather McPheeters ’10. The IHSA team is coached by Jon Conyers and Emily Casali.


• Coach Mimi Wroten named Alison Sims ’09 as the most valuable contributor to the Fall Hunter Show.


• The Fall Field Riding team Rose winner is Laurel Sanders ’08, selected by coaches Jon Conyers and Louise Goodling.


• Heather Theunissen ’09 was named the Fall Jumper Show team Rose recipient by Shelby French.


• American National Riding Commission team coach Shelby French awarded the ANRC team Rose honor to Katie Davilli ’09.

Daisy Award for Volunteer of the Year
Riding program faculty members select an outstanding volunteer each year to recognize an individual who has contributed to the riding program by giving their time and sharing their talents. This year’s Daisy Award honoree is Diana Simpson ’08.

All-program Special Awards

• Laurel Sanders ’08 received the Blackwell Challenge Trophy, which goes to an upperclassman who has made a significant contribution to the riding program through demonstrated leadership. It is awarded to a student who has gone above and beyond her normal responsibilities. The trophy is named in honor of Wilmer Blackwell, who was the first to bring horses to the Sweet Briar College campus.


• The Fayette-Brown Challenge Trophy is awarded to the Sweet Briar rider at the Sweet Briar College Annual Show who has demonstrated the best horsemanship and sportsmanship throughout the show. Each year a judge is appointed to make the selection. This year’s recipient is Kathryn Brock ’09.


• The ’52 Cup is awarded to the first-year student who shows the greatest improvement, interest and sportsmanship in riding during the year. Gabrielle Chasen ’11 took home this year’s cup.


• The Owings family donated the Owings Loving Cup in memory of their mother Grace Sunderland Owings, SBC Class of 1928. It was first presented as a race prize, but today it is presented to an upperclassman who has shown interest in and dedication to schooling. The 2008 cup went to P.J. Davis ’08.


• Emily Barton ’11 was awarded the Lendon Grey Beginner Equitation Perpetual Trophy, which goes to a rider who competes at the fun show level who demonstrates outstanding improvement and equitation. The trophy was donated by Lendon F. Gray, who earned a degree in classical studies at Sweet Briar in 1971 and was a faculty member in the riding program from 1971 to 1975. She went on to become an Olympic medalist in dressage.

All-program award winners Laurel Sanders ’08 (from left), Kathryn Brock ’09, Gabrielle Chasen ’11 and P.J. Davis ’08. Emily Barton ’11 is not pictured.