Chen, Evans honored as Lyons finish 16th at IHSA Nationals

Above: The Mount Holyoke College hunt seat riding team at IHSA Nationals. At right: Milly Chen receives the inaugural IHSA Quiet Champion Award, flanked by assistant coach Morgan Lynch (left) and head coach CJ Law (right).

MILL SPRING, N.C. -- The Mount Holyoke College hunt seat riding team finished 16th in the country while two riders earned national honors on the third and final day of the IHSA National Championships Sunday at Tryon International.

Junior Milly Chen (Nanjing, China) was one of two recipients of the inaugural IHSA Quiet Champion Award, honoring collegiate riders who "do not get to compete as often as they would like, but continue to show up for themselves in their riding and for their team." Chen truly embodies the sentiment behind this award.

First in the ring was Team Open Fences, with sophomore Emi Graf (Belmont, Mass.) riding Quinn, provided by the Miami University of Ohio. In just her second time ever riding in Open Fences, Graf put down a lovely ride and placed just out of ribbons, in an incredibly competitive class, earning an honorable mention.

Junior Grace Neumuth (Marlborough, Conn.) went back into the ring for Team Intermediate Flat riding Crosby, provided by Skidmore College, and received an honorable mention.

The hunt seat team travelled across the center to see senior Lili Evans (Groton, Mass.) ride in the Western Overall High Point Rider Division. Just minutes after her reining pattern, Evans had to quickly change into her hunt seat outfit and compete in Open Flat. Evans rode Dee, provided by SCAD, and received an honorable mention.

Back in the Western ring, Evans was named Reserve Overall High Point Rider and received the Champion Versatility Award for her commitment to both the Hunt Seat and Western disciplines.

Top 16 Team Results:
1) Savannah College of Art and Design
2) Skidmore College
3) Centenary College
4) Lynchburg University
5) Otterbein University
6) Long Island University
7) Purdue University
Miami University
9) Goucher College
10) Delaware Valley University
11) University of Wisconsin-Madison
12) University of Rhode Island
13) Stanford University
14) Berry College
15) Colorado State University
16) Mount Holyoke College