The St. Lawrence University riding team claimed their 16th straight Regional Title, Annabelle Gitterman was named a National Champion and four Saints competed at the IHSA Nationals in May to highlight the Scarlet and Brown's 2025-26 season.

St. Lawrence opened the season with three straight wins at SUNY Geneseo on October 25, 26, and November 1 before picking up their fourth win at their first home show of the season on November 2. Annie Kammer was named the High Point Rider at SUNY Geneseo on November 1, while Eskey took home the honor on November 2 at home.

The Saints closed out the fall semester with a pair of home shows on November 15 and 16, claiming High Point Team honors on Sunday the 16th. Also on Sunday, Lauren Trexler was named the High Point Rider, while Eskey was the Reserve High Point Rider.

After the break, the Saints opened the spring season at home with shows on February 28 and March 1st, picking up back-to-back wins. Eskey and Trexler picked up High Point and Reserve High Point Rider honors on Saturday, while Gitterman took home High Point Rider honors on Sunday, helping lead the Saints to their seventh win and their 16th consecutive Region 2 Title.

In March, the Saints honored the memory of Maggie Blackmon '21, thanks to the wonderful generosity of an anonymous donor, the west side of the barn was renovated to include a new feed room, tack room, horse stalls and grooming stalls. With special wishes, these renovations were completed in memory of Maggie, who passed away in February of 2020.
 
During the regular season shows, the Saints picked up wins at seven out of eight shows.

The Saints then hosted the IHSA Hunt Seat Regionals on April 1. After a wonderful showing, the Saints took home seven wins out of seven classes and nine Saints qualified for Zones. Eskey, Gitterman, Trexler, Kammer, Fiona Malcarney, Scarlett Haas, Sophia Korovin, Mattie Porter, and Sophia Wirtz all advanced to Zones at Lehman Farms, Pittsford, N.Y. on April 4th.

At the IHSA Zone II Finals, Eskey qualified in both the Open Flat and Cacchione Cup and moved on to represent Zone 2, Region 2 in the high point rider competition for the fourth year in a row at nationals. Gitterman took home the Zone 2 Champion honors in the Intermediate Flat, while Trexler, Korovin and Eskey were named Zone 2 Reserve Champions in their respective classes.  

St. Lawrence finished third with 36 points.

At nationals, Gitterman was named a National Champion in the Individual Intermediate Flat and brought home the championship ribbon to become the 30th National Champion in St. Lawrence riding history and the 17th for coaches Drueding, Wagner, and Hankin.

On Friday, all four Saints competed on day one, Trexler opened the day with a 10th-place finish in Individual Intermediate Fences, while Eskey placed fourth in Individual Open Flat and Korovin placed eighth in the Individual Novice Flat.

On Saturday, Eskey, the Region 2 High Point Rider representative, competed in the Cacchione Cup Over Fences and the Cacchione Cup on the Flat. She scored an 84.5 in fences phase and an 84. 25 in the flat phase to advance to the work off on Sunday morning.

And finally on Sunday, Eskey placed fifth in the Cacchione Cup. The Saints brought home five-out-of-five potential ribbons, marking a great weekend at the Tryon International Equestrian Center, closing out the 2025-26 season for the SLU.

The Saints graduated nine seniors in the Class of 2026 – Eben Dorr, Harper Eskey, Scarlett Haas, Annie Kammer, Sophia Korovin, Fiona Malcarney, Mattie Porter, Lauren Trexler, and Cate Weis.

2025-26 Awards/Honors

IHSA National Champion
Annabelle Gitterman, Intermediate Flat

IHSA National Qualifiers
Harper Eskey
Annabelle Gitterman
Sophia Korovin
Lauren Trexler

Zone II High Point Rider
Harper Eskey

IHSA All-Academic
Paloma Egido
Annie Kammer
Dylan Mayo
Riley Mummert
Dalton Pace
Isabelle Schreiner
Annabelle Gitterman
Grace Lagerstedt