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Sisters Finding Much Success in Their Equestrian Endeavorsby KRISTEN ARMSTRONG, Staff Writer |
| The Dillon family in Philomont can boast
not only one, but two equestrian superstars. This year, sisters Tiffany
and Kristin Dillon made a name for themselves in the college equestrian
scene. For the second year in a row, Tiffany Dillon, a sophomore at Virginia Intermont College in Bristol, helped her team win first place at the Intercollegiate Dressage Association Competition, held in Long Valley, N.J., on April 28 and 29. About 100 riders representing different colleges and universities across the nation competed, both on teams and individually, at the championship. Despite the challenge of riding horses they had never ridden before, and only having five minutes to warm up, the girls at Virginia Intermont College pulled through to victory. It's very unexpected, because it happened last year, Dillon said. I never imagined it would happen again. I'm just really happy for our school. In addition to the team win, Tiffany Dillon also qualified to ride for an individual national title, and beat out 14 other college riders from across the country for first place in the lower training level division. Not to be outdone by her older sister, Sweet Briar College freshman Kristin Dillon also had a commendable year. Kristin Dillon represented the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association Hunter's team, and ended the Hunter season ranked first among the colleges in the region and in her division. Over the course of the season, Kristin Dillon was named high point winner among colleges at a competition hosted by the University of Virginia, and was twice named reserve high point winner at a competition hosted by Bridgewater College and James Madison University. She recently was selected as one of five riders in next season's 2007 Fall Hunter Show Team. |