IMAGE GALLERY: Longtime Friends Reunited at Riding Competition

Longtime friends and 2007 graduates Erin Synnott and Christa Thomas-Sowers recently competed in the Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA) National Championships which took place April 30 and May 1 in Gainsville, Florida. 

Synnott and Thomas-Sowers became fast friends during their middle school years in Westborough, sharing a love of horses and taking riding lessons together. Now completing their college years, that passion for horses brought the two women together again for the competition, though each was competing for a different team. 

Synnott rode for the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Thomas-Sowers competed for her school, Johnson and Wales University in Providence. Teams from both schools were among the 12 collegiate teams out of 60 from the US and Canada to qualify for the National Championships. 

Johnson and Wales was tied for second place before a tiebreaker brought the team a fourth place finish. The University of Massachusetts ended the competition in ninth place.  

Both women will graduate this month. Synnott will earn a degree in Animal Science. Thomas-Sowers will be awarded a degree in Equine Business Management.

Information courtesy of Heidi Synnott.