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Ask any Intercollegiate rider: winning the Cacchione Cup is huge: 2010 winner Lindsey Sceats, Mount Holyoke (on horse) with ring master John Xanthopoulos (coach: University of Montana-Western), Mount Holyoke assistant coach Gilly McPhee, head coach C. J. Law, and a complete entourage of prize presenters with Bob Cacchione, who founded the IHSA, for whom the Cacchione Cup is named All photos by Ormophoto.com

As head coach of Mount Holyoke (MA) for the past 27 years, C. J. Law racked up an impressive record in the highly competitive Intercollegiate Horse Show Association. Her riding Lyons advanced as a team to 18 National Championship Finals, winning the top honors in 1986, 2000, and 2006. They harvested four Tournament of Champions titles (1993, 1997, 2002, and 2007) and three of her riders earned the greatest individual award bestowed by the IHSA, the Cacchione Cup, in 1992, 2002, and 2010. “We’ve had some real highs and lows. In 1985, I was privileged enough to come in second, my frst year coaching, and I’ve learned a lot of lessons through the years,” said C. J. “My frst national win was a huge one. Getting a rider to the Cacchione level is a big deal, and I’m blessed to be part of my students’ lives. Lindsay Sceats, who won the Cacchione Cup last year, is very representative of my riders. We have a lot of students

who are high up academically. They’re very competitive and work together well. It’s a good mix.”

C.J.’s emphasis all along has been a balanced blend of sportsmanship and horsemanship. Her active involvement in IHSA includes serving on its board of Directors since 1986. She has been the Zone 1 chairperson and an organizer of the Zone 1 championship horse show since 1989. She’s on the IHSA marketing committee.

In 1997, Spur magazine (sadly defunct) named C. J., Horsewoman of the Year, and cited her as one of its 20 most infuential horse people in the country. She created the IHSA

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