Equestrian

Equestrian jumps Texas A&M, advances to NCEA Championship semifinals

| April 17

In an upset for the Aggies, No. 5 Auburn Equestrian triumphed 9-6 in Waco, Texas and will proceed to the semifinals Saturday morning at 8:30, starting with a meet against the Georgia Bulldogs. “We were strong against Georgia at SECs in western and the way our hunt seat kids are riding, we should be in good shape tomorrow.” Head coach Greg Williams said.

Five Tigers earn All-SEC Equestrian honors

| April 13

The equestrian team received All-SEC honors last weekend voted on by the league’s coaches. Elizabeth Benson and Ashley Foster were recognized for their performances in equitation over fences and were placed on the All-SEC Team, with Benson also earning a place on the equitation on the flat team.

Collegiate equestrian faces an uncertain future with the NCAA

By Eric Wallace | Sports Writer | April 3

Lost in recent discussions of autonomy and student-athlete compensation, one of Auburn’s most successful athletic sports faces an uncertain future with the NCAA. The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics recommended to remove equestrian from a list of emerging sports in October 2014 after the sport failed to meet the minimum of 40 schools in 10 years. According to Leah Fiorentino, executive director of the National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA), 24 schools currently sponsor equestrian at the NCAA level. While that number falls short of the NCAA requirements, recent organizational changes have many convinced the sport’s future may be brighter than it seems. “We have all these plans laid out and ready to go, but we’re just waiting in limbo for the NCAA to make a decision one way or the other,” Fiorentino said.

No. 6 Auburn Upsets No.1 USC to finish third at the SEC Championship

By CJ Holmes | Sports Writer | March 28

The No. 6 Auburn equestrian team upset No. 1 South Carolina 13-6 on Friday, March 28, en route to a third place finish at the SEC Championships. Auburn was impressive in College Station, winning all four events against the Gamecocks with four Tigers taking home MOP honors. Sophomore Ashley Foster beat Samantha Kraus, 168-136, and senior Demi Stiegler defeated Amber Henter, 165-157 giving Auburn an early 3-2 lead after Equitation over Fences. After earning her 36th win in Fences, junior Elizabeth Benson became Auburn’s all-time win leader in the event, which was formerly held by Jennifer Waxman, after knocking off Sydney Smith 169-158. Auburn led 6-4 at halftime and didn’t miss a beat after the intermission. After winning Reining and Horsemanship, sophomore Tory Hoft sealed the Tiger’s win by defeating Katherine Schmidt, 160-157, in Equitation of the Flat.

No. 6 Auburn equestrian loses to No. 2 Georgia at SEC Championships

By Andrew Monson | Sports Writer | March 28

The sixth-ranked Auburn equestrian team lost to No. 2 Georgia 13-6 in the semifinals of the SEC Equestrian Championships at the Hildebrand Equine Complex in College Station, Texas. Senior Demi Stiegler defeated Kylee Arbuckle in Equitation of the Flat, 144-141, and sophomore Tory Hoft defeated Leylan Gleeson, 157-145 for her seventh victory of the year. In Horsemanship, junior Allie Dusha won her fourth-consecutive match with a 145-143 victory over Kyndall Harper, earning MOP honors. Freshman Alexa Rivard, senior Katsy Leeman and junior Hailey Munger also earned victories for the Tigers in Horsemanship. Auburn will meet South Carolina in the consolation match on Saturday, March 28, at 9 a.m.

Senior hunt seat rider Anna Becker competes against Oklahoma State Jan. 28. The equestrian team is ranked No. 1 in the country after its victory over the Cowgirls. (FILE PHOTO)

Auburn equestrian defeats New Mexico State 11-8

By Sam Butler | Sports Writer | March 14

In the penultimate regular-season meet, the No. 4 Auburn equestrian team defeated host New Mexico State, 11-8, to move to 6-5 on the year. In Equitation on the Flat, the Tigers were able to jump out to a 3-0 lead behind strong performances from Jennifer Delman—who earned her fifth victory of the season—Elizabeth Benson, and Tory Hoft. Benson notched her 35th career win in Equitation over Fences—tying a school record—after bettering Elizabeth Solomon 83-81, claiming MOP for the event in the process.

Equestrian falls to last regular-season opponent

March 14

Equestrian fell to sixth-ranked Texas A&M to close out the regular season Saturday afternoon, March 14, at College Station. With a slow start for the Tigers in fences, Demi Stiegler claimed the first victory for the team, 82-80, after Elizabeth Benson and Jacqueline Shilen fell to the Aggies.

Equestrian wins against Baylor in last home event

By Patrick Lucas | Sports Writer | March 7

The seventh-ranked Auburn Tigers faced the third-ranked Baylor Bears Saturday in the last home match up of the season. The Tigers beat the Bears 13-7 and won all four events. The Tigers won the Equitation over Fences event 4-1, in spite of MOP honors going to Baylor.