AU Equestrian looks for 3rd title

When an Auburn fan thinks of sports, football comes to mind, though it has been 52 years since the team has won a national title.

After football, fans think of basketball and baseball, two teams who have never won a national championship.

What most fans don't realize is aside from the swim team, the Auburn Equestrian team is arguably the most successful team in recent years, with two National Championships in the past three seasons.

With an overall National Championship in 2006 and a Hunt Seat National Championship in 2008, the equestrian team is preparing for the fall, with hopes for its third national title, said Chelsea Anheuser, senior hunt seat rider majoring in marketing.

"I think the main goal is always to strive to be National Champions again," Anheuser said. "But, when it comes down to it, win or lose, at the end of the day we are proud to be wearing Auburn orange and blue."

Head coach Greg Williams said he is excited for the coming season and what his team can do.

"We have one of the toughest teams in the country coming on right off the bat," Williams said. "Just seeing if our team has what it takes to pull off a win is one of the scariest things, but I think that if our girls will believe in the win, we will be one of the toughest contenders for the national championship."

Paige Monfore a junior western rider majoring in biomedical sciences, said Georgia is among their toughest competitors.

"They always come and bring their a game just because we are Auburn," Monfore said. "They have been very successful, so it always feels good to win against them."

Anheuser agrees that Georgia will be a tough rival and said she loves to beat the Bulldogs.

"Since I have been a member of the Auburn Equestrian team, we have always had very large rivals in the SEC," Anheuser said. "South Carolina and Georgia always have very strong teams and we all put each other to the test."

Last year, Auburn's Hunt Seat placed second in the Varsity Equestrian National Championships after losing in the final round to the University of Georgia. This year, the team is hoping to bring home national titles for the Hunt Seat team and the Western team, as well as the overall title.

Williams said he is confident in the Western team's ability to be a strong competitive force this year.

"We've been very behind the other schools in scholarships. We started early on with scholarships going only to the Hunt Seat side," Williams said. "The Western girls have had to develop a lot in college, but we were able to put some scholarships toward the Western side this year, so we have some girls coming in that will be able to help right off the bat."

Williams said he knows the senior leaders will perform well for the team this season.

"The level of riding that our seniors are capable of makes them able to beat any team in the country," he said.

For the 2009-2010 season, Auburn equestrian is welcoming 14 freshmen and two college transfers, including several well-renowned riders who have won individual championships prior to college competition.

"I am excited about the new group of freshmen that are joining our team this coming year," Anheuser said. "It is always exciting to have a new class come in."

With freshmen added to the team and the hope for the Western team to improve their competitive level, Monfore hopes the team unites.

"Something that we are going to work on is hopefully coming together as one team," Monfore said. "The hardest thing about our sport is that we are separated between Hunt Seat and Western. People lose track of the fact that we are one team. I think something that we want to work on is competing as one unit."

Williams agrees that a united team is important.

"My goal is to practice with intent and run with a tough united front," Williams said.

The Auburn Equestrian team is behind their coach, hoping to bring home a national championship.

"I cannot wait to begin my senior year with my team, doing what we love and fighting for what we want - success," Anheuser said.