The No. 2 Auburn Equestrian team is off to compete in the Varsity Equestrian National Championships this weekend in Waco, Texas.
The team is in high spirits after bringing in a second win against No. 1 Georgia in the Southern Equestrian Championships three weeks ago.
"We've had an outstanding year with winning the SECs and being ranked so high," said senior Lyndsey Jordan, one of Auburn's Western riders picked for individual selections this weekend.
The selection committee picks the top eight riders from across the country to place in brackets and compete individually, of which Auburn has representatives in every event.
The top 12 Western and top 12 Hunt Seat teams are also placed into brackets in which the teams compete and move on until they lose.
"This is the only time in our sport where Hunt Seat and Western compete in separate brackets," said coach Greg Williams.
Because of Auburn's ranking, the team is one of four that has been awarded a first-round bye, meaning they won't compete until the second round Friday.
"That's just another added day that we stand around and watch," Williams said. "It's important to see how the judges are judging, but it'd be a whole lot better if we could be riding."
Williams said the team tries to peak its performance this time every year, and the women have been nailing all the maneuvers and keeping their confidence up the past few practices.
"This is kind of the first year that we've had such a strong Western side," Jordan said. "I think overall we have an exceptional team. We're going into this feeling really strong and really confident."
Auburn has already claimed two titles at the Varsity Equestrian National Championships.
The team brought home an overall National Champion title in 2006, and the Hunt Seat team was named National Champions in 2008.
"Getting past the first round is our main goal right now," said Katie Breedlove, senior on the Hunt Seat team. "We're on a roll so we should do pretty well."
Breedlove was also individually selected.
While individual selections are an honor, the girls are focused most on trying to work together.
"We're trying to be the best we can as whole team," Breedlove said.
Williams said anything can happen, but the team always rises up to the occasion when the coaches need them to prepare.
"We just had two of the best practices I think I've ever seen in 16 years of coaching," Williams said. "Coach Helfer and coach Neubarth have done a phenomenal job getting these girls ready. And what I think is even more important is how well the girls have matched that effort."
The team left for Waco early Tuesday morning, riding on the same bus the Duke University Men's Basketball team took from Durham, N.C., to the Final Four in Indianapolis.
The bus had Duke Blue Devils 2010 National Champions on one side; perhaps the other side will have Auburn Equestrian 2010 National Champions Sunday when the team returns to The Plains.
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