Texas A&M
TCU
Western Riders Gig Defending Champion TCU for National Championship
Apr 18, 2009 | Equestrian
April 18, 2009
WACO, Texas - The western half of the Texas A&M equestrian team beat defending national champion Texas Christian, 7-1, to win the 2009 Varsity Equestrian National Championship (VENC) in western riding on Saturday afternoon at the Heart O' Texas Fair Complex.
The Aggies, seeded first, won the western national team title for the second time in three years, completing the season with a near-perfect season record of 14-1. A&M joins Oklahoma State as the only three-time western champions in the eight-year history of the VENC, having now won the title in each of the last three odd numbered years (2005, 2007, 2009). The title marks the seventh national team championship of any kind won by the equestrian team in its 10-year existence at the varsity level.
"We're so excited to be able to peak as a team at the right moment like we did this week," A&M head coach Tana McKay said. "The girls were prepared and rode to the best of their ability. They were simply phenomenal."
A&M's horsemanship group completed an undefeated championship run by taking down the Horned Frogs 4-0. The horsemanship riders went 11-0 for the week, making it virtually impossible for any team to even come close to toppling the nation's best western team.
"I believe this win was very well-deserved," A&M horsemanship coach Beth Bass said. "We were more focused this week than I have ever seen this team at any competition since I've been here. I'm beyond ecstatic. We knew this would be tough but I think we were the most mentally tough team this week and it showed in the ring."
Freshman Caroline Gunn (Greensburg, Ind.), the closest thing to a sure thing in collegiate equestrian, did not disappoint either, toppling one of the best western riders in the country in Carrie von Uhlit, 150-148. Senior Sibyl Parsons (Combine) closed out her career in style by taking down TCU senior Chloe Baker, 147-145.5 in both riders' final collegiate match. Sophomore Randi Standley (Madisonville) finished off arguably the best week of her collegiate career with a 147-142.5 win over individual national championship finalist Courtney Chown.
A&M's reiners, who rode to a 10-2 mark this week, locked up the team championship as fast they could as junior Maggie Gratny (Leavenworth, Kan.) completed a perfect week by clinching the national title with a 142-128 victory over Horned Frog Ashton Mickunas. Senior Amanda Ryan (Ramona, Calif.) swept her reining matches at nationals for the second time in three years thanks to a 144.5-140 win over Kelsey Huffman. Senior Genna Fishgold (Scottsdale, Ariz.) closed her collegiate career by earning the Aggies' final point of the championships with a 140-0 win over TCU senior Chloe Baker.
Once Caroline Gunn helped the Aggies jump out to a 4-0 team lead after horsemanship, she kicked it up to a truly elite level to successfully defend her inaugural individual national championship in horsemanship. The ever-competitive Gunn torched the prior best horsemanship score by any other rider on any team all week long (a 151 by teammate Randi Standley in the quarterfinals and matched by TCU's Courtney Chown in the individual national title match), scoring a 154.5 to leave no doubt that she is the standard-bearer for horsemanship on the collegiate level.
"I knew I had to go hard (in the individual final) but I knew I had a horse that was able to go hard," Gunn said. "I had confidence in both our abilities to do the job that needed to be done. What we did this week was unbelievable. Our western team has been incredibly strong all year but to perform the way we did this week was history making."
Gunn ascended to the individual national championship match in horsemanship by scoring a then-championships best score of 152.5 to beat Kansas State's top western rider, Alyssa Freeman (140).
A&M's hunter seat team finished in sixth place in the final English standings after dropping a 6-2 decision to Oklahoma State in the fifth-place match on Saturday morning.
Senior Christina Matz (McKinney) closed out her collegiate riding career by beating OSU senior Sarah Summers, 142-131, in equitation on the flat. Matz went undefeated in all four matches in her final collegiate competition, saving the best for last with a week-long personal best score in her final ride.
Sophomore Brooke Coleman (Houston) earned the Aggies' win over fences by beating OSU freshman Taryn Nolte, 150-145. Coleman posted a 2-2 record in the first collegiate national championship show of her career.
The national championship win by the western team coupled with the sixth-place finish by the hunter seat group enabled the Aggies to finish second in the overall team standings for the third consecutive season. Georgia successfully defended its overall national title, finishing ahead of A&M, 51-42. Oklahoma State finished third with 31 points.
"To end up as the reserve (second place) team overall for three straight years is a testament to the consistency of both of our disciplines," McKay said. "This is a demanding competition against the best riders in the country. It's hard to put into words how proud I am of our team and our program."
Final Overall Team Standings: 1. Georgia 51 2. Texas A&M 42 3. Oklahoma State 31 4. Auburn 28 TCU 28 6. South Carolina 27 7. Baylor 16.5 8. Kansas State 11.5 9. Fresno State 1.5 10. New Mexico State 1.5
Final Hunter Seat Standings 1. Georgia 2. Auburn 3. South Carolina 4. Baylor 5. Oklahoma State 6. Texas A&M 7/8. Fresno State/Kansas State
Final Western Standings 1. Texas A&M 2. TCU 3. Oklahoma State 4. Georgia 5. Kansas State 6. South Carolina 7/8. Baylor/New Mexico State
Players Mentioned
