Aggie Equestrian heads to Nationals
by NMSU Athletics
Las Cruces, N.M. – Eight months of practice and competition has come down to this for the New Mexico State Equestrian team, as the Aggies travel to Waco, Texas this coming week for the Varsity Equestrian National Championships, April 17-19. The national competition will be held at the
Twelve Hunter Seat and twelve Western teams are chosen by the VENC Selection Committee and invited to participate. Championship awards are given to the tournament's overall winner as well as the best English and Western programs.
In the Hunter Seat, the Aggies will face Fresno State in the opening round, a team they are very familiar with.
“We have faced Fresno State twice this year and split with them,” Hanson said. “We have been trying some new line-ups lately and I feel we will be putting our best foot forward at Nationals.”
Meg Keeley will lead the Aggies in the Hunter Seat division along with Kristin Engel, Jennifer Friend, Sarah Suazo, Catie Helmuth and Beth Robinson.
The 2008 Hunter Seat teams include, in seeded order, (1) Oklahoma State, (2) Texas A&M, (3) Georgia, (4) South Carolina, (5) Auburn, (6) Baylor, (7) Kansas State, (8) Fresno State, (9) NMSU, (10) Delaware State, (11) UT-Martin and (12) Stephen F. Austin.
In the Western, the Aggies will take on No. 9 seed Baylor in the first round. NMSU defeated Baylor 8-1 earlier this season in Las Cruces. Seniors Bryn Wells and Kelli Younker will lead the Western team into Nationals as both are making their fourth trip to the national competition. Breanne Bertrand, Codi Binkerd, Kate Goodwin, Rachael Krause and Jo Anna Walker round out the Aggies competitors on the Western side.
“The Western team is coming off a strong regular season,” Hanson said. “We lost a couple tough competitions late, but I think our experience going into this event gives us an edge over a lot of the teams.”
The 2008 Western teams include (1) TCU, (2) Georgia, (3) Oklahoma State, (4) Texas A&M, (5) Kansas State, (6) South Carolina, (7) Auburn, (8) NMSU, (9) Baylor, (10) Fresno State, (11) Stephen F. Austin and (12) UT-Martin.
In the Individual Championships, Ashley Dietz was named an alternate in the Reining competition, filling in for anyone unable to compete in the Reining competition. Dietz was the lone Aggie to earn a shot in the Individual Championship.
Last season, the Western team defeated Oklahoma State to earn its best showing in school history since becoming a varsity sport, placing third overall. The Hunter Seat team dropped its opening competition to Kansas State.
South Carolina claimed the 2007 overall title while Texas A&M won Western and South Carolina won Hunter Seat.
The Aggies will take off for Nationals on Tuesday morning at 8:00 a.m. at the MSU Equestrian Center. Fans are encouraged to attend the send off.
