Oct. 22, 2009
| Coach Major |
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The second-ranked South Carolina equestrian team returns to action tomorrow as the Gamecocks host No. 3 Georgia at 2 p.m. at One Wood Farm in Blythewood.
South Carolina enters Friday’s competition with a 1-1 record, while the Bulldogs come to Blythewood with a 3-1 record. Georgia has won five straight Southern Equestrian Championships and two consecutive Varsity Equestrian National Championships.
“Georgia is obviously one of the best teams in the country,” said head coach Boo Major. “Our girls know they’re competing against a top notch team, and hopefully we will ride well against them.”
The Gamecocks’ Hunter Seat team is 2-0 this season, and South Carolina will use nearly the same lineup that it used in its victory at Auburn on October 2. In equitation on the flat, the Gamecocks will turn to seniors Megan Massaro, Carly Babcock, and Alex Haskell, sophomore Colvin Hedgepeth, and freshman Kimberly McCormack to compete against the Bulldogs.
In equitation over fences, Massaro and McCormack will pull double-duty again for the Gamecocks as they’ll compete in both hunter seat events. The senior-freshman duo combined for four victories against Auburn three weeks ago when the Hunter Seat team beat the Tigers 7-3.
In the Western portion of Friday’s competition, South Carolina will be looking for its first victory of the season. In horsemanship, seniors Emily Bookwalter and Amy Biffle, junior Hailey Thornton, and sophomores Maggie Fortune and Taylor Singmaster will compete for the Gamecocks.
South Carolina will use the same reining lineup that posted a 3-2 victory over Auburn in the Gamecocks’ 12-8 overall victory. Competing for the Gamecocks will be juniors Chloe Gray and Lydia Roof, sophomore Annie McDonald, and freshmen Amanda Pope and Audrey Jewell. McDonald, Gray and Roof all posted victories their last time out, and Roof scored her first MVP as a Gamecock.
Friday’s competition begins at 2 p.m. with equitation on the flat and reining, followed by equitation over fences, and then reining will be the final event of the day.
DIRECTIONS TO ONE WOOD FARM – Take I-77 North to Exit 27 (Blythewood Road). Turn left and go approximately one mile. Turn right onto Syrup Mill Road. One Wood Farm is 8/10 of a mile down and is the first driveway on the left.
