Oct. 25, 2007
BLYTHEWOOD, S.C. – South Carolina equestrian will head west this weekend when they travel for competitions at Oklahoma State and Kansas State this weekend. The Gamecocks and Cowgirls will compete Saturday in Stillwater before the Gamecocks travel to Manhattan, Kansas, to compete against the Wildcats Sunday.
“Both Oklahoma State and Kansas State have very good teams,” head coach Boo Duncan said. “This will be the first time we have competed against two teams on the road in a weekend and I am anxious to see how the team responds to this. They have all been riding very well. We have never traveled to either university so this trip will be a new experience for us that we are looking forward to. Both teams will be a challenge in both hunter seat and western, and having to be on the road will add to the difficulty. I just want the girls to continue riding the way they have been and we’ll be competitive.”
Carolina last competed against Oklahoma State in February last season at Blythewood. The Gamecocks won that meet 12-8, led by a 9-1 victory by the hunter seat team. The Gamecocks (2-1) and Cowgirls (2-0) will begin competition at 10 a.m. at the Animal Science Arena. Carolina will then take on the Wildcats (2-0) Sunday at 9:30 a.m. at Fox Creek Farm.
Riding in equitation this weekend will be senior Kristen Terebesi (1-1), sophomores Megan Massaro (1-0), Alex Haskell, Carly Babcock and Sarah Stephens (1-0), and freshman Victoria Middleton (2-1). Middleton earned MVP honors in Carolina’s last competition against South Dakota State while Terebesi earned honors in the season opener against TCU. The Gamecocks have outscored opponents 11-2 this season in equitation on the flat.
In equitation over fences, Carolina will ride senior Allison Bradley, junior LIndsey Pace (1-1) and sophomores Massaro (3-0), Nicole Bourgeois, Eleanor Kunsman (1-0) and Sarah Stephens (alternate). Terebesi (3-0) will participate over fences against Kansas State and holds two MVP honors on the season. It will be Bradley’s first ride in equitation over fences as she normally competes in Western.
On the Western side, the Gamecocks will use the same riders against both teams. In horsemanship, seniors Allison Bradley (1-2) and Katy Bifle (1-1) will lead the Gamecocks along with junior Katie Grossnickle (3-0), sophomore Amy Biffle (2-1) and freshmen Hailey Thornton (1-1) and Kyla Thurlow (alternate).
The five Gamecocks in reigning include seniors Lindsay Williams and Allison Bradley (1-2), junior Rebekah Roof (1-1) and freshmen Chloe Gray (2-1) and Kyla Thurlow (2-1). Amy Bifle will travel as an alternate. Thurlow received MVP honors in Carolina’s last meet with a 74.5 against South Dakota State.
