Oct. 24, 2013

COLUMBIA, S.C. – No. 3 South Carolina (4-1, 0-1 SEC) returns to action on Friday, when the Gamecocks travel to Bryan, Texas, to face No. 8. Texas A&M (1-1, 0-0 SEC) at the Brazos County Expo Complex. Friday’s meet will begin at 12 p.m. ET (11 a.m. CT).

“We’re looking forward to competing against a talented Texas A&M team on Friday,” South Carolina head coach Boo Major said. “Tana and her staff always do a great job of preparing their team. Competing on the road is always a challenge, but we have two road meets under our belt already so hopefully we can continue to ride well and eliminate the mistakes that hurt us against Georgia.”

MEET INFORMATION
• WHO: No. 3 South Carolina at No. 6 Texas A&M
• WHEN: Friday, Oct. 25, 2013 • 12 p.m. ET (11 a.m. CT)
• WHERE: Brazos County Expo Center
• LIVE SCORING

SCOUTING THE GAMECOCKS
South Carolina enters Friday’s meet as the No. 3 team in the country. The Gamecocks are 4-1 overall and 0-1 in SEC play. After winning its first four meets of the season, Carolina dropped its SEC opener to No. 1 Georgia in a tiebreaker on Oct. 11.

SCOUTING THE AGGIES
Texas A&M is 1-1 on the season, after the Aggies defeated No. 9 SMU, 12-8, on Oct. 11. A&M dropped its season opener at Kansas State, 17-2.

SERIES HISTORY – LAST SEASON
Last year marked Texas A&M’s first season as a member institution of the Southeastern Conference. Before the SEC officially added an equestrian championship last season, South Carolina, Auburn and Georgia competed against each other twice a year, a tradition that has continued. This marks the second season that the Gamecocks and Aggies will compete under the SEC’s home-and-home format.

Last year, Carolina went 2-0 against Texas A&M. The Gamecocks and Aggies last met on Feb. 23 in Blythewood, a meet that Carolina won, 12-8. In the team’s fall meeting, the Gamecocks won 11-8.

LAST TIME IN BRYAN
Then-No. 1 South Carolina survived its first test as the top-ranked team in the country, as the Gamecocks beat then-No. 4 Texas A&M, 11-8, at the Brazos County Expo Complex. South Carolina picked up MVP wins from Samantha Smith and Cody McMillion.

HIGH SCORING AFFAIR
Dating back to last season, the Gamecocks are currently on an eight dual meet streak in which Carolina has not been outscored by an opponent.

• 10/11/13 vs. Georgia L 9-9
• 10/5/13 vs. SMU W 12-4
• 10/4/13 at Delaware State W 14-4
• 9/27/13 vs. Fresno State W 17-2
• 9/20/13 vs. Kansas State W 15-5
• 3/30/13 vs. Auburn W 10-8
• 3/29/13 vs. Georgia W 10-7
• 3/09/13 at Oklahoma State L 10-10

CONGRESS CHAMPIONSHIP
Senior Johnna Letchworth won the AQHA Amateur Western Horsemanship championship on Tuesday at the 47th All American Quarter Horse Congress, held at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio. Letchworth finished first out of 96 competitors.

Riding Izzy A Jack Bar, Letchworth placed first on three of the four judges’ scorecards, earning the senior her fourth championship at Congress. Her first Congress championship came in 2003, winning the 11 & under equitation, followed by back-to-back equitation championships in the 12-14 division in 2004 and 2005.

GAMECOCKS AT CONGRESS
Letchworth was one of several Gamecocks that competed at Congress this year. Freshman Bailey Mierzejewski earned a pair of top-ten finishes, as she finished fourth in 15-18 trail and ninth in 15-18 horsemanship. Sophomore Abigail Pait was a finalist in 15-18 horsemanship and finished sixth in 15-18 showmanship. Freshman Courtney Allen finished sixth in 15-18 showmanship.

NATIONAL HONOR
Letchworth and junior Katherine Schmidt both earned national rider of the month honors from the National Collegiate Equestrian Association.

Schmidt was named the September Equitation Over Fences Rider of the Month. She competed in two September meets, boasting a 2-0 record in the event with one MVP honor. She posted an event-high score of 87 in a win vs. No. 5 Kansas State and then tallied an event-high score of 89 vs. Fresno State, defeating her opponent by 21 points. Schmidt was the MVP in Equitation Over Fences against Fresno State, a meet in which she won both hunt seat MVP honors. She has helped South Carolina to a 4-0 record on the season. Schmidt previously was named national rider of the month in March 2013 in both equitation on the flat and equitation over fences. She was also named SEC Rider of the Month in March 2013.

Letchworth was named the September Horsemanship Rider of the Month, posting a 2-0 record in the event with an MVP honor each time she competed. She charted an event-high score of 78 vs. No. 5 Kansas State, defeating her opponent by 9.5 points, the largest margin of victory in both western events. She tied an event-high score of 77 vs. Fresno State, defeating her opponent by five points. Letchworth has helped South Carolina to a 4-0 record on the season. Last season, Letchworth named SEC Co-Rider of the Month (February) in horsemanship.

NEXT UP
Friday’s meet against the Aggies will be the first of five straight road meets for the Gamecocks, three of which are SEC competitios. South Carolina closes out the fall with road meets at Auburn (Nov. 9) and South Dakota State (Nov. 23). The Gamecocks then open the spring semester with a pair of road meets, as Carolina will travel to New Mexico State (Feb. 1) and Georgia (Feb. 8).