Jan. 10, 2012

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COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina equestrian program has announced the signing of Rhode Island native Samantha Smith (Wakefield, R.I./South Kingston) to a National Letter of Intent to join the South Carolina Gamecocks Equestrian Team starting this semester. Smith has already enrolled at the University as a freshman and has four years of eligibility.

“Sam brings a wealth of experience to South Carolina Equestrian. She offers both flat and fences skills on multiple horses to our hunter seat program and will be a real asset in varsity equestrian competitions,” assistant Hunt Seat coach Carol Gwin said. “She has been a consistent performer in the hunter and equitation rings, both as a junior rider and, recently, as an adult by winning the New England Adult Medal Finals.”

Smith trains with Shachine Belle, and has been an elite rider at every level of competition, including multiple medals finals and championships. Some of her more recent accomplishments include:

2010
• Winner – Ocala Circuit Equitation Champion
• Winner – CHJA Masters Finals
• Winner – Maclay Regional Zone 1 Champion
• Regional Medal Reserve Champion
• USEF Medal Finals Top-25
• Maclay Finals Top-30

2009
• Winner – Ocala Circuit Equitation Champion
• Ocala Reserve Circuit Champion in Modified Junior Jumpers
• Winner – New England Equitation Finals
• Reserve Champion – CHJA Masters Finals
• Capital Challenge Equitation Classic 4th Place
• USET Talent Search 10th Place
• Devon USEF Medal 1st place

2008
• CHJA Finals Reserve Champion Equitation Masters
• Maclay Finals 5th place

2007
• MHC Jr. Equitation Finals Winner

Born July 5, 1992 to parents Stephen and Melissa Smith, Samantha Lynne Smith has two brothers, Kevin (21) and David (28). Smith had offers from schools like Auburn and Georgia before signing with the Gamecocks.

Smith will major in business at the University’s Darla Moore School of Business. The Darla Moore School of Business is ranked #1 in undergraduate international business education by U.S.News & World Report in its September 2012 annual survey “America’s Best Colleges Guide” — the 15th year the school has received this distinction. The University of South Carolina’s international business faculty has been rated #1 in research productivity by the Journal of International Business Studies.