Sept. 27, 2004
Columbia, S.C. – The Gamecock equestrian team traveled to Athens, Ga. this past weekend to compete in a double-header against the University of Georgia.
In Friday’s varsity competition, USC was defeated by UGA by a score of 1166 to 1097, losing by 69 points. The Gamecocks trailed UGA in all but one division, equitation. Sophomore Dana Hancock had the highest score in equitation on the flat with an 89, while Sara Lowe defeated her opponent, Lauren Hemmingway, by four. Freshman Kristen Terebesi tied Georgia’s Byerly Vaughn with an 82. Tara Brothers and Laura O’Sullivan beat their opponents Leigh Harper and Lauren Hemmingway respectively.
It was a close loss in Hunt Seat, losing only by six points total. UGA scored 623 points to USC’s 617.
In Western reining the Gamecocks lost by 47. Freshman Jamie Diamond bested Bulldog’s Sarah Meier by four points. In Horsemanship, Rachel Sternoff scored a division high 74, besting Kari Ellingson by four. Freshman Michelle Grah beat Catherine Pennington by ten and Freshman Katy Biffle tied UGA veteran Cary Veldman with a score of 70.
The Gamecocks finished 15 points behind in Horsemanship. The final Western score was Georgia with a 543 and South Carolina with a 480.
“We were disappointed in the loss,” said Head Coach Boo Duncan. “We took the conservative approach in reining which cost us with this particular judge, but we were competitive otherwise. I was pleased with many of our freshmen who beat some of UGA’s veterans in the head to head competition.”
On Saturday, Georgia defeated Carolina in a scrimmage by a score of 1098 to 1028, losing by 70 points.
In Equitation over fences, the Gamecocks, led by sophomore Ellen Hogate, beat the Bulldogs by 28 points. Hogate, along with junior Claire Sharp, sophomore Carly Johns and freshman Ashley Rohde defeated their UGA counterparts. In equitation, the Gamecocks remained close but had only one rider, Claire Sharp, with a higher score than her opponent.
USC lost in equitation by 9. The final Hunt Seat score was South Carolina with a 586 and Georgia with a 567.
On the Western side, Carolina was spread thin with only seven western riders eligible to compete. In reining, junior Ashleigh Collins bested Georgia’s Lindsey Stier and senior Kerrie Reeves came close to defeating Tricia Fowler in Horsemanship falling behind by two.
The final Western score was Georgia 532 and South Carolina 442.
“The difference in our Saturday Western scores was that we had most of our team competing in events that they do not normally ride in or practice. Because our team is small, some were doing reining or horsemanship for the first time,” said Assistant Coach Joe Humphrey.
“I was proud of our fences riders today. They were very dominant and rode well under pressure. Although we did not win either the varsity competition on Friday or the scrimmage on Saturday, this weekend will give us something to build on for he rest of the season,” said Coach Duncan.
The Gamecocks will ride again on Friday, October 29 at One Wood Farm in Blythewood against Auburn. The competition is set to begin at 9:00 am.
