June 29, 2009

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – South Carolina junior Chloe Gray competed in the 2009 Collegiate Reining Championship Saturday at the State Fair Arena and placed ninth overall in the prestigious event hosted by the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA).

Gray (Tampa, Fla.), one of 12 collegians invited to attend the championships, scored a 209.00 to earn ninth place. Riding “Continental Tucker” (owned by Lauren Cambarare), Gray came within six points of the reserve title and was nine points from the top ride in her second consecutive year competing at the Derby. She placed seventh last season with 215.00 points. At the championships, riders are given five minutes to familiarize themselves with an unknown horse before competing. Auburn’s Lyndsey Jordan won the championships.

Twelve riders from both varsity and non-varsity schools were selected for the Collegiate Reining Championship competition, which is held in conjunction with the NRHA Derby. Four riders were chosen based on performance at the Varsity Equestrian National Championships (VENC), four more were chosen based on performance at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) National Championships, while the final four were selected based on their non-collegiate performance in the sport of reining over the past two years.

Gray went 7-4 with two MVP rides as a sophomore in the 2008-09 season. She was a member of the Southern Equestrian Championship and VENC Gamecock teams, earning a victory at the S.E.C.’s against Auburn.