April 14, 2010

View 2010 VENC Western Bracket in PDF Format

View 2010 VENC Hunter Seat Bracket in PDF Format

View 2010 VENC Individual Brackets in PDF Format

WACO, Texas – The 2010 Varsity Equestrian National Championships begin Thursday morning at the Heart O’ Texas Fair Coliseum in Waco, Texas. South Carolina’s Western squad will face New Mexico State in the opening round of the Western bracket on Thursday. The winner advances to face Auburn on Friday.

Thursday’s competition is the second time the Gamecocks and Aggies will face each other this season. South Carolina defeated New Mexico State 8-7 on Nov. 21, 2009 in Las Cruces, N.M. South Carolina’s Hunter Seat team and Western team both picked up victories.

In Horsemanship, senior captain Emily Bookwalter, senior Amy Biffle, junior Hailey Thornton, and sophomore Maggie Fortune will compete for the Gamecocks. Thornton and Fortune both lead the Horsemanship team with seven wins each, with Fortune leading the squad with 3 MVP’s this season. Bookwalter has notched five wins for the Gamecocks to go along with one MVP.

In Reining, juniors Chloe Gray and Lydia Roof, and freshmen Amanda Pope and Annie McDonald will compete for the Gamecocks. Gray leads the reining squad with seven wins this season, while Roof, Pope, and McDonald have combined for 13 wins this season.

South Carolina’s Hunter Seat has a first-round bye, and will face the winner of Oklahoma State/SMU on Friday. Seniors Carly Babcock and Nicole Bourgeois, who will compete for the Hunter Seat team on Friday, will also be competing in the individual brackets of this year’s national championships. Babcock will compete in Equitation, while Bourgeois will compete in Equitation Over Fences.