April 15, 2010

WACO, Texas – Live Updates from the 2010 Varsity Equestrian National Championships at the Heart O’ Texas Fair Coliseum.

3:13 p.m. – Tenth-seeded South Carolina picked two out of four points in Reining to defeat seventh-seeded New Mexico State in the first-round of the Western bracket on Thursday. After dropping the first two points in Reining, the Gamecocks needed at least one point to secure the victory, and juniors Chloe Gray and Lydia Roof delivered for Carolina as the Gamecocks hold on to defeat the Aggies 5-2 . South Carolina advances to the second-round of the Western bracket, where the Gamecocks will meet No. 2 seed Auburn on Friday.

11:05 a.m. – The Gamecocks lead New Mexico State 3-0 as the two teams are competing against one another in the first round of the Western bracket. South Carolina won Horsemanship 3-0, with the Gamecocks’ points coming from senior Amy Biffle, junior Hailey Thornton, and sophomore Maggie Fortune. Senior captain Emily Bookwalter tied her head-to-head.

Reining, the final event in Thursday’s competition will begin at approximately 12:40 p.m. CST. Competing for the Gamecocks in Reining will be juniors Chloe Gray and Lydia Roof, and freshmen Amanda Pope and Annie McDonald. With only four points left to be earned in the competition, the Gamecocks will defeat New Mexico State if they win at least one point.