Jan. 27, 2011
| Coach Major |
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The sixth-ranked Gamecock equestrian team returns to action this weekend, as South Carolina travels to Texas for three competitions in three consecutive days. The Gamecocks will face No.1 Texas A&M on Friday, Delaware State on Saturday, and No. 8 Baylor on Sunday.
“Our girls are looking forward to kicking off our spring semester against three really good teams this weekend,” head coach Boo Major said. “We compete a lot this semester, so we’re certainly hoping to begin on a positive note.”
Friday, the Gamecocks will compete against top-ranked Texas A&M at 12 p.m. ET at the Brazos County Expo Complex in Bryan, TX.
“Texas A&M has a great team this season, and they certainly have earned their No. 1 ranking,” Major said. “Their Western team is probably the best in the country, but their Hunt Seat team is strong as well.”
In Equitation Over Fences, the Gamecocks’ lineup will be Kimberly McCormack, Carolyn Curcio, Morgan Hale, Tilden Brighton, and Paige Dekko. Curcio is South Carolina’s top jumper this season, going 4-1 in Equitation Over Fences.
In Equitation on the Flat, McCormack, Curcio, and Brighton will remain in the lineup for South Carolina. They will be joined by junior Colvin Hedgepeth and freshman Emma Johnson. Brighton is 2-0 on the Flat this season, while Hedgepeth is 4-1.
In Horsemanship, the Gamecocks will compete Hailey Thornton, Maggie Fortune, Johnna Letchworth, Kelsey Stangebye, and Taylor Singmaster. Thornton, Fortune, and Singmaster are all 2-2 in Horsemanship, while Letchworth is 2-1-1.
In Reining, senior captain Chloe Gray will headline the lineup along with Annie McDonald, Audrey Jewell, Melia Blakely, and Melody Malbin. Gray is 2-2 in Reining and coming off an MVP ride against Kansas State on Oct. 29. McDonald is 3-1 this season with an MVP, and Jewell is 2-0 this season, with both of her wins coming on the road. Malbin, a sophomore transfer from Texas A&M, will be competing for the first time as a Gamecock.
After Friday’s competition against the Aggies, the Gamecocks will travel to Waco for competitons against Delaware State and No. 8 Baylor.
Live Scoring link – http://gamecocksonline.cstv.com/sports/w-equest/stats/tamu-012811.html
