Jan. 13, 2014

COLUMBIA, S.C. – University of South Carolina equestrian coach Boo Major announced today the signing of Bailey Walters (Bourbon, Ind./Triton Jr.-Sr. High) to a national letter of intent to join the Gamecock equestrian program for the 2014-2015 season. Walters will ride with Carolina’s western team and will compete for the Gamecocks in reining.

“We’re looking forward to having Bailey joining our team next season,” Major said. “We’ve gotten some great riders out of Indiana before, and we certainly think we have another great one in Bailey. She has gained a lot of experience riding different horses with her father training her, and that is going to help her tremendously when she arrives on campus in August.”

Walters trains with her father, Brett Walters.

Walters has earned top-10 finishes in Reining at the All American Quarter Horse Congress the last four years. Last year, she was a finalist in Ranch Horse Pleasure at the American Quarter Horse Youth Association (AQHA) Built Ford Tough World Championship Show. In 2012, Walters was a finalist in Working Cow Horse-Boxing at the AQHYA Built Ford Tough World Championship Show. Also in 2012, she finished third in the AQHA Youth Reining High Point. In 2011, she was the reserve champion at Congress in the NYATT Reining.

A senior at Triton Jr./Sr. High School in Bourbon, Ind., Walters has an extensive resume of honors and accolades. A regular member on the school’s honor roll, Walters is the secretary of the Key Club. She also participates in the FFA and FBLA. Walters was president of the Indiana Quarter Horse Youth Association from 2012-2013, previously serving as the vice president in 2011. For the last four years, Walters was a delegate in the National Reining Horse Youth Association.

Born May 13, 1996, her parents are Brett Walters and Sheila Conley. Walters plans to be marketing major in the Darla Moore School of Business. Before signing with South Carolina, Walters also considered Texas Christian University.