Maggie Barton Joins Gamecock Equestrian Staff
July 29, 2014
COLUMBIA, S.C. – University of South Carolina head coach Boo Major on Tuesday announced the hiring of Maggie Barton as the Gamecocks’ new barn manager. Barton will officially begin her duties with the Gamecocks on August 6.
As South Carolina’s barn manager, Barton will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations at One Wood Farm. She will also manage the facility, supervise the care of the horses, and manage the barn staff.
“We are very happy to have Maggie joining our staff,” said Major. “She has a lot of horse care and farm management experience which is what we were looking for in our barn manager. She is a great addition to our team.”
Barton joins the Gamecocks after spending three years in Awendaw, S.C., where she managed Deer Creek Farm.
Barton began riding riding when she was seven years old. She trained primarily with Tracie Shutt in the Hunter/Jumpers during her beginner and junior years. She also trained with Paige Rassas-Sorce, Anne Morgan, Nancy Hoffman, and Greg Best. She also rode with Eddie Federwisch, the equestrian coach at Virginia Intermont.
In 2007, Barton traveled to Europe as a working student, studying dressage and jumpers for a year and a half. She returned to the United States where she completed her International Business degree from UNC-Greensboro, graduating in 2011.
Barton is a native of Lewisville, N.C. She replaces Andrea Tito, who served as the program’s barn manager for the last two seasons.
The South Carolina equestrian team will kickoff its 19th season on Sept. 19, when the Gamecocks travel to Manhattan, Kan. to face Kansas State. The Gamecocks are the back-to-back defending Southeastern Conference champions, becoming the first team in school history to win consecutive SEC titles. Carolina head coach Boo Major was named SEC Coach of the Year in 2013 and 2014, and she was named National Coach of the Year by the National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) in May. The Gamecocks finished the 2013-2014 season with a 15-3 record, best in school history. South Carolina will host two home meets during the fall semester, the first of which will take place on Oct. 3 when the Gamecocks host Georgia in a rematch of last year’s SEC Championship and NCEA National Championship. Admission is free to all Gamecock equestrian competitions. To keep up with the Gamecocks on social media, follow @GamecockEQ on Twitter and like “South Carolina Equestrian” on Facebook.
