[break] Three members of the Georgia equestrian team have earned National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) January Rider of the Month honors, it was announced today. The Bulldogs swept the Hunt Seat honors as Megan Southam picked up the title in Equitation Over Fences and Kylee Arbuckle earned the honors in Equitation on the Flat. Bailey Anderson earned Rider of the Month honors in Horsemanship. The trio becomes the third, fourth and fifth Georgia riders to receive NCEA Rider of the Month honors this season.

Southam went 2-0 in January, picking up wins over UT-Martin and No. 6 Kansas State. She earned MOP honors, her second of the season, against UT-Martin after defeating her opponent 82-80. Over the course of two meets, Southam defeated her opponents by an average score of 3.0 points. Her 83-79 win over Kansas State helped the Bulldogs to a 4-1 win in the event.

 

Arbuckle also went undefeated in January, picking up a pair of wins against UT-Martin and Kansas State. She was named the MOP in Equitation on the Flat against UT-Martin after posting an 88-76 win over the Skyhawks. Arbuckle averaged a 10.0 victory over her opponents in two meets. Her score of 88 was the highest score by a Georgia Flat rider this season and tied for the fifth-highest flat score of the season by any SEC rider. Additionally, her score of 86 against Kansas State tied for second-highest Flat score of the season by a Georgia rider. Her MOP honor against UT-Martin was her fourth of the season, putting her in a tie for second among all SEC Flat riders and is the most by a Georgia Flat rider.

 

Anderson wrapped up the national honors for the Bulldogs. She also went 2-0 in the month of January, posting wins over UT-Martin and No. 6 Kansas State. She earned MOP honors, her second of the season, with a 75-72 win over UT-Martin. Her score of 75 tied for the fourth highest among any SEC Horsemanship rider this season and the second highest Horsemanship score for the Bulldogs this year. It was also an event high in the meet. In addition to her MOP-winning ride, Anderson posted a 71.5-65.5 win over No. 6 Kansas State, earning one of two Horsemanship points for Georgia in the meet. She defeated her opponents by an average of 4.5 points in two meets in January.

 

Southam, Arbuckle, Anderson and the rest of the Georgia equestrian team gets back in action this weekend when they host a tri-meet that will feature South Carolina and Delaware State. The Bulldogs and Gamecocks will face off on Saturday, Feb. 7 before taking on Delaware State on Sunday, Feb. 8. Both meets are set to begin at 10 a.m.