Five riders on the University of Georgia equestrian team have earned six National Collegiate Equestrian Association Ariat All-America honors, the NCEA Selection Committee announced Friday.
Senior Ali Tritschler was named to the second team for both Flat and Fences, while junior Jordan Carpenter was tabbed to the second team for Reining. Sophomore Sara Lewis (Horsemanship), senior Grace Bridges (Flat), and junior Hayley Mairano (Flat) were all given Honorable Mention for their respective disciplines.
Tritschler, a native of Southport, Connecticut, competed in the Fences and Flat lineups, earning 37 points for the Red and Black as a senior. She earned six MOP honors and has been named NCEA and SEC Rider of the Month. She scored a 90 or above three times in Fences and four times in Flat on top of beating her opponents by an average of 5.8 points in Fences and 3.8 points in Flat.
Bridges picked up honorable mention recognition for her rides in Flat this season. The Eatonton, Georgia product rode to nine wins and one MOP honor in her senior campaign. She scored a nearly perfect 99 against Sweet Briar to start the season, which matches the highest Flat score in program history.
Mairano received honorable mention for her efforts in Flat. The Simsbury, Connecticut native picked up six wins and averaged a score of 81 in ten rides.
On the Western side, Jordan Carpenter was placed on the second team for Reining. The Monroe, Georgia product picked up seven wins and one MOP honor on top of averaging a score of 70.
Lewis earned honorable mention for her Horsemanship rides. The Washington, Indiana native recorded eight wins and one MOP honor, scoring a 71 or higher in all of her rides.
The Ariat All-America teams are selected by the NCEA Selection Committee, based on the following criteria:
· Riders must have a 67 percent or higher winning percentage, excluding ties
· Compete in a minimum of five competition in the NCEA format
· Have at least an adjusted NRS score of:
o 85 for flat
o 90 for fences
o 80 for horsemanship
o 77 for reining
The top four riders per event were selected and named the Ariat First-Team All-America by the NCEA Selection Committee. The next four riders per event earned Second Team honors. Honorable Mention honorees were selected via the established criteria below. There shall be no limit on how many riders receive this award.