[su_spacer size=”20″] The No. 1 ranked Georgia Equestrian team kicks off its regular season Friday when it hosts No. 7 Texas A&M at home in Bishop, Ga. at 10a.m.  The meet will serve as the season opener for both teams, who last met in the final round of the 2015 Southeastern Conference Championship.

 

“We are very excited to start our season off with an SEC competitor,” head coach Meghan Boenig said. “Coming off of our Red and Black Scrimmage we are feeling very prepared. An important goal is always defending our home turf and it won’t be any different Friday against Texas A&M. Every time we go out there we have to lay it down. We are looking forward to a great competition.”

 

Georgia’s Western coach Laura Brainard is a graduate and former rider at Texas A&M.

 

“I’m incredibly excited to be going against Texas A&M since it was my home base for over five years,” Brainard said.  “I wouldn’t have it any other way as far as competing against them.  They are a very strong team and I am expecting them to come in with a lot of punch.  I’m very confident in our team and how strong we are.  I’m confident that we will go in there and do an exceptional job.”

 

During the 2014-15 regular season Georgia and Texas A&M split a pair of match-ups.  The Bulldogs fell to the Aggies 11-7 during the first meeting in College Station, Texas, but took home two MOP honors in Equitation Over Fences and Horsemanship.  Georgia took the second matchup in Bishop, Ga. with a score of 13-6.  Competition continued during the final round of the SEC Championships where the Bulldogs were crowned SEC Champions after beating the Aggies 12-5.

 

Georgia previewed the upcoming season during the Red and Black Scrimmage that was held Sept. 18.  The team has a promising group of freshman that took home three of the four MOP honors.  Maddie Newman (Equitation Over Fences), Emma Mandarino (Equitation on the Flat), Anna Hutlas (Horsemanship) were awarded MOP honors as well as senior captain Lauren Garmon (Reining).

 

The Georgia Equestrian team looks to continue its dominating presence during the 2015-16 season.  After finishing the regular season with a 9-3 dual-meet record including a 4-2 mark in Southeastern Conference play, the Bulldogs captured the program’s first SEC Title.  This year’s roster includes several All-American and All-SEC selections, as well as a freshman class with impressive resumes, adding depth to the Georgia lineup.

 

Lineup:

 

Equitation Over Fences

Jessica Blum

Addy Cord

Liza Finsness

Leylan Gleeson

Allie Haupt

Meg O’Mara

Alex Maracic

Maddie Newman

 

Equitation on the Flat

Jessica Blum

Addy Cord

Kendall Fately

Liza Finsness

Leylan Gleeson

Meg O’Mara

Alex Maracic

 

Horsemanship

Rachel Kolb

Bailey Anderson

Heather Schmidt

Maddie Anger

Sammie Johnson

Payton Anderson

Madison Beasley

 

Reining

Lindsey Cheek

Lauren Garmon

Kyndall Harper

Claudia Spreng

Charley Thiel

Grayson Stroud

Caroline Robinson
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