April 7, 2007

Complete Results in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

PHOTO GALLERY

Auburn - Georgia defeated Auburn 12-6 to claim its third straight Southern Equestrian Championship Saturday at the Auburn Equestrian Center. The Tigers fell 8-2 in western, but took their first hunt seat win over Georgia this season with a raw score of 700-687.

"The reiners did a good job, even though we lost," said Auburn head coach Greg Williams. "Each individual ride was close, and I think that it could have gone either way. I don't think that they should have changed anything. Our horsemanship riders had some baubles that were costly, but they know where they made their mistakes.

"I think that our hunt seat team did a turn around on their part from yesterday. They ought to feel pleased. If the meet finished in a tie, we could have easily picked up the win today. I feel good about going into nationals after this weekend. These are three of the best teams and obviously we can compete with them. We ought to be in good shape going to Waco."

The western team fell to Georgia for the third time this season with a final score of 8-2, falling 4-1 in both reining and horsemanship.

"I think that everyone rode really well," said senior western rider Whitney Kimble. "I think that everything we wanted to go out there and do, we did. I know it fell short, but I don't think that any of us need to feel disappointed. I don't think anybody didn't bring everything that they had. We all rode the best we could."

Auburn's hunt seat team fell 2-1 on the flat, but took over fences 3-2 to tie the score at 4. After dropping the lowest hunt seat score from both teams, the Tigers took their first win this season over Georgia with a score of 700-687.

"I thought that we rode really well on the hunt seat side," said senior hunt seat rider Natalie Burton. "We rode a lot stronger and more consistently than yesterday. It feels good to have the hunt seat win. It is something that we have been working for all year. It just took riding consistently and staying confident."

During the break Auburn seniors Burton, Ashley Dickerson, Julie Gibbes, Alex Goldstein and Kimble were honored.

"This senior class has been through one of the toughest regular season that we have experienced by far and then had one of the best postseasons ever imaginable," said Williams. "They took a really good season last year and capped it off with the biggest pinnacles we can get, the national championship. A year before that, they took a really good season with high expectations and had the air let out of their tires at nationals. I don't think that there is anything they haven't experienced. What I want them to do is take another great season and cap it off with a great finish. Winning a national championship is the highest you can win, but what I want them to leave is this legacy of team work, staying together and competing with integrity. I think that they have instilled character in this team."

Auburn returns to action at the Varsity Equestrian National Championships where the fourth seeded hunt seat and fourth seeded western teams will compete in Waco, Texas on April 18-20. On Day 1, the hunt seat team will face the winner of (5) Texas A&M and (12) Southern Methodist while the western team will face off against the winner of (5) New Mexico State and (12) South Dakota State.

"We are going to be angry going into nationals," said Kimble. "This meet is going to fire us up and give us the same drive we had last year. We lost the SECs before we went to nationals last year. That fired us up enough that we went off to nationals not letting anything drop. I think that coming this close is going to make us that angry again and make us want it even more."