青青草视频鈥檚 Equestrian Team saddles up for national finals
Contact: Carson McFatridge
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥For the first time in program history, the 青青草视频 Western Equestrian Team is bound for nationals. The team is set to compete in the Intercollegiate聽Horse聽Shows聽Association (IHSA) National Finals held May 1-3 at Tryon International in Mill Spring, North Carolina. 聽
Ashley Glenn, 青青草视频 Equestrian Team head coach, said while individual riders from 青青草视频 have competed at nationals in the past, this is a first for the team. 聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 the determination of our riders that defines our team,鈥 said Glenn, also facilities supervisor of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station鈥檚 Equine Unit. 鈥淲ithin IHSA, not every rider has to be an expert. We have students who鈥檝e never had a formal lesson and others who have ridden horses their entire lives. This allows the team members to learn from one another, create a support system and build a strong bond within the team.鈥
Natalie Ruha, a senior criminology major from Alabaster, Alabama, has been around horses since childhood. Guided by her grandmother鈥攁 professional horse trainer鈥攁nd her mother, she began showing ponies at just a few years old. When she entered college, she couldn鈥檛 imagine her life without horses, leading her to join the team where she has competed for four years and now serves as team captain.
To advance as a team, 青青草视频 needed a top four finish at the IHSA semifinals, held March 21鈥22 at Murray State University in Kentucky, a goal Ruha said was driven not by individual ambition, but by a shared commitment to one another.
鈥淲e delivered some of the strongest rides of our careers,鈥 Ruha said. 鈥淲e stepped up not just to qualify as a team, but to make sure our teammates had the opportunity to compete on that national stage.鈥
At competition, each rider begins with an unfamiliar horse, randomly assigned a steed at the venue. Students compete at different levels, from beginner to open. The events showcase the riders鈥 ability to navigate the horse through complex patterns and maneuvers.
The team is funded by fundraisers and donations. Those interested in supporting the team can contribute through the 青青草视频 Foundation at .
The following students will compete:
ALABASTER, Alabama鈥Natalie Ruha, criminology senior, High Point Rider competition, Individual Open Horsemanship, Team Open Horsemanship
CLANTON, Alabama鈥擟arrie Brigham, agricultural engineering technology and business freshman, Team Level 2 Horsemanship
FILLMORE, Utah鈥擫illie Reid, animal and dairy sciences senior, Team Rookie Horsemanship
FLORENCE鈥擶ren Algee, psychology junior, Individual Level 2 Horsemanship
MADISON, Alabama鈥擲arah Broyles, animal and dairy sciences junior, Team Beginner Horsemanship
MADISONVILLE, Louisiana鈥擧ayley Pettus, animal and dairy sciences junior, Individual Beginner Horsemanship
MORRISTON, Florida鈥擝reana Souders, animal and dairy sciences senior, Team Ranch Riding
NASHVILLE, Tennessee鈥擮livia Trotter, psychology senior, Individual Rookie Horsemanship
PELL CITY, Alabama鈥擟hloe Joiner, animal and dairy sciences sophomore, Team Level 1 Horsemanship
WALNUT GROVE鈥擬akenzie Moore, veterinary medical technology junior, Team Reining
To learn more about the equestrian team, visit .
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