The President congratulated the team and was presented with custom Texas A&M cowboy boots by head coach Tana McKay. “There have been other equestrian national champions, but this is the first time that the sport has been recognized by the President and the White House,” McKay said. “That in itself is a huge honor, not only for our school being recognized, but also for our sport. It validates all of the hard work that we have put into this sport, the progress that we have made to grow our sport, and the direction that it is going in down the road. This a very important step for our sport. We are extremely excited and humbled to even be part of it, and it is a great experience for the student-athletes and the staff. It is something that we will never forget.”

“The accident took place in rainy conditions, causing the trailer to jackknife on the highway and the truck that Karen was driving to roll. Both Karen and Mike were knocked unconscious. Karen was trapped inside the truck until first responders arrived and was immediately air evacuated to a Phoenix hospital. Mike was transported by ambulance to a local emergency room. Both are in stable condition and resting at home. We would like to ask for any type of donation to help with the ensuing medical bills.”