South Carolina Equestrian Improves to 4-0 With Two Convincing Wins

Press release by: Andrew Minnick

Dover, Delaware – The No.3 University of South Carolina continued to roll over NCEA competition on the first weekend in October.

On Friday, against the University of Delaware in Dover, the Gamecocks started off strong and stayed that way. Their impressive hunt seat team jumped out to a 3-1 lead in equitation on the flat. Later they swept the over fences competition 5-0 on the way to an 8-1 victory.

The western team wasn’t quite as dominant, but they left no one question which was squad was better that day. In reining they earned a 4-1 victory and in horsemanship a 2-2 draw.

In the 14-4 win senior western rider Johnna Letchworth earned an Most Outsanding Player award in reining. That tied her with alum Kimberly McCormick for most career MOP awards in program history, a mark she would surpass the next day.

A full recap of the 14-4 South Carolina Victory over Kansas State is available at www.gamecocksonline.com.

On Saturday the Gamecocks met Southern Methodist in Dover and once again showed their might. Both the hunt seat and western teams won 6-2 on the way to a 12-4 victory. Lechtworth earned points in horsemanship and reining and was again named reining MOP. With that award, only four meets into her senior season, she became the most MOP decorated rider in team history.

With four solid wins behind them South Carolina looks forward to their biggest match of the year this coming Friday. They’ll face conference foe No.1 Georgia in Blythewood, South Carolina. It’ll show the league a lot about both teams and could cause a shakeup in the national rankings.

Read more about South Carolina’s 12-4 win over SMU at www.gamecocksonline.com.