Congratulations UGA Equestrian, 2015 SEC Conference Equestrian Champions!
Photo courtesy of UGA Equestrian.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Top-seeded and second-ranked Georgia won the 2015 Southeastern Conference Equestrian Championship on Saturday at the Thomas G. Hildebrand Equine Complex at Texas A&M University.
The Bulldogs defeated the host and third-seeded Aggies 12-5 in the championship round to take home Georgia’s first league crown since the SEC began sponsoring equestrian in advance of the 2012-13 season. UGA improves to 11-4 on the season, while Texas A&M drops to 8-6.
“What an incredible day,” Georgia head coach Meghan Boenig said. “This team has worked hard to prepare for this all season long and today it all came together. I’m continuously impressed by their dedication and support for one another. They have shown such leadership and incredible work ethic. We still have the toughest part of our season left, so we will enjoy this success, learn from it, and set our sights on the national championship.”
In the championship, Georgia earned three of four MVP honors. Liza Finsness was the MVP in Equitation Over Fences, Leylan Gleeson was MVP in Equitation On The Flat and Rachel Kolb was MVP in Horsemanship. Texas A&M’s Laura Sumrall earned MVP honors in Reining.
In the consolation round, fourth-seeded Auburn defeated second-seeded South Carolina 13-6. Auburn earned each of the four MVP honors in the consolation. Elizabeth Benson was MVP both in Equitation Over Fences and Equitation On The Flat, Katsy Leeman was MVP in Horsemanship and Allie Dusha was MVP in Reining.
The 2015 SEC Equestrian All-Championship Team included Auburn’s Elizabeth Benson (Equitation Over Fences); Georgia’s Liza Finsness (Equitation On The Flat); Georgia’s Sara Parr (Horsemanship); and Texas A&M’s Laura Sumrall (Reining).
The 2015 NCEA National Championship will take place April 16-18 at the Extraco Events Center in Waco, Texas. Seeding for the NCEA Championship will be announced this coming week.
For all of the latest on SEC Equestrian, please click to www.secsports.com or follow @SEC_Sean on Twitter.
2015 SEC All-Championship Team
Equitation Over Fences: Elizabeth Benson, Auburn
Equitation On The Flat: Liza Finsness, Georgia
Horsemanship: Sara Parr, Georgia
Reining: Laura Sumrall, Texas A&M
CHAMPIONSHIP – Georgia 12, Texas A&M 5
Equitation Over Fences (MVP – Liza Finsness, Georgia)
Meg O’Mara (Georgia) def. Alex Desiderio (Texas A&M), 166-154
Kylee Arbuckle (Georgia) def. Hannah Williams (Texas A&M), 157-133
Leylan Gleeson (Georgia) def. Haley Webster (Texas A&M), 168-161
Marlena Parker (Texas A&M) def. Megan Southam (Georgia), 155-144
Liza Finsness (Georgia) def. Leah Chenelle (Texas A&M), 173-153
Equitation On The Flat (MVP – Leylan Gleeson, Georgia)
Leylan Gleeson (Georgia) def. Hannah Williams (Texas A&M), 161-143
Marlena Parker (Texas A&M) tied Megan Southam (Georgia), 154-154
Kylee Arbuckle (Georgia) def. Anna Rea (Texas A&M), 159-144
Liza Finsness (Georgia) def. Haley Buchmiller (Texas A&M), 157-152
Meg O’Mara (Georgia) def. Audrey Gallagher (Texas A&M), 159-133
Horsemanship (MVP – Rachel Kolb, Georgia)
Rachel Lucht (Texas A&M) def. Heather Schmidt (Georgia), 147.5-141.5
Avery Ellis (Texas A&M) def. Paige Stawicki (Georgia), 147.5-136
Sara Parr (Georgia) def. Molli Jacobs (Texas A&M), 148.5-143
Bailey Anderson (Georgia) def. Kaci Fisher (Texas A&M), 146.5-134.5
Rachel Kolb (Georgia) def. Logan Pluhar (Texas A&M), 149-135
Reining (MVP – Laura Sumrall, Texas A&M)
Kyndall Harper (Georgia) def. Ashley Dotson (Texas A&M), 146.5-144.5
Sarah Kate Grider (Texas A&M) tied Lauren Tieche (Georgia), 145-145
Laura Sumrall (Texas A&M) def. Lauren Garmon (Georgia), 150-148.5
Charley Thiel (Georgia) tied Logan Pluhar (Texas A&M), 145-145
Hannah Jechow (Texas A&M) def. Claudia Spreng (Georgia), 145-136.5
CONSOLATION – Auburn 13, South Carolina 6
Equitation Over Fences (MVP – Elizabeth Benson, Auburn)
Ashley Foster (Auburn) def. Samantha Kraus (South Carolina), 168-136
Demi Stiegler (Auburn) def. Amber Henter (South Carolina), 165-157
Elizabeth Benson (Auburn) def. Sydney Smith (South Carolina), 169-158
Samantha Smith (South Carolina) def. Jacqueline Shilen (Auburn), 158-130
Katherine Schmidt (South Carolina) def. Peyton Smith (Auburn), 175-158
Equitation On The Flat (MVP – Elizabeth Benson, Auburn)
Adele Norton (South Carolina) tied Jennifer Delman (Auburn), 148-148
Amber Henter (South Carolina) def. Demi Stiegler (Auburn), 149-137
Tory Hoft (Auburn) def. Katherine Schmidt (South Carolina), 160-157
Ashley Foster (Auburn) def. Samantha Smith (South Carolina), 148-130
Elizabeth Benson (Auburn) def. Samantha Kraus (South Carolina), 165-154
Horsemanship (MVP – Katsy Leeman, Auburn)
Griffin Knight (Auburn) def. Bailey Mierzejewski (South Carolina), 148-146.5
Lucy Igoe (Auburn) def. Megan Overberg (South Carolina), 143.5-127
Hannah Loseke (Auburn) def. Kelsey Urban (South Carolina), 145-134.5
Abigail Pait (South Carolina) def. Hannah Stephens (Auburn), 149.5-0
Katsy Leeman (Auburn) def. Sam Chiodo (South Carolina), 150.5-148.5
Reining (MVP –Allie Dusha, Auburn)
Griffin Knight (Auburn) def. Kara Guertin (South Carolina), 147-123
Cody McMillion (South Carolina) def. Katsy Leeman (Auburn), 148-145
Hailey Munger (Auburn) def. Layla Choate (South Carolina), 144.5-0
Paisley Roberts (South Carolina) def. Alexa Rivard (Auburn), 144.5-138
Allie Dusha (Auburn) def. Sarah Bouchard (South Carolina), 146.5-143
