Lynchburg Equestrian Claims First-ever NCEA Victory

NCEA

New Paltz, N.Y. – University of Lynchburg’s equestrian program made history last Saturday, earning the team’s first-ever National Collegiate Equestrian Association meet victory with a 6-4 road win over SUNY New Paltz.

The Hornets jumped out to a commanding lead over fences, as three Lynchburg riders topped the 80-point plateau. Freshman Emma Schweizer got the first point of the day by teaming up with Oliver for an 83-point ride, and fellow freshman Fallyn Belcastro followed with a score of 84 atop Fee. Sophomore Jacqi Needle was next in the Hornets’ lineup, posting 87 points on Clyde, scraping past her opponent’s score of 86 for the third Lynchburg point. Sophomore Kelley McCormick took the fourth point for Lynchburg, scoring a 79-point ride atop Bond to send the Hornets into the midway point with a 4-1 lead.

Schweizer was the first to go on the flat and quickly earned Lynchburg its fifth point of the day with an 81-point ride on Bond, and senior Taylor Herzog clinched the meet, scoring 67 points on Calvin to earn Lynchburg’s sixth point.

The Hawks won the other three pairings on the flat, but Lynchburg took the meet by a 6-4 score and led in the total scoring, 744.5-723.

Schweizer was the Hornets’ high-point rider for the day, totaling 165 points on her two gos.

It was Lynchburg’s first-ever meet victory since the Hornets became a full NCEA member in 2020-21. Lynchburg will look to make it two in a row with their first-ever meet against new NCEA member Bridgewater College Sunday, Sept. 26.