SC Equestrian Scores Shelby Friday and Bailey Walters For 2014-2015 Season

South Carolina Equestrian News Release

COLUMBIA, S.C. – University of South Carolina head equestrian coach Boo Major has announced the signing of Shelby Friday (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) to a National Letter of Intent to join the Gamecocks for the 2014-2015 season. Friday will ride with the Gamecocks’ western team and will compete in horsemanship.

“Shelby is a very talented horsemanship rider and we’re excited to be adding her to our team for next season,” Major said. “Ohio is a tremendously rich state for western riders, and we’re fortunate to be able to have Shelby join us. She’s an all-around rider which shows her versatility, but we’re looking at her in horsemanship and think that’s where she’s going to be able to have the biggest impact for us.”

Friday trains with Judd and Jennifer Paul.

Last year, Friday finished fourth at the All American Quarter Horse Congress in AQHA Novice Youth Hunter Saddle (14-18). In 2012, she was the Reserve World Champion in Showmanship (14-18). In 2011, Friday was the American Paint Horse Association World Champion in Novice Hunter Hack, while winning the Reserve World Championship in Novice Working Hunter.

Born in Dublin, Ohio, her parents are Steve and Jamie Friday, and her siblings are Greg and Erica Friday.

A senior at Dublin Coffman High School in Dublin, Ohio, Friday has a 3.9 grade point average, making her a regular on the school’s honor roll. She is a member of the National Honor Society, and a recipient of the Celebration of Excellence Award.

Friday signed with South Carolina over Texas Christian University and the University of Georgia.

COLUMBIA, S.C. – University of South Carolina equestrian coach Boo Major announced the signing of Bailey Walters (Bourbon, Ind./Triton Jr.-Sr. High) to a national letter of intent to join the Gamecock equestrian program for the 2014-2015 season. Walters will ride with Carolina’s western team and will compete for the Gamecocks in reining.

“We’re looking forward to having Bailey joining our team next season,” Major said. “We’ve gotten some great riders out of Indiana before, and we certainly think we have another great one in Bailey. She has gained a lot of experience riding different horses with her father training her, and that is going to help her tremendously when she arrives on campus in August.”

Walters trains with her father, Brett Walters.

Walters has earned top-10 finishes in Reining at the All American Quarter Horse Congress the last four years. Last year, she was a finalist in Ranch Horse Pleasure at the American Quarter Horse Youth Association (AQHA) Built Ford Tough World Championship Show. In 2012, Walters was a finalist in Working Cow Horse-Boxing at the AQHYA Built Ford Tough World Championship Show. Also in 2012, she finished third in the AQHA Youth Reining High Point. In 2011, she was the reserve champion at Congress in the NYATT Reining.

A senior at Triton Jr./Sr. High School in Bourbon, Ind., Walters has an extensive resume of honors and accolades. A regular member on the school’s honor roll, Walters is the secretary of the Key Club. She also participates in the FFA and FBLA. Walters was president of the Indiana Quarter Horse Youth Association from 2012-2013, previously serving as the vice president in 2011. For the last four years, Walters was a delegate in the National Reining Horse Youth Association.

Born May 13, 1996, her parents are Brett Walters and Sheila Conley. Walters plans to be marketing major in the Darla Moore School of Business. Before signing with South Carolina, Walters also considered Texas Christian University.