TCU Equestrian Heads To Fresno Tournament
2/24/2011 12:00:00 AM | Equestrian
Feb. 24, 2011
FORT WORTH, Texas - The No. 5 ranked TCU equestrian program will head west this weekend to battle in the fifth annual Best in the West Tournament in Fresno, Calif.
The Horned Frogs will open competition against No. 6 South Carolina Saturday morning at the Bulldogs' Student Horse Center. Following its match against the Gamecocks, TCU will return to the show ring to face host No. 9 Fresno State Saturday night. The Frogs will close the tournament on Sunday against No. 8 Baylor.
"We are excited about the trip this weekend because we have been at home a very long time," said head coach Gary Reynolds. "This tournament should be a great opportunity for us to prepare our team for the National Championships in a few weeks."
Follow The Horned Frogs
A full recap and final results will be available following both days of competition on GoFrogs.com. TCU's opening game against South Carolina will feature live results. The live results tab is located on the right hand side of the schedule page.
Scouting South Carolina
South Carolina comes into this weekend ranked No. 6 in the national polls. The Gamecocks bring a 4-6 record into the weekend, recording victories over SMU, South Dakota State, Baylor and Georgia.
In its last outing, South Carolina dropped a 10-9 decision to No. 2 Auburn. The Gamecocks claimed both Equitation over Fences and Horsemanship, but couldn't hold off a late rally.
Johna Letchworth has led USC during the season in Horsemanship, going 7-1-0 in Horsemanship with two MVP accolades, while Colvin Hedgepth and Alex Arute have led the Hunt Seat team with four wins apiece in Equitation on the Flat and Equitation over Fences, respectively.
Scouting Fresno State
A familiar foe to the Horned Frogs, Fresno State comes into this weekend with a 3-5 overall record, but is ranked No. 9 in the national polls. The Lady Bulldogs traveled to October Hill Farm in their last outing and dropped a 10-9 decision to TCU.
Sammie Jo Stone has led FSU this season with a 4-3 record in Horsemanship, while Sydney Colleti is 4-2-1 with two MVP accolades in Reining, including one against the Purple and White on Feb. 13.
On the Hunt Seat side, Janie Madrazo has had a productive season with two MVP honors in Equitation on the Flat. Kimberly Budnik has been just as solid in Equitation over Fences with a 6-1-0 overall record. Budnik dropped Haley Jacobi a couple of weeks ago, 78-74.
Scouting Baylor
Baylor heads to California with an 8-6 record. The Bears, who are ranked No. 8 in the national poll, are coming off victories over SMU and Sacred Heart, respectively. Against the Mustangs, Baylor swept Equitation on the Flat, while junior Lisa Goldman recorded a score of 74 to earn MVP honors.
In their matchup against Sacred Heart, the Bears dominated, winning, 8-0. Both Kendra Vicary and Taylor Brown collected MVP accolades.
Kara Fergusson has led the Bear attack with seven victories and three MVP honors in Equitation on the Flat, while Chelsea Retmier has scored eight decisions in Horsemanship this season.
Scouting TCU
The Horned Frogs, who have won six-straight regular season matches dating back to last spring, are 5-0 heading into this weekend's competition at Fresno State. TCU is ranked No. 5 in the national poll and has recorded victories over SMU, Delaware State, Tennessee-Martin, No. 9 Fresno State and No. 2 Auburn.
In their last outing, the Frogs moved to 5-0 on the season with a 10-9 decision over No. 9 Fresno State. The Purple and White posted a 7-3 victory in Western, outscoring FSU, 716-700. On the Hunt Seat side, the Frogs, who outscored Fresno State in Equitation on the Flat, dropped a 6-3 outing in Hudson Oaks.
In Horsemanship, junior Lyndsi Hardin, now 3-1 on the year, claimed her first MVP honor of the season with a 74-69 upending of Christa Beezley. Senior's Kelsey Huffman and Ashley Aikman were also victorious, scoring victories over Shauna Woodward and Sammie Jo Stone, respectively. Finally, Courtney Chown, a Pilot Point native, moved to 4-0 on the year with a 72.5-69.5 decision over Kelsi Fischer.
In Equitation on the Flat, Callie Selchau and Melinda Peters each recorded decisions, respectively. Senior Tassie Munroe looked to have scored a point for TCU in the event, but tied Caitlin Marshall, 68-68.
Individually, Huffman, who has one MVP on the year, has opened her senior campaign in fine fashion, going 4-1 in both Horsemanship and Reining, respectively. Aikman, a senior from Mission, is currently 4-0 this season with one MVP in Horsemanship.
On the Hunt Seat side, Munroe has shined during the 2010-11 schedule, recording a combined record of 4-1-1. In Equitation over Fences, Haley Jacobi is currently 2-2, while Lauren Quiroz has remained unbeaten through five games.
Numbers To Look At
Through five games, TCU is one of only two schools in the nation that is still undefeated. Texas A&M is the only other school in the country that is unblemished through eight games. The Frogs are also currently on the program's longest winning-streak to date, having won six-straight. Finally, the Frogs haven't lost at home since the 2008-09 season.
Frogs Stay Put In National Polls
The TCU equestrian program stayed put this week in the top 5 of the Women's Intercollegiate Equestrian National Coaches Poll, coming into Saturday's matches at No. 5, which is the highest regular-season ranking in program history.
This weekend's opponents all rank in the top-10. This season, TCU has defeated No. 2 Auburn, No. 9 Fresno State, SMU, Tennessee-Martin and Delaware State. The Mustangs, Hornets and Skyhawks are all receiving votes. The poll will be released bi-monthly with the next announcement scheduled for March 1, 2011.
National Polls Revisited
Preseason National Poll - No. 6
Nov. 2 National Poll - No. 6
Nov. 16 National Poll - No. 5
Nov. 30 National Poll - No. 5
Feb. 3 National Poll - No. 5
Feb. 15 National Poll - No. 5
Up Next
TCU will travel to Delaware State on Sunday, March 6.
Players Mentioned
