December 12, 2006
Several members of the Texas A&M equestrian team, both English and western, have been experiencing success outside of the collegiate circle during both late summer and fall.
-Sophomore Renee Dirkse (Rockwall) qualified for both the American Quarter Horse Youth Association and amateur world championship shows. Dirkse, and her horse Slow N Fluid, spent time riding in Arizona, Nevada, Ohio, Virginia, and most of the southern U.S. during the summer and last spring break, primarily competing in western pleasure and western riding. She qualified for her first amateur world championship in the western riding category.
-Senior Jordan Gardner (Lipan) earned a win at the Appaloosa World Championships in Ft. Worth. Gardner won the Open Camas Prairie Stump Race and finished second in the Non-Pro Camas Prairie Stump Race, which are timed events similar to barrel racing. Outside of school, Gardner trains with Sue Scobee and rides Honkytonk Harlot.
-Sophomore Ali Mueller (Long Beach, Miss.) recently traveled to Atlanta, Ga., and won the Ariat Medal Class, a prestigious adult equitation class similar to Maclay and USEF Medal classes. Mueller?â„¢s win helps her accumulate points to try to qualify for the Ariat Medal Finals, which is held in conjunction with the Capital Challenge Horse Show in Upper Marlboro, Md., in October of each year. Only the top 30 riders in the U.S. are chosen to compete each season. Mueller currently ranks third in the early season standings.
-Sophomore Amanda Ryan (Ramona, Calif.) has spent time showing this year in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Texas. Ryan set a new all-time record as the number one youth western rider of all-time at a recent show in Athens, Texas. She won an equitation class in Las Vegas and won both her horsemanship and trail classes in Athens. She ranks in the top 10 nationally in hunter under saddle (7), showmanship (6), and western pleasure (9).
-Senior Christine Sceets (Baytown) competed at the AQHA World Championship Show in amateur trail, horsemanship, and western riding despite having approximately only three months to accumulate qualifying points due to collegiate showing. Sceets spent most of the summer showing all over Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas and eventually qualified for worlds in three separate categories for the first time ever.
-Freshman Jenn Scholl (Austin) earned a second place finish at the Texas Hunter/Jumper Association?â„¢s Junior Medal Final class at the Final Chase show held at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy. She also qualified for the Zone 7 U.S. Equestrian Federation Zone Finals in the Children/Adult Jumper division during the fall as well.
The Texas A&M equestrian season will resume on Feb. 3 when the Aggies (3-1) take their first-ever trip to Baylor.