Feb. 26, 2010
WELLINGTON, Fla. - Texas A&M sophomore Maggie Earle earned a top-four finish at the inaugural Winter Equitation Festival Collegiate Equitation Challenge on Friday evening at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.
Competing against a 16-rider field, Earle (Fallbrook, Calif.) defeated Sacred Heart's Julie Law, 70-57, in the first round and Miami's Erika Dagum, 78-48, in the quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion Maggie McAlary of Auburn, 84-74, in the semifinal round. The event was run in the Varsity Equestrian head-to-head format over an equitation course and was formatted in a single-elimination, bracket-format competition.
"Maggie did a great job of competing against some of the best riders in collegiate equestrian," A&M associate head coach Linzy Woolf said. "To finish in the top four was a great accomplishment. It was also fun to be able to showcase our varsity format at such a prestigious show and venue and we look forward to hopefully competing here again next year."
After a weekend off, Texas A&M returns to the competition ring next Saturday, March 6 when the Aggies host Oklahoma State at the Brazos County Expo Complex. The show begins at 11 a.m. and admission is free.