June 23, 2010
OKLAHOMA CITY - Texas A&M's Maggie Gratny will compete for the second straight season in the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Collegiate Reining Championships on Saturday afternoon at State Fair Arena in Oklahoma City. The event is part of the annual NRHA Derby.
Gratny is one of 12 riders competing in the championship, and one of four chosen to represent the NCAA Varsity Equestrian umbrella. Four more riders represent the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, the sport's other major collegiate organization, while another four are chosen by the NRHA to round out the 12-person field.
Competitors will be paired with a horse via draw and will ride just once. The rider with the highest score upon completion of the event is the winner.
The Derby gives varsity equestrian riders a chance to compete with their IHSA counterparts. Varsity equestrian is made up of schools with athletic department-sponsored equestrian teams while the IHSA is made up of more than 300 collegiate equestrian club programs throughout the United States. Texas A&M made the switch to varsity-only competition at the start of the 2006-07 athletic year.
A native of Leavenworth, Kansas, Gratny completed a stellar four-year career this spring and earned her degree from Texas A&M in May. She helped lead the Aggie western squad to back-to-back national championships in her final two seasons, and won the school's first individual national title in reining at the Varsity Equestrian National Championships in April.
She is the sixth A&M western rider to earn a spot to compete at the Derby. Past riders who have had the chance to compete at the Derby include six-time individual IHSA national champion Quincy Cahill ('00-'02), individual national champion and two-time IHSA team national champion Katie Forest ('03-'05), recent team national champion riders Tonna Brooks ('06-'08) and Maddi Williams ('07-'08) as well as Tannetje' Mayeux (`01-`03).
For more information log on to nrhaderby.com.
Jesse Gentile, Ohio State (NRHA)
Maggie Gratny, Texas A&M (varsity equestrian)
Alexandra Jones, Berry College (IHSA)
Lyndsey Jordan, Auburn (NRHA)
Helen Lauth, South Dakota State (NRHA)
Sarah Locker, Georgia (NRHA)
Rebecca McReynolds, New Mexico State (varsity equestrian)
Kelsey Moody, St. Andrews Presbyterian (IHSA)
Jason Romney, Utah State (IHSA)
Diandra St. Hilaire, Georgia (varsity equestrian)
Jillian Staurowsky, Delaware (IHSA)
Carrie von Uhlit, TCU (varsity equestrian)