Sept. 9, 2010
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The eight-time national champion Texas A&M equestrian team announced the addition of nine riders, including three transfers, to its roster for the 2010-11 season, head coach Tana McKay announced.
Joining the Aggies are five hunter seat riders--Marisa Bernal, Morgan Cleveland, Camilla Cook, Brittany Hildebrand and Paige Russell--and four western riders--Lindsey Bernbaum, Amanda Brightwell, Ashley Skold and Amanda Whitney.
"We're very excited about adding this diverse pool of athletes to our roster," head coach Tana McKay said. "They all have some great talent and will make great additions to the Aggie family."
Marisa Bernal joins the Aggies after two seasons on the varsity squad at New Mexico State. The daughter of Albert and Yvonne Bernal of Albuquerque, Bernal was named NMSU equestrian's most valuable rider last season. The hunter seat rider participated in the 2010 WEF Equitation Challenge in South Florida along with now-fellow teammate Maggie Earle.
Lindsey Bernbaum is another addition to the Aggie reining squad. The 2010 valedictorian of Dufur High School in Dufur, Ore., Bernbaum was the reserve champion of the novice horse non-professional division at the 2009 North American Affiliate Championships. She is the daughter of Rick and Roxann Bernbaum.
Amanda Brightwell joins the Aggie horsemanship team after one year at UC San Diego. The San Antonio native has numerous high finishes at AQHYA World Show events over the past several seasons, including a sixth-place showing in hunt seat equitation in 2009. Brightwell was UCSD's regional high-point rider last spring.
Coppell native Morgan Cleveland begins her collegiate career as a member of the Aggie hunter seat squad. The daughter of Sean and Sandra Cleveland, she won the overall three-foot equitation title and the reserve three-foot hunter crown at the 2009 North Texas Hunter Jumper Club competition.
Camilla Cook, the daughter of John and Donna Cook, will ride hunter seat for Texas A&M this season. A native of Destin, Fla., Cook has numerous riding titles under her belt--most recently the children's jumper championship at the 2010 RMI series. She earned her degree from the Florida Virtual School in 2010.
Brittany Hildebrand, a 2010 graduate of Episcopal High School in Houston, will ride hunter seat for the Aggies. The daughter of Jeff and Mindy Hildebrand, she won the 2009 Zone 7 children's hunters finals championship at the United States Equestrian Federation event.
Paige Russell, the daughter of Thane and Kerri Russell of Cochrane, Alberta, will ride hunter seat for Texas A&M. A 2010 graduate of Edge School in Calgary, Russell participated in the Milner Downs Grand Prix and will take part this fall in the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto.
Ashley Skold hails from Evergreen, Colo., and will ride as part of the A&M reining team this season. The daughter of Doug and Chamane Skold, she graduated with honors in 2010 from Colorado Academy. Skold took home multiple titles while in high school, including the overall rookie championship and the paint horse reserve world championship as a freshman.
Amanda Whitney hails from Pioneer Valley Regional High School in Northfield, Mass. A three-time NRHA top-10 world finalist in 2008, Whitney comes to Aggieland after spending one season riding for the University of Findlay. She is the daughter of Dan and Michele Whitney and will ride reining for Texas A&M.
Texas A&M will unofficially kick off its 2010-11 campaign with the Maroon and White Scrimmage next Friday (Sept. 17) at 5 p.m. at the Brazos County Expo Complex. The first show of the season for the Aggies is set for Saturday, Sept. 25 at Tennessee-Martin.
Name Discipline Ht. Cl. Hometown/High School/Last College
Marisa Bernal Equitation/Over Fences 5-2 Jr. Albuquerque, N.M./La Cueva/New Mexico State
Lindsey Bernbaum Reining 5-6 Fr. Dufur, Ore./Dufur Amanda Brightwell Horsemanship 5-7 Jr. San Antonio, Texas/Alamo Heights/UC San Diego
Morgan Cleveland Equitation 5-4 Fr. Coppell, Texas/Coppell
Camilla Cook Equitation/Over Fences 5-7 Fr. Destin, Fla./Florida Virtual School
Brittany Hildebrand Equitation/Over Fences 5-2 Fr. Houston, Texas/Episcopal
Paige Russell Equitation/Over Fences 5-5 Fr. Cochrane, Alberta/Edge School
Ashley Skold Reining 5-3 Fr. Evergreen, Colo./Evergreen
Amanda Whitney Horsemanship 5-2 So. Northfield, Mass./Pioneer Valley Regional/Univ of Findlay