The Hidden Gems of Aggieland

The feeling of autumn is in the air again. 

As the leaves begin to change colors and the intersection at George Bush Avenue and Wellborn Road backs up a half-mile, there’s no denying the excitement of sports is returning to Aggieland. 

There’s nothing quite like camping out outside the north end of Kyle Field to pull tickets for Saturday’s game or packing the stands of Ellis Field for a nighttime soccer match. However, when you travel a little further north to the corner of F&B Road and Harvey Mitchell Parkway, you’ll find another home for Aggie Athletics.

A pair of hidden gems, the Thomas G. Hildebrand, DVM ‘56 Equine Complex and Dale Watts `71 Cross Country Course are two of the best facilities in the country for their respective sports.

“The Watts Cross Country Course was designed to be a cross country course that can hold a lot of runners,” assistant track & field coach Wendel McRaven said. “It’s not a park with painted lines to make it a cross country course. It’s a cross country course 365 days a year. It’s very unique to have something like this. There aren’t many places in the country that have a permanent cross country course.”

Opened in 2014, the two facilities were part of an $80 million project called the Texas A&M Equine Initiative. Since their opening, both facilities have played host to multiple Southeastern Conference and NCAA regional championships.

The Watts Cross Country Course hosted the SEC meet in 2015, and the NCAA South Central Regional meet three times (2015, 2017, 2018)--and is set to host for a fourth this year. Along with high-quality collegiate races, the course also hosts a yearly high school meet that rivals the best events in the state of Texas and brings more than 1,000 high school students to campus. Additionally, the Watts Course will be hosting the USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships this December.

“When we were first contacted about building a permanent cross country course along with the equestrian complex, we envisioned the kind of course that would attract events with a higher level of competition,” McRaven said. “Every meet is another chance to showcase Aggieland.”

The Hildebrand Equine Complex has hosted the SEC Championships in 2015 and 2019. The 257,000-square-foot facility is home to two top-notch arenas and a first-class 700-foot-long barn, to go along with 11 academic structures and classrooms.

“In my opinion, this is the best facility in the country,” senior equestrian rider Haley Redifer said. “We have incredible donors that gave us this wonderful facility. We have the most land I've ever seen for any equestrian complex. We take pride in maintaining it and it’s really fun for people to come see it.”

Both facilities were constructed with the goal of making the fans feel as if they are part of the competition. The Hildebrand Equine Complex’s two arenas, that each hold up to 1,000 spectators, host multiple meets during the fall and spring that fans are encouraged to attend.

“It’s a great atmosphere,” Redifer said. “We have our own yells and chants that we do with the crowd. It's really cool because outside of Texas A&M, you don't get this kind of environment.”

The Watts Cross Country Course features a berm that stretches the home straightaway and offers a view of the majority of the venue.

“It’s a great spectator course,” McRaven said. “It’s a course that gives the fans an opportunity to see a lot of the race.”

“We like seeing the fans run back and forth to get to spot where they can cheer us on,” senior cross country runner Eric Casarez said. “When the fans are active and moving around, we notice it while we’re running. It’s rare to get that kind of exposure to the fans in a meet.”

Aggie cross country and equestrian events are free admission and family friendly.

“Every single meet we get people out here that have never been to a meet before and they love it,” Redifer said. “They want to know about it and keep coming back because it's such a cool sport to watch.”

“You can’t beat an Aggie crowd,” Casarez said. “No matter where we’re at in the race, they’re going to be cheering us on. The ongoing support is something that makes Aggie cross country really unique.”

“Not many schools have this sport, so it’s a great opportunity for people to come out to this great facility,” Redifer said. “It’s really cool to look in the stands and see them full of fans cheering us on. When the Aggies are making noise, you know who it is.”