Equestrian 2022 Signing Class
2022 Signing Class
The signing period continues for equestrian through next summer. Additional signees will be announced as they become official leading up to the 2022-23 academic year and will be listed in alphabetical order by last name.
Kendall Austin | Jumping Seat | Virginia Beach, Virginia
Previous Athletic Experience: 2019, ‘20 and ’21 Virginia Horse Show Association (VHSA) 3’6”, Junior Hunter (small) Older Champion…2019 and 2020 USEF (Zone 3) Horse of the Year (HOTY) 3’6” Junior Hunter (small) Champion.
Personal: Daughter of Stephanie and Warren Austin…Graduates from Kellam High School class of '22, was a member of the National Honor Society…Plans to major Pre-med.
Kaitlyn Bloom | Horsemanship | Bonanza, Oregon
Previous Athletic Experience: Res Champion 14-18 equitation at congress in 2021…Champion Level 1 Horsemanship at Level One Championships West in 2019…All Around Champion at Level One Championship West in 2019.
Personal: Daughter of Amanda and Josh Bloom…Graduates from Bonanza/Frontier Charter Academy in spring of 2022…Active member of 4H, FFA, OHSET and National Honor Society…Relatives, Amanda Bloom and Madelyn Bloom each competed in equestrian at Fresno State…She shows livestock such as cattle, goats, pigs and has won Champion master showman at the Oregon State fair in 2021…Plans to major in pre-vet.
Meagan Braun | Horsemanship | Franktown, Colorado
Previous Athletic Experience: 2021 Congress 14-18 Showmanship (3rd Place) and 14-18 Trail (7th Place)…2021 AQHYA World Show - Level 3 Trail Bronze Champion, Level 3 Showmanship 5th place and Level 3 Horsemanship 10th place…2020 AQHYA World Show Level 1 Trail World Champion, Level 2 Trail Reserve World Champion, Level 1 Showmanship 4th place, Level 1 Horsemanship 4th place.
Personal: Daughter of Michelle and Allan Braun…Mother, played volleyball at Kansas and Father played football at Colorado…Graduates from Ponderosa High School in spring 2022…An active member of National Honors Society, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) officer and secretary, earned third place in district competition and was a state finalist…Plans to major in Kinesiology - Exercise & Sports Science and hopes to attend medical school and become a surgeon.
Gracie Casebolt | Reining | Wapakoneta, Ohio
Previous Athletic Experience: NRHA rookie of the year top ten, 2021 Quarter horse congress top 15, 2019 & 2017 Quarter Horse Congress top ten, 2x YEDA national champion, 2x YEDA reserve national champion, NSBA open team horsemanship world champion.
Personal: Daughter of Stacey Casebolt…Graduates from Wapakoneta High School in spring of 2022…Is an active member of the National Honor Society and FFA…Plans to major in Animal Science/Pre-Vet and hopes to become a successful veterinarian…Hobbies include swimming and running track.
Josie Eckert | Horsemanship | Huntington, Indiana
Previous Athletic Experience: In 2021 finished top 5 in the Level 1 Horsemanship at the American Quarter Horse Youth Association World Show…Two-time American Paint Horse Association Reserve World Champion - 2019 (showmanship and hunter under saddle)…Three-time American Paint Horse Association World Champion - 2017 (hunter under saddle and equitation).
Personal: Daughter of Heather and Matt Eckert…Has two older sisters, Nicole and Amara, and one older brother, Brandon…Sister, Amara, plays golf at Saint Francis in Indiana…Graduates from Huntington North High School in 2022…Current member of National Honor Society, Freshman Mentoring, Rotary Interact Service Club, Student Athletic Board…Is a top-25 student with academic honors and is on class council…Plans to major in Biology or Animal Science and has goals to become a nurse anesthetist or own her own veterinarian practice.
Laina Hanaghan | Reining | Sulphur Springs, Texas
Previous Athletic Experience: SWRHA Futurity High Point Buckle Champion in 2 divisions…AQHYA World Top-20…NRHA Derby Rookie Top-10…One Hot Reining Derby Reserve Champion Level 1 5th in L2…Mid Atlantic Reining Classic Green Reiner Champion…Tulsa Reining Classic Youth Champion in 2019…NRBC Youth Reserve Champion.
Personal: Daughter of Barbara and Russell Hanaghan…Attends Abeca Online Academy…Intends to major in Business Management and possibly Criminal Justice Studies.
Kyla Jackson | Horsemanship | Vacaville, California
Previous Athletic Experience: Was the 2021 Congress Champion in 15-18 showmanship and NYATT showmanship…2021 NSBA Bronze Champion in 14-18 showmanship and trail…2021 congress, 11th in 15-18 Horsemanship, fourth in NYATT Horsemanship…2019 AQHYA World Champion in L2 Horsemanship.
Personal: Daughter of Maureen and Mark Jackson…Graduates from Vacaville High School in spring of 2022…Current member and captain of the Vacaville high school varsity cheer team…Has done cheerleading since the fifth grade…Hobbies include cheerleading and horseback riding.
Alexa Leong | Jumping Seat | Sacramento, California
Previous Athletic Experience: Anchored the Zone 10 children’s team at North American Youth Championships to secure the gold medal in 2017…Also was anchor for the USA children’s team at nations cup in Langley, Canada and won the team gold medal in 2018…3rd at Maclay Regionals in 2019 and 2021, qualifying for the National ASPCA Medal Finals…Top 25 out of 223 competitors at USEF Medal Finals in 2021…6th at the North American Junior Equitation Championship in 2021.
Personal: Daughter of Amy Woo and Gary Leong…Brother, Hunter, competes on the golf team at Occidental College in Los Angeles, California…Graduates from Laurel Springs in the spring of 2022…Earned honor roll each year in high school…Hobbies include wakesurfing and skiing…Plans to major in Public Health.
Kacey Murphy | Jumping Seat | Brussels, Belgium
Previous Athletic Experience: 3rd CSI 1* Moorsele, Belgium, 6th CSI 1* Moorsele, Belgium, 10th CSI 1* Moorsele, Belgium…Team bronze 1.20/1.25 USHJA ¾ Zone Team Championships…Selected for EAP…2nd in the Taylor Harris…4th Gittings Horsemanship Medal…2nd 1.20 Zilveren Spoor, Belgium.
Personal: Daughter of Catherine and Kenneth Murphy…Will graduate from Mizzou Academy in the spring of 2022…Plans to major in University Studies - Society, Ethics and Law Concentration…She values spending quality time with family and friends when not riding or doing schoolwork. Also enjoys traveling, playing paintball, shooting, archery practice, renovating houses, and working out. Has an appreciation for classic cars and real estate, also intends to add skydiving to this list in the near future…Interesting fact, she was born and raised in Belgium as a dual citizen. She is fluent in both French and English. Once modeled in Vogue Bambini when she was a toddler.
Clara Nemeth | Horsemanship | Mason, Ohio
Previous Athletic Experience: Multiple top ten placings at the Congress…Ohio NYATT team Horsemanship rider Congress champion…Level 1 14-18 horsemanship Reserve World Champion…Top 15 level 2 Horsemanship at world show
Personal: Daughter of Winnie and Scott Nemeth…Graduates from Mason High School in spring of 2022…Volunteers for New Vocations Race Horse Adoption Program, a charity ran by her family…She is a seventh generation horseman…Enjoys riding, shopping and volunteering at nursing home…Favorite food is Avocado toast and loves the color pink…Plans to major in business and wants to be doing something helping others in her future career.
Reagan Royalty | Jumping Seat | Lexington, Kentucky
Previous Athletic Experience: Top placings in ASPCA maclay classes as well as many other equitation medals…Finished 2nd in first National hunter derby…Top placings all throughout the jumpers along with multiple catch rides throughout her junior career.
Personal: Daughter of Jennifer and Lance Royalty…Will graduate from Lexington Christian Academy in spring of 2022…Member of high school academic honor roll…Father, Lance attended Texas A&M before graduating from the University of Kentucky '86…Plans to major in Business and be successful in whatever field of work she enters…Enjoys shopping, cooking and working out.
Katie Triantos | Jumping Seat | Mclean, Virginia
Previous Athletic Experience: In 2021, Katie won MHSA medal finals and Amy Y. Reistrup equitation challenge…Finished second in VHSA medal finals and ninth Hits Ocala Equitation challenge…Ribbons in both small and large older junior hunter at WIHS, PNHS, NHS and Capital Challenge…Qualified for WIHS equitation finals, USEF medal finals, USET finals and Maclay finals…Multiple classic wins in the junior jumpers.
Personal: Daughter of Michele and Jim Triantos…Graduates from Flint Hills High School in spring of 2022…Plans to major in Business…Mother, Michele, played softball at the University of Maryland and father, Jim, played baseball at Drexel University, brother, James, was a second round draft pick by the Chicago Cubs in 2021.
