Auburn Equestrian Comes Up Short of SMU 8-11 at National Championships
Postseason tournaments exist so that regardless of the fickleness of regular season scheduling or poll voters’ agendas, you can put the strongest of the sport against one another and see who’s the best.
College Equestrian held its national championship tournament this weekend, and we now know which team is the best.
It just wasn’t Auburn.
How the Meet Went
The action began at the World Equestrian Center’s western arena. Western events can often stretch into additional time if re-rides and score reviews are needed, so putting those events first Saturday allowed any slowdowns to be absorbed by the day’s schedule.
From a competition perspective, it meant the meet would showcase the talent of two of the country’s best Western groups.
Auburn’s group of Reiners entered the day one of the nation’s highest-scoring groups, averaging just under three points per meet, compared to SMU’s Reiners, who average a little over two points per meet.
It was impossible for a novice observer to single out the stray imperfections from riders of this caliber. That’s the judges’ responsibility… and they fulfilled it.
Auburn’s rider in the first head-to-head was judged off-pattern and given no score for her effort. In the remaining four contests, only Caroline Buchanan was able to score a point for the Tigers.
The 4-1 Mustang advantage had them in control early, and the Tigers struggled to get on the scoreboard.
Horsemanship was the next event, and the firepower for both teams increased. The Mustangs boast the country’s second-most prolific set of starters, with Auburn close behind as the third-best. Unfortunately for Auburn, that difference showed through in the ring.
The event featured the expected strong scores from both teams, but only Auburn’s Caroline Fredenburg and Olivia Tordoff were able to outride their opponents.
The brutal Western sequence had Auburn at an uncharacteristically large disadvantage of 3 to 7 at the half.
With the western rides concluded, the throng of Auburn and SMU fans filled the Jumping Seat arena to witness the second-half battles that would decide the meet.
Equitation on the Flat featured two squads with nearly identical distinction this season. Auburn’s Flat team averages over three-and-a-quarter points each meet, with SMU’s only a few tenths of a point below that.
The task in front of the Tigers was to improve on their season scoring average against one of the top Flat teams carrying all of the momentum in the meet.
It proved a task too great today.
SMU rode well enough to allow only Auburn’s Ellie Ferrigno and Ava Stearns points in the event. Mary-Grace Segars earned a no-point tie with her opponent, mirroring the event’s 2 to 2 stalemate.
Stalemates don’t allow you to come from behind. For that, Auburn would need to score a perfect 5-0 sweep in the last event: Equitation Over Fences.
Again, this goal proved to be just out of reach for the Tigers.
Equitation Over Fences was expected to be the tournament’s finale, but it became a victory lap for the Mustangs instead.
Auburn’s Fences team has been the nation’s best throughout the season, while SMU’s has been only slightly behind them at third. However, no amount of stellar riding from Auburn could win back points already lost..
Auburn’s Mary-Grace Segars, Ava Stearns, and Sophee Steckbeck all scored on impressive, but ultimately futile, rides. The remaining two points in the event, along with the National Championship, went to SMU.
The final score of SMU 11, Auburn 8 reaffirmed the teams’ relative #1 and #2 positions atop the national rankings nearly all season.
The End to Another Impressive Season
Apart from Saturday’s defeat, Auburn Equestrian has amassed armloads of accolades and distinctions this season.
The Tigers won a record 5th straight SEC title, continued the nation’s longest active home winning streak of 31 meets, saw nine riders earn All-American distinction, and had Head Coach Williams receive SEC Coach of the Year once again.
A large portion of the Tigers’ starting lineup is expected to return next season, so the chances are strong that the Tigers will remain among the nation’s best when the fall season resumes.
And when it does, I’ll be there too.
Thankyouverymuch.
The Scoresheet
Auburn 8 - SMU 11
FENCES:
Taylor Madden (SMU) def Ellie Ferrigno (AU): 273-267
Mary-Grace Segars (AU) def Elli Yeager (SMU): 256-237
Augusta Iwasaki (SMU) def Emma Kurtz (AU): 278-258
Ava Stearns (AU) def Alex Pielet (SMU): 270-266
Sophee Steckbeck (AU) def Devin Seek (SMU): 267-253
FLAT:
Madigan Eppink (SMU) def Sophee Steckbeck (AU): 232-198
Miranda Seade (SMU) def Emma Kurtz (AU): 238-234
Mary-Grace Segars (AU) tied Hensley Humphries (SMU): 251-251
Ellie Ferrigno (AU) def Emma Engel (SMU): 245-192
Ava Stearns (AU) def Taylor Madden (SMU): 258-255
HORSEMANSHIP:
Nya Kearns (SMU) def Maddie Spak (AU): 234-211
Caroline Fredenburg (AU) def Lily Anderson (SMU): 231-228
Megan Waldron (SMU) def Madison Parduhn (AU): 232-229
Olivia Tordoff (AU) def Alexa Black (SMU): 237-233
Mallory Vroegh (SMU) def Alexia Tordoff (AU): 238-235.5
REINING:
Dani Latimer (SMU) def Kate Buchanan (AU): 220.5-0
Taylor Zimmerman (SMU) def Olivia Marino (AU): 224.5-218
Caroline Buchanan (AU) def Lily Anderson (SMU): 217-214
Maria Richards (SMU) def Isabella Tesmer (AU): 217-214.5
Chalyce Head (SMU) def Alexia Tordoff (AU): 223.5-223
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