Oct. 16, 2008
WACO, Texas - The sixth-ranked Baylor equestrian team hits the road for the first time this season when it travels to Manhattan, Kansas, to take on seventh-ranked Kansas State on Friday and Stillwater, Okla., where it will face fifth-ranked Oklahoma State on Saturday.
The Lady Bears enter the weekend with a 3-0 record after claiming the championship of the Baylor-hosted Willis Invitational (Sept. 26-27) with victories over New Mexico State (7-3), Fresno State (10-2) and TCU (9-3). In that competition, nine Lady Bears earned MVP honors while senior Shelby White (Flat) and junior Madelyn Mooney (Reining) were named tournament MVPs.
For the Lady Bears, 11 freshmen will be making their first road trip, six Western and five Hunter Seat riders. Western freshmen are Amber Mooney, Meghan Murphy, Suzanna Nelson, Ellie Powell, Elizabeth Smith, and Cody Wooten while Anna Banks, Kaylin Enright, Kara Fergusson, Lisa Goldman and Faith Morris traveled with the Hunter Seat riders.
Competing in the Western events for Baylor will be Bowers, Katie Buss, Lindsay Douglas, Kim Marlowe, Nicole McCoy, A. Mooney, Madelyn Mooney, Murphy, Nelson, Allison Orosz, Powell, Brittani Purnell, Michelle Reynolds, Valtie Riddle, Smith, Lindsey Tomko and Wooten. Hunter Seat competitors include Kelly Albury, Banks, Margaret Beaudoin, Nicole Brown, Kelsey Ehlers, Kaylin Enright, Kara Fergusson, Lisa Goldman, Heather Healy, Whitney McIlvain, Amanda Miller, Morris, Lauren Purkey, Mary Smitson, Kendra Vicary, Shelby White and Cara Wilson.
The Kansas State competition will be held on Friday, Oct. 17 beginning at 10 a.m. at the Fox Creek Farm. The Wildcats are 0-1 on the young season after dropping a 10-9 home decision to third-ranked Texas A&M. In addition to contesting varsity competition in Equitation Over Fences and On the Flat and Western Reining and Horsemanship, exhibition events will be ridden as well.
Oklahoma State enters Saturday's competition with a 2-0 mark after downing New Mexico State and SMU. The Cowgirls and Lady Bear matchup will be held at the OSU Equestrian Complex beginning at 9 a.m.