UGA Equestrian finishes season

The No. 6 University of Georgia equestrian team fell to No. 3 Oklahoma State, 13-7, in the National Collegiate Equestrian Association National Championship quarterfinals on Thursday at the World Equestrian Center, bringing the 2022-23 campaign to an end.

“Today was not what we had been working for, dreaming for, but I am so proud of the work, the effort, the growth that this team has shown throughout the season,” Georgia head coach Meghan Boenig said. “In so many ways, we were stronger than we have ever been, and we were seeing tons of rides that reflect that.”

Competition started in Fences with the Bulldogs collecting two points. Junior Emma Reichow put Georgia on the board after completing a beautiful course, receiving a score of 262.  Freshman Tessa Brown won her point with a score of 254 from the anchor position.

Meanwhile in Reining, Georgia added one point with a score of 202 from freshman Raegan Shepherd.

Georgia edged Oklahoma State, 3-2 in Flat. Sophomore Catalina Peralta scored a 257 to win her point. The Cowgirls took the next two points. Georgia finished with winning rides from juniors Jordan Toering and Sophia Pilla receiving scores of 235 and 259, respectively.

Finishing in Horsemanship, Georgia added one more point with a win from fifth-year senior Sara Lewis in her final ride as a Bulldog.

“We have to continue to find little ways, little percentages, to make the advantage in a group of schools and a group of riders that gets evermore challenging,” Boenig continued. “It’s a testament to the support and level of riding here that we have to push. I think some of those results that we saw at the end, and the errors potentially, were coming from the fact that we were going for it, we were being risky, that’s important. Maybe at the beginning of the year we weren’t learning to be risky and if you fail at being risky you are learning something. The next time, that will be a higher score, rather than playing it safe and still losing the point. So, I am proud of that effort and I know that is going to result in positive growth in the future.”

Georgia finished the season 6-9.  Senior Ceci Bresch was named the SEC Flat Rider of the Year. And the Bulldog Flat squad scored the top eight scores among all SEC riders during the regular season. Six Georgia riders received NCEA Ariat All-America honors and seven collected All-SEC nods in addition to five SEC and three NCEA Rider of the Month honors throughout the season.

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