In the year of its inception, the equestrian team managed to garner a berth in the Varsity Equestrian National Championship.The team will bring only five of the 16 riders to the championship held in Waco and only the Western Horsemanship riders will compete.

During the first round of Western competition, the Horned Frogs are set to face the South Carolina Gamecocks. The last time TCU faced the Gamecocks, the riders from South Carolina edged out a 645.5-643.5 win.

Team members representing TCU will be sophomores Carrie von Uhlit, Chloe Baker and juniors Kindel Huffman, Jessica Bailey and Nicole Barnes.

Von Uhlit is the points leader for the Horned Frogs this season and has competed in all three styles of riding. She is undefeated in reigning and horsemanship events so far this season. In the last contest against South Carolina, she defeated Allison Bradley in horsemanship and Katy Biffle in reining. Both events will be judged on the first day of competition.

The 12-team field includes last season’s national champions, the Oklahoma State Cowgirls, who hold the No. 6 seed in the tournament, while the Horned Frogs are residing in the No. 10 spot. If the Frogs defeat the Gamecocks, they will face the No. 2 seed Georgia Bulldogs on Thursday in a horsemanship-only competition.