After a day at the rodeo, No. 1 TCU Equestrian’s undefeated season is alive and well.
The Horned Frogs have now made program history with their best start to a season. TCU outshined No. 8 Delaware State 14-5 in John Justin Arena at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo to tally their seventh win on Jan. 25. This lucky number seven marks their sixth straight meet win at the stock show.
Four Horned Frogs also secured Most Outstanding Performers awards available, an improvement from three in their last meet against then No. 8 Baylor.
“Today’s win over a strong Delaware State team was a fantastic way to begin our spring segment,” Director of Equestrian, Haley Schoolfield said. “Being able to showcase our sport in the John Justin Arena during the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo is an incredible opportunity.”
The Fences Team set the tone for how the day was going to go, bringing in the early 3-2 lead over Delaware State for the Frogs, followed by a clean 5-0 shutout from the Flat Team.
In Fencing, Ashleigh Scully brought in the first point for TCU with a score of 90 on Java, a tie for her personal best. Scully scored the highest in any event for the day and was awarded Most Outstanding Performer in the category. Senior Sydney Berube tied her personal best, 89, in the event on Billy.
TCU’s Flat Team kept the early morning momentum going delivering a category sweep.
However, this was thought to not to be the case when all riders had finished. During the event freshman Ella Bostwick was thought to have lost the sweep for TCU to Delaware State’s Megan Pratt, 64-67, on Stryker. However, after a double check on the scores, Bostwick had in fact won the point for the Horned Frogs, 68-67.
From TCU, the yet-to-be-beaten freshman Lilly Goldstein on Electric, secured the MOP in the event, with a score of 84.
The five points for Flat tallied the Horned Frogs to a 8-2 optimistic lead heading into the afternoon.
Reining, a western styled event, kicked off the afternoon, where TCU delivered three more points for the Horned Frogs. Sophomore Kaylene Cunningham earned her first career MOP with a 72.5 ride on Britney.
In a nail biter opener to the event, senior Giorgia Meadows won her point by just a hair over Delaware State’s Anna Payne, 72-71.5, on Snoop Dog. Following Meadows, graduate student Mattie Dukes and Cunningham tallied their points to put TCU at 11-3.
It was all on the Horsemanship Team to finish the job and secure the win. Dukes brought it home with a 78-75.5 ride on Bob, over the Hornets’ Claire Andrews leaving TCU with its 14-5 win.
“Overall we saw very strong rides from top to bottom,” Schoolfield said. “We will always be working to improve, but our coaching staff is happy with our start. It will be a quick turnaround and busy week as we prepare for a conference meet against Fresno State.”
