CANYON, Texas — The West Texas A&M University Equestrian Team continued its successful streak in a recent competition ahead of a major upcoming contest on its home turf.

The WT team took first place on both days of the hunt seat competition hosted at Tarleton State University Nov. 4 and 5, putting the team in the lead over other competitors throughout the region.

“We showed up strong for our first away competition in hunt seat this season,” said coach Maggie Murphy. “Each rider demonstrated great horsemanship and sportsmanship over the two days of competition, and their hard work and dedication have set them up for success for the rest of the season.”

Up next, WT will host a western competition Nov. 18 and 19 at the WT Equestrian Center.

The Tarleton contest was the third event in what’s proving to be a successful season for the WT team.

“WT Equestrian is known as a force to be reckoned with, and I am beyond proud that we are proving it yet again as the season opens,” said co-coach Julia Bastian. “We practice hard at home, and it’s a good feeling for the students to see that their hard work is paying off. I am very excited to see everyone’s progress as the season goes on.”

The team competes through the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association. At each contest, riders compete on unfamiliar horses assigned to them by random draw. The team accrues points at each individual contest, which continue through February, in hopes of success at regional competitions ahead of semi-final contests in late March and April, then the national championships May 2 to 5 in North Carolina.

The season opened Oct. 7 and 8 at North Central Texas College in Gainesville, where both the hunt seat and western teams took first place on both days over such competitors as Texas Tech University and the University of North Texas.

The season continued Oct. 21 and 22 with hunt seat competition at the WT Equestrian Center, where the WT squad came out on top at the end of the two-day contest.

Johanna Anderson, a freshman psychology major from Wray, Colorado, was high-point rider in the Oct. 21 phase of the contest. Morgan Clinesmith, a senior equine industry and business major from Cimarron, Kansas, was high-point rider Oct. 22, with Elizabeth Dreyer, a sophomore agricultural business and economics major from Richmond, Virginia, as reserve high-point rider.

Spring contests will include the western Feb. 3 and 4 at Texas Tech, hunt seat Feb. 10 and 11 at the University of Oklahoma, western regional championships Feb. 24 and 25 at New Mexico State University, and hunt seat regional championships March 2 and 3 at WT.

Western semi-finals are set for March 23 to 25 at the University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio. April dates and location for hunt semi-finals have yet to be set.

Team members also include Hannah Alexander, a freshman equine industry and business major from Forney; Itzel Alvarez Avendano, a freshman wildlife biology major from Laverne, Oklahoma; Rylie Bauman, a freshman equine industry and business major from Elbert, Colorado; Caoimhe Benn-Rothstein, a freshman animal science/pre-vet major from Peyton, Colorado; Haley Bucher, a junior equine industry and business major from Washington, Illinois; Allie Cassidy, a senior equine industry and business major from Houston; Amber Cox, a freshman equine industry and business/pre-vet major from Smithville; Hana Craycraft, a sophomore equine industry and business major from Keller; Jennica Dannehl, a senior equine industry and business major from Bertrand, Nebraska; Kaitlyn Evans, a sophomore engineering major from Valley View; Brooke Forsse, a freshman animal science/pre-vet major from Kingman, Arizona; Amber Gonzales, a freshman agricultural media and communication major from McCook, Nebraska; Rhyan Harper, a freshman equine industry and business major from Dallas; and Ashton Hollingsworth, a sophomore agriculture education major from Fort Worth.

The team also includes Kerrigan Jensen, a freshman agriculture major from Santa Margarita, California; Kora Ka’aiohelo, a freshman equine industry and business major from Edmond, Oklahoma; Marty Kacsh, a senior animal science/pre-vet major from Evergreen, Colorado; Anya Katz, a senior equine industry and business major from Spring; Helene Keiser, a sophomore animal science major from Gothenburg, Nebraska; Kaydyn Kintzley, a freshman education major from Lakeview, Oregon; Samantha Lightbourn, a freshman animal science/pre-vet major from Coppell; Myleigh Lindsey, a freshman equine industry and business major from Vinita, Oklahoma; Addison McMullin, a freshman equine industry and business major from Oakley, Utah; Emma McNabb, a senior animal science major from Brentwood, California; Ashley Polson, a senior equine industry and business major from Rhome; Alaina Scher, a freshman equine industry and business major from Austin; Eva Severance, a sophomore equine industry and business major from Wasilla, Alaska; Leah Tate, a sophomore animal science major from Dripping Springs; Kristina Todd, a senior agribusiness major from Quinlan; Miranda Whitten, a freshman animal science major from Durango, Colorado; Ryan Wight, a senior animal science major from Castle Pines, Colorado; Anna Wilhelm, a senior equine industry and business major from Shannon, Illinois; Lena Wilson, a freshman agriculture media and communication major from Montrose, Colorado; and Lexi Woestman, a freshman business major from Fort Worth.

Such team competition is one way in which WT creates in its students a commitment to being self-reliant, courageous, resourceful and part of something larger than one’s self, as laid out in the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised more than $150 million.