The Gamecocks (8-6), the event’s No. 2 seed, defeated the top-seeded Tigers (11-3) 6-4 in hunter seat and tied 4-4 in western. South Carolina advanced to the championship round following a 10-7 win against third-seeded Georgia on Friday.
Saturday’s SEC Equestrian Championship marked the first new championship handed out in an SEC sport since softball in 1997.
“It means a whole lot to our program,” South Carolina head coach Boo Major said. “We’ve known that we’ve had it in us all year long, but you never know until you show up what’s going to happen. I think our girls just rode lights out yesterday and today. I think the girls just rode beautifully, and I can’t be more excited for them and more excited for our university and for Coach [Ray] Tanner to bring the first SEC Equestrian trophy home to South Carolina.”
The SEC All-Championship Team consisted of South Carolina’s Kimberly McCormack (Equitation Over Fences), South Carolina’s Katherine Schmidt (Equitation On The Flat), Texas A&M’s Carey Nowacek (Horsemanship) and Auburn’s Indy Roper (Reining).
Third-seeded Georgia (9-5) defeated fourth-seeded Texas A&M (5-8), 15-5, earlier on Saturday in the consolation round. The Bulldogs won 8-2 in hunter seat and 7-3 in western.
“It was a great ride compared from yesterday to today,” Georgia head coach Meghan Boenig said. “There are a lot of things to be proud of and a lot of good building moments. What I think we learned from yesterday and will continue to learn is that there are a lot of things we can continue to work on, polish and finesse. I’m extremely proud of our entire team, from our schooling riders to our barn managers who just did a fantastic job today. I saw a lot of improvement in the Hunt Seat from yesterday to today. Congratulations to the Western squad for being able to do so well yesterday and today.”
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2013 SEC Equestrian Champion: South Carolina
SEC All-Championship Team
Equitation Over Fences: Kimberly McCormack, South Carolina
Equitation On The Flat: Katherine Schmidt, South Carolina
Horsemanship: Carey Nowacek, Texas A&M
Reining: Indy Roper, Auburn