Equestrian: SMU vs. Sacred Heart/South Dakota State

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

The No. 9 SMU Equestrian team is in Brookings, SD this weekend to face Sacred Heart on Saturday and No. 10 South Dakota State on Sunday.

Go Ponies!

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

SMU vs. Sacred Heart is at 12:00 today. SMU at South Dakota State is at 10:00 tomorrow.

Both competitions are at SDSU's DeHaan Equestrian Center in Brookings, SD, which is thankfully indoors since it will be in the 20s up there this weekend.

Sacred Heart is 0-1 in NCEA competition this season (a loss to UT-Martin). In that meet the Pioneers were 3-5 in the Hunter Seat portion of the competition.

SMU defeated Sacred Heart 8-0 in Fairfield, CT last season.

No. 10 SDSU is 5-3 (4-4 in Hunter Seat). SMU defeated SDSU 10-2 at BuckBranch Farm last season.

On the flat, the Jackrabbits feature Santana Wright (4-4, 3 MVP) and Megan Violand (4-3-1, 1).

Over fences, SDSU is 10-26 overall with only two MVPs.

Look for the Mustangs to win this one with an impressive showing over fences.

Go Ponies!

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

It sounds like things are running a bit late today...

SMU up 3-1 on Sacred Heart after the flat.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

SMU wins fences 4-0 and defeats Sacred Heart 7-1.

No. 9 SMU is now 7-3 on the season!

Good luck tomorrow against South Dakota State - and stay warm!

Go Ponies!

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

SMU release:

http://www.smumustangs.com/sports/w-equest/recaps/022313aaa.html

Greer Hindle was MVP on the flat, with other points from Mary Abruzzese and Paulena Johnson.

Courtney Line was MVP over fences, with other points from Schaefer Raposa, Emma Roberts, and Alex Butterworth.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

SMU up 4-1 over SDSU after fences!

Points from Schaefer Raposa, Alex Butterworth, Colleen McKenzie, and Courtney Line. Emma Roberts with another tough luck draw against Santana Wright dropped her point 80-78.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

SDSU wins fences 3-2, but SMU wins overall 6-4!

No. 9 SMU is now 8-3 in NCEA competition this year and 9-3 overall!

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

SMU release. Alex Butterworth did get MVP over fences. Mary Abruzzese and Greer Hindle had the SMU points on the flat:

http://www.smumustangs.com/sports/w-equest/recaps/022413aaa.html

[SMUguy]

I don't understand almost anything in any of these posts, but I love to see SMU beating a top 10 team in anything. Way to go, Mustangs!

[couch 'em]

How many other schools have this?

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

How many other schools have this?

18 Division I. 22 total. (insert default top 10 joke here)

Seriously though, for SMU to be consistently in the top 10 while being the only Division I team to not compete in Western riding shows how strong our Hunter Seat program is under the leadership of Coach Schoolfield.

The next full team competition is the NCAA Championships in April. Hopefully we have done enough to get another nice seed again this year.