Wofford equestrian team to co-host, compete Saturday- College co-hosting Tryon competition with Furman, Converse
February 19, 2018
Wofford College’s equestrian team will co-host and compete Saturday, Feb. 24, in a collegiate competition at the FENCE Equestrian Center in Tryon, N.C. Co-hosting the event with Wofford are Furman University and Converse College.
Eleven colleges will compete throughout the day Saturday in a variety of divisions, beginning at 9 a.m. Spectators get in free.
In only its fifth season, Wofford’s equestrian team has been bringing home some big victories. In November, in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, the 12-member team beat out larger programs, such as Clemson University, at the College of Charleston Horse Show.
The team placed seventh overall, beating out Clemson and Georgia Southern University, ranked fourth and third in the region, respectively. Individual riders also received awards within their divisions and classes.
Within the IHSA system, there are six divisions, with a flat class and a jumping class. Each rider is randomly assigned a horse upon arriving at the competition and is not given the opportunity to warm up on the horse, going in only with written information on how the horse rides.
Within each division and class competition, riders can earn individual points, which go toward the team’s overall show placement, but individual riders can accumulate points across the different shows to qualify for regionals.
Wofford also will compete at Georgia Southern and at another show at the College of Charleston and then regionals in March, also at Georgia Southern. So far, one individual team member has qualified for that regional competition, but a few of the other riders are on the cusp of earning adequate points.
Following the season, the team hopes to continue discussions with the college to be recognized officially through the Department of Athletics as an NCAA sport. For now, it still is considered a club or intramural team.
About Wofford College
Wofford College, established in 1854, is a four-year, residential liberal arts college located in Spartanburg, S.C. It offers 26 major fields of study to a student body of 1,650 undergraduates. Nationally known for the strength of its academic program, outstanding faculty, study abroad participation and successful graduates, Wofford is home to one of the nation’s 283 Phi Beta Kappa chapters. The college community enjoys Greek Life as well as 19 NCAA Division I athletics teams.
