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Horse judging team earns reserve champion at Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show
Oct. 27, 2009
Contact: Courtney Coufel,, cacoufal@tamu.edu, 979.845.1542
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Texas A&M University Horse Judging Team earned reserve champion at the Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show on Oct. 16 in Oklahoma City.
The Texas A&M maroon team scored 1527 points overall, one point less than the grand champion team from William Woods University in Fulton, Mo. Mississippi State University placed third with 1,526 points and the Texas A&M white team finished fourth with 1,517 points.
Dr. Clay Cavinder, assistant professor and horse judging team coach for Texas A&M, said this contest was a great opportunity for the younger team members to gain experience.
“This was only the second contest for a few of our team members, but I think they gained a lot of confidence and momentum going into the judging year,” Cavinder said. “Our goal is to be more prepared and experienced for the three biggest contests: the NRHA (National Reining Horse Association) Futurity, AQHA (American Quarter Horse Association) Congress and the AQHA World. We will judge at the NRHA Futurity in December, but we will have another year to prepare for the Congress and World.”
Second place Texas A&M maroon team members are Erin Grace of Milton, Fla.; Ari Sear of Simonton; Leslie Wagner of McAllen; and Amy Heartfield of Belton. Fourth place Texas A&M white team members are Lauren Fulce, of Irving; Amanda Zuniga of Charlotte; Adrienne Pacquet of Plano; and Brooke Byrd of Helotes.
Team member Erin Grace finished first high individual with 532 points. Kat Dehaan of Twin Falls, Idaho, finished third high with 516 points; Amy Stewart, of Lake Jackson, eighth with 511 points; and Adrienne Pacquet, 11th with 509 points.
Teri Antilley and Jeannette Mawyer are assistant coaches.
Students on the horse judging team learn analytical and critical thinking, judgment, and written and oral communication. The team is designed for students interested in equine selection and performance evaluation.
The team will next compete in the Arabian Horse Grand Nationals, Oct. 28 in Tulsa.
About the college:
With an enrollment of almost 6,500 students in 14 academic departments, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees and has a faculty of over 300 members, including a Nobel laureate and a Pulitzer Prize winner. Research programs include food sustainability and safety, human and animal health, genetics, renewable natural resources and bioenergy. Mark Hussey is Vice Chancellor and Dean.
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