In addition to the team crown, two riders earned national titles.
For the fifth time in seven years, the Texas Tech University Ranch Horse Team captured the national championship at the American Stock Horse Association Collegiate Championship Show in Ardmore, Oklahoma.
Team members compete in four separate individual riding events: stock horse pleasure, trail, reining and working cow horse. They compete in three categories: novice, limited non-pro and non-pro.
“The hard work and dedication shown by the Texas Tech Ranch Horse Team was evident in the way they captured their fifth national championship,” Texas Tech president M. Duane Nellis said. “This championship also is an example of how the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources is committed to ensuring its students are allowed to achieve great things both in the classroom and beyond.”
The Ranch Horse Team, which won titles in 2013 and from 2009-2011, outlasted Texas A&M and Missouri State among 18 colleges for the title. In addition, eight individual riders finished in the top 10 in their categories, including two national champions:
- Jayton Baca, a freshman from Vega, National Limited Non-Pro High Point Champion and non-pro trainer award
- Gatlin Duncan, a senior from Mobeetie, National Novice High Point Champion and novice trainer award
- Clay Elliot, a senior from Alpine, second place overall limited non-pro
- Courtney Reynolds, a junior from Dallas, fourth place overall novice
- Cassie Coltrain, a sophomore from Longmont, Colorado, fourth place limited non-pro
- Tanner Cadra, a sophomore from McLain, fifth place overall novice
- Justin Stanton, a senior from Idalou, fifth place non-pro and non-pro trainer award
- Kameron Buchanan, a sophomore from Turkey, eighth place novice high point
Other team members are:
- Ashley Adams, a sophomore from Lubbock
- Traci Bailey, a senior from Centerville, Washington
- Ryder Cude, a freshman from Munday
- Courtney Fredriksen, a junior from Van Alstyne
- Raemi Gipson, a junior from Lubbock
- Trinity Haggard, a freshman from Throckmorton
- Susanna Lyles, a junior from Las Cruces, New Mexico
“This team won by 40 points, which is one of the widest margins ever,” said second-year Ranch Horse Team coach Robert Rivers. “They are extremely hard-working, positive and driven.”
For more information on the Ranch Horse Team, visit its website. Complete results for the national championships can be found here.