Georgia Equestrian won its eighth National Collegiate Equestrian Association national title in Ocala, FL, defeating Southern Methodist University with a score of 12-8. The Bulldogs secured their spot in the finals after defeating Auburn in the quarterfinals and Texas A&M in the semifinals. Junior Tessa Brown clinched the eleventh point for Georgia in fences, helping to secure the victory.
Despite trailing in the morning, Georgia’s flat riders all scored a point, sweeping SMU after being down 6-4. Senior Catalina Peralta, fifth-year Jordan Toering, and others contributed to the team’s success in the flat. SMU won in horsemanship with a score of 4-1, but Georgia held out in reining with a score of 3-2. The Bulldogs ultimately secured the win over SMU with the eleventh point.
Georgia’s head coach Meghan Boenig was inducted into the NCEA Hall of Fame earlier in the week, and the Bulldogs were awarded their program’s eighth NCEA National Champion trophy after the victory. The crowd and arena erupted in cheers when the judges announced the final point, giving Georgia the win over SMU and ending the Mustangs’ hopes of a three-peat national championship.
