Brackets and seeds have been released for the Varsity Equestrian National Championships, which begin this week.
The emerging NCAA sport’s national competition is run bracket-style, with brackets for western teams, English teams and individual contests.
Competition begins April 15 at the Heart O’ Texas Fair Complex in Waco, Texas. Varsity Equestrian includes participants from 23 colleges. The top 10 teams in English and western are invited to the national championships.
In the western division, last year’s western champion, Texas A&M University, is seeded first and will receive a bye for the first round.
In the English division, last year’s English champion and overall winner, the University of Georgia, is first. The Bulldogs are seeded fifth in the western division.
“We anticipate a high level of horsemanship from these top teams,” said Leman Wall, director of corporate and affiliate partnerships for the American Quarter Horse Association. “The athletes have been working all year toward these championships on horses and in the training rooms, and these contests will give them a chance to showcase their talents on a national stage.”
The American Quarter Horse Association sponsors a trophy for the national champion western team, and Varsity Equestrian western events are judged by American Quarter Horse Association judges. Many teams have former American Quarter Horse Youth Association competitors on their squads.
“Varsity Equestrian has become a great way for our youth to earn college scholarships,” Wall said. “AQHYA competitors can continue to enjoy an athletic relationship with American Quarter Horses while competing in team environments. Hearing the cheers and chants of the teams is one of the highlights of the national championships. You really get the feel of being at a sporting event much like the Final Four.”
