COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina senior Johnna Letchworth and junior Katherine Schmidt were named SEC Riders of the Month for October, it was announced today. Letchworth earned the honor in reining, while Schmidt earned it in equitation over fences.
Both Letchworth and Schmidt earned the conference recognition after being named national riders of the month in September by the National Collegiate Equestrian Association.
In her first season competing in reining, Letchworth has a 4-1-1 record to go with three MVP’s. All three of Letchworth’s MVP’s have come on the road. This marks Letchworth’s second SEC Rider of the Month award. Last season, she was tabbed by the conference as horsemanship rider of the month of February. Overall, Letchworth is 7-4-1 with five MVP’s. Her seven wins leads the western team, and her five MVP’s are tied for the team lead with Schmidt.
Schmidt is currently 11-1 overall for the Gamecocks with five MVP’s through just six meets. She is a perfect 6-0 in equitation over fences with four MVP’s. She currently leads the country in total wins (11), wins in a single event (6), equitation over fences MVP’s (4), and MVP’s in the hunter seat division (5). This is the second time that Schmidt has been named SEC Rider of the Month. Last year, Schmidt earned the honor in March in equitation over fences, going 3-0 for Carolina with back-to-back road wins against top-10 opponents.
The Gamecocks (4-2, 0-2 SEC) return to action next Saturday when South Carolina travels to Auburn, Ala. to face the second-ranked Tigers. It will be the first meet between the SEC foes since the Gamecocks upset the Tigers in last season’s SEC Championship.
