It is signing time for several NCAA Equestrian teams, and we talked to some of the top riders who have accepted to ride for major
universities across the country. Find out where leading exhibitors Ty
Paris, Griffin Knight, Carolyn Day and AQHYA President, Abigail Pait
will be attending in the fall.
Abigail Pait–University of South Carolina (pictured right)
Seventeen year-old AQHYA President, Abigail Pait of Sparta, New Jersey officially signed with the University of South Carolina (USC) Gamecocks on Tuesday and Pait says she is really excited about her new journey.
“I have always been involved with horses,” Abigail says. “But this will be different because I will be involved on a team, and be involved with something so much bigger than just myself showing horses.”
This Congress and World Champion says that she picked USC because she loved the campus, the other riders and the coaches. “I just felt at home,” she explains. “It is also two and a half hours from where my father grew up and my grandmother and uncle still live there. It is a small little town called Blandenboro in North Carolina.”
When asked what her family thinks about her moving so far away from home, she says that, “Well, I’m sure my parents aren’t going to know what to do with themselves,” she says and laughs. “I’m an only child so I know they will miss me but I know they are excited for me.”
Pait has two more years left in youth and plans to continue showing and finish out her youth career. She also will be competing in the Horsemanship for the equestrian team and is excited to be part of the Western team.
The South Carolina team is currently ranked sixth in the coach’s poll.
Griffin Knight–Auburn University
“Auburn is a special place. It’s absolutely impossible to go there and not fall in love,” Griffin Knight of Madisonville, Texas excitedly tells GoHorseShow. “The atmosphere and tradition is so inviting that you can not help but want to be a part of it. Auburn has been so generous to me. When it came to signing they made me and offer that was impossible to turn down.”
Eighteen year-old Knight will be one of the rare individuals to do both the reining and horsemanship for the NCAA equestrian team. She had been Top 10 in multiple events at the Congress and has been a finalist at the AQHYA World Show in Horsemanship and Reining. Next year will be her last year in youth.
“I am fully confident in my decision to ride for Auburn. The girls on the team are incredible individuals. They all seem to work together so well and just feed off of the great energy amongst them,” she says.” It is very rare to find a team of 60 girls who are as close as the ones on the Auburn equestrian team. Also, the coaches and staff for the team are a dream. I really feel that they will help me become a better rider, competitor, teammate and all around person.”
Griffin, who is a multiple top 10 placer at the Congress, said that being from Texas was a little bit of a challenge when she decided to go to Auburn which is located in Alabama.
“Well, I am the baby of the family which I feel makes things different. My parents are so supportive of my decision to go to Auburn. My mom and dad have quickly adopted Alabama as their second home,” Knight says and laughs. “My dad has had multiple health issues throughout my high school career so that definitely played a factor in my decision. Coach Williams, being a father, was fully understanding of my family’s situation. His willingness to accommodate this factor was very reassuring and comforting.”
Knight concludes her thoughts by saying she can’t wait to be an Auburn Tiger next year. “Words can not express how incredibly honored I feel. Showing has taught me so much and because of that the I am eternally grateful. I am so very eager to face all the new challenges and changes of next year at Auburn. I feel so extremely blessed. Next year can’t come soon enough–WAR EAGLE! “
Auburn is currently ranked the number one team in the nation in the latest coach’s poll.
Ty Paris–Oklahoma State University
Ty Paris just signed with OCU last Friday and says she is up for the challenge.
“I picked OSU because I love the competitive atmosphere, the campus, and the fact it is still so close to the horse industry with the World Shows being in Oklahoma City.”
Paris says that next year is her last year in youth and that she will continue showing and finish out her youth career. This talented rider will also be working really hard to impress her coach, Larry Sanchez. “It is definitely not a guaranteed thing to get on the team,” she says. “I have to work really hard to earn my spot!”
This Tipp City, Ohio native just came off a fabulous Congress as the Reserve 15-18 All Around winner as well as Reserve Champion in the 15-18 Equitation. She was also the 2011 Reserve World Champion in the Equitation and is a two time Congress Champion. Her mother is also AQHA judge and accomplished trainer Beckey Schooler of Delta, Ohio.
The Oklahoma State women’s equestrian team won national championships in 2003, 2004, 2006 and finished as reserve national champion in 2005. They are currently ranked fourth in the coach’s poll.
Carolyn Day–Texas A&M
Day is pretty new to the horse show circuit but she competed enough to prove her talent in the show arena. Carolyn will be riding for Texas A&M in the horsemanship.
“I am flattered and excited that A&M picked me to be on its dynamic, successful team,” she tells GoHorseShow. “I sent a video and resume to A&M in the spring and in the summer head coach Tana McKay invited me to come on an official visit in the fall. I was also invited to go on an official visit at Auburn University. While both schools have great academics and teams, I decided that A&M would be a better fit for me.”
Day says that her parents were very excited that her hard work had paid off and that she will be able to continue riding and improving her skills while she receives an excellent education.
“I never would have been able to become a rider good enough to make a top equestrian team without the expert training and guidance from my wonderful trainer, Reid Thomas, or without the opportunities I have had to ride and learn from so many different horses,” Day says.
Day had some recent Top 10 finishes at her first Congress, and plans to continue showing to finish out her show career and hopefully win a World Championship in her last year!
The Texas A&M team is currently ranked second in the nation behind Auburn in the coach’s poll.
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Some of the other equestrians who have also recently signed include,
Michelina Carbone for Georgia; Logan Pluhar and Mayers Lindley for Texas
A&M; Paris Nottingham for OSU and Katie Abbot for Baylor.
GoHorseShow would like to wish all of these girls good luck and everyone else who has signed to teams this year!
