The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, February 24, 2004, Image 5
HEl) riAii Sports The Battalion Page 5 • Tuesday, February 24, 2004 &M’s national title contender: Equestrian lEBATTALft tre comfxi- ch coven Pretty. Hie 2. o seethe will win. than wb ence ,ys wen have fra ; the ti^ht y has wo, :her one al pick hile, but Lawrence s glad tie feels like ;s about d me to ssive, a little im used fhat was or me, ight have /ouldn't i relation- ut myself :xas boy ows him retty io far i either, out futun 5 turns nothing." By Jordan Meserole THE BATTALION Recent losing football seasons several losing basketball sea- have often clouded many exasA&M students’ minds. Few blize they don’t have to look [veiy farto find an Aggie team that ill be competing in a national |championship this season. Hidden behind many trees and [agate with an A&M logo pasted lothe front lies a small dirt road. A trip down the bumpy dirt road peals a large brown, open-air kuilding. There is no VIP parking -however, under the shade of a tee is a premium spot. A walk into the building reveals a few bleachers with paint that is chip ping and fading. Loud chirping ilsthebuilding as birds fly rafter lotaller, and there’s a slight smell to the building that the average city person isn’t accustomed to. This is not the typical sight a per son would expect to see when linking of national champions. Since achieving varsity status Sveyears ago, the A&M eques- tian team has consistently pro duced success. The team has seen k different riders win an indi vidual national championship tom 2000 to 2002 and has won ie last two western national championships. Although every hder is considered a member of :equestrian team, the squad is )ken into two different see ds: western and English style ling squads. It has been the lestem squad that has brought A&M both of its national team titles. This year, it will be the English squad’s chance to bring the trophy back home. This won’t be the first time the English squad has been to championship. In 1 C '1 C'ZC’ZC'ZC‘ZC’ZC'ZC'Z'~'~C'2r-~r t ~r-‘~r , ~c-2C‘Z<~' l l'~'Zr'2,r , ~r-~'~'~r'2,r 2001, the team placed seventh at nationals. Head coach Tana Rawson, who has been the head coach since the team became a varsity sport, said the team has advanced a lot over the years. “We’ve gotten better resources to be able to go far ther,” Rawson said. “When I got here, we had roughly 18 horses. Now we have close to 50.” The A&M English team cap tured the regional team champi onship and the trip to the national championships after a meet two weekends ago at West Texas A&M University. The Aggies also had 13 riders qualify for regional competition this season, with the opportunity to advance to the championship on an individ ual basis. The Aggies finished out as overall point leader over two- time defending regional champi on Oklahoma State University. The Aggies and the Cowgirls have always been neck-and-neck; last year’s point total champion was decided by the last event between the. two teams. “It’s frustrating to work over the years to work as hard as you do and be as close as we have been,” Rawson said. “It’s a big sigh of relief to get that win.” A&M English coach Pam Bremmer said the success has come from hard workouts that involve more than just getting on the horse. Bremmer said much like other sports, English riding takes physical toughness as well as mental toughness. “Many people don’t think so, but these girls are true athletes,” Bremmer said. “There are mus cles you never knew you had until you get up on a horse.” A&M freshman Erica Palomo said riding takes true dedication to the sport, a dedication that f r Evan O'Connell • THE BATTALION Senior English rider Meredith Houx and her horse Houdini practice Monday night at the Cedar Trace Stable in College Station. Houx won this season's regional high-point title for the third consecutive season. some athletes don’t experience. “We wake up at 5:30 a.m. to pick up horse manure - not many other people will do that,” Palomo said. The English success has come largely with help from senior rider Meredith Houx. She cap tured the yearly regional high- point rider crown this season - her third consecutive time to achieve the honor. Houx earned a sixth-place finish last year com peting for the Cacchione Cup, which is awarded for the top English riders in the nation. Houx said winning the cup would be a good end to her col legiate career and knows the competition will be just as tough as previous years. The soft-spo ken Houx seems uneasy talking about her accomplishments though, flashing a quick dimpled smile and changing the subject. “I’m really no different than any of the others out here,” Houx said. “Hopefully things will work out for the team at nationals. Last year we were so close to getting there, and this year I think A&M has a great opportunity to win - it would be great to see the team win.” The English team will pack its bags and saddles May 7 to head for Murfressboro, Tenn. Upon returning home, perhaps the team will get to hang one more championship banner from the dusty rafters. A cham pionship might help convert Aggie sports fans from jeering to cheering once again. C ' Z ^ ' Z ’ 2. C ' Z C ' C C ’ * C * £ ‘ ~ ' Z r ’ Z r ' Z ' Z o <;** r IV i We realize that you may already know them as student, leader or friend, but we also want you to know how much we, the Department of Residence Life, appreciate having them on our staff. Please join us in thanking our Resident Advisors for their dedication, concern and commitment to providing leadership and healthy community living. m .V , Nikki Adeyeye Patricia Agold Muzamil Ahmad Elliot Ahr Chelsea Albea Felix Arnold Eric Bacon Tanner Baker Stefanie Beaver Ryan Bippert Chad Bonstead Ali Bradbury Cresta Bradley Mark Breaux Steven Burke Andy Chapman Timothy Chen Brandie Christian James Cleland Matt Clement Monica Clifford Jeremy Clooney Cat Cone Audrey Cooper Adam Crabtree Mary Pia Cuervo Melissa Daniels Bobby Davis Dusty Davis Barbra Denniston Dimitri Doncov Teri Dube Amber Dunai Tori Ellis Katie Elsbemd Audra Ewing Doug Fagala Saralyn Fischel Matthew Fischel Rita Fitzgerald . Thomas Fitzgerald Justin Flint John Flusche Brandon “Dooby” Foster Bert Froeba Tim Fuentes Gaurav Garg Kirk Garza Tatiana Garza Michael Gibbs Pam Gondeck Cassandra Gordon Preston Gorman Jamie Cudgel Daniel Habenicht Christopher Hager Michael Hanna Chelsea Harned Jill Heffner Brent Henke Gerardo Hernandez Eric Hoff Brandon Hollas Jeremy Horak Courtney Houghton Kuy Houser Tim Ibbotson Russell Joffrion Amanda Jones Lesley Kahanek Layla Karaouni Courtney Kinney Andrea Kitten Jeffrey Koehler Elizabeth Koonce Keri Kunschik Linette Lam Jennifer Lau Chris Lawler (in memorium) Johnathan Ledbetter Lindsey Leissner Ben Longenecker Leslie Macmanus James Manley Chrissy Martin Lindsay McEver Erin McGraw Made Merz Nathan Mesler Jeremy Miller Ramsey Nasir Kendall Neck Whitney Noble Tristina Opplinger Allen Parish Simoun Peralta 845-15J C * Jk C ' z r James Pessara, Jr. Katia Pillot Amanda Pittman Daniel Rachal Matt Rand Vishnu Reddy Chip Roberts Jennifer Romaszewski Marie Ronayne Sarah Rubenstein Julia Russell Joshua Ryan LaToya Savage Annie Scott David Shalley Mary Shaver Diana Sherrouse Aditya Shrivastava Bradley Shuffield Cameron Sims Ashley Singeltary B. J. Siwek Lindsay Slaydon Byron Snapp Brandon Stacy Alisha Stalbaum Rick Stevenson Brenda Stewart Morgan Stockman Janie Stratton Kara Stucky Rocky Takacs « ** ,/T Samantha Thomas William Thorn Erin Tongoun Melissa Vernor Rick Vinas Jessica Walcik C. J. Walthall Patrick Waltz Cindy Wang Katie Waser Dave Weir Stephen Weir Kendra Wetterling Melissa Wilcox Adam Williams Tyechia Williams Kelli Williamson Jordan Winterfeld Matthew Worthy Kayla Wrobleski Nicholas Ybarra Itang Young Valerie Young * c , jC 5 U m L "Bringing People end Housing Together" February 24,2004