MANHATTAN, Kan. The Kansas State equestrian team will begin the spring regular season this weekend in two head-to-head competitions at Baylor Saturday and at Texas A&M Sunday.

K-State will send a total of 33 riders to compete in the two Varsity shows. Some riders will show several times over the weekend and others will ride as alternates for the competition.

“These are the first shows of the semester that count towards Varsity selection,” head coach Teresa Slough said. “We just hope to win and we have to make sure that everyone has prepared enough for both shows.”

Saturday’s show will include English’s Equitation on the Flat and Equitation over Fences as well as Western’s Horsemanship and Reining.

Due to possible rain, there are two possible schedules of events. If weather permits, the show will begin with Equitation on the Flat in the covered arena while Horsemanship rides in the outdoor arena. The covered arena will then hold Equitation over Fences followed by Reining.

Should weather prohibit use of the outdoor arena, all events will be shown in the covered arena. The show will begin with Equitation over Fences followed by Horsemanship, Equitation on the Flat and end with Reining. Saturday and Sunday’s shows will start at 10 a.m.

K-State faced Baylor twice in the fall season falling both times to the Bears, the first was an 8-7 loss at the Bulldog Invitational in Athens, Ga. on Sept. 24 and the second an 8-12 loss at Fox Creek Stables in Manhattan Oct. 13.

The Wildcats last faced Texas A&M on April 22, 2006 at the Varsity Equestrian National Championships in Albuquerque, N.M., where K-State fell to the Aggies 638-742 and eventually placed sixth in the English category.

The Wildcats will host their first shows of the spring on March 3 and 4, beginning with an IHSA Western show on Saturday, March 3 before hosting Texas A&M on Sunday, March 4 in a varsity competition.

Results from the weekend’s show will be available online at kstatesports.com as they become available.

                                                -k-statesports.com-