MANHATTAN, Kan. The Kansas State equestrian team will host the Central Championships this weekend at Fox Creek Farm as Big 12 rivals Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Baylor visit Manhattan for the two-day competition beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday. 

The weekend will also be highlighted by many other events beginning with the opening ceremonies Saturday at 8:30 a.m., which will feature special guest rider Bill Snyder. The show will begin with Equitation over Fences and following that match a relay race competition will take place with K-State student-athletes from other sports saddling up for the race. Then, Horsemanship, Equitation on the Flat and Reining will hit the arena and finish out the competition.

Throughout the weekend Willie the Wildcat will make an appearance along with an equestrian team horse for fans to feed, pet and brush. Fans will also be given the opportunity to take photos with the team horses.

Kansas State brings an overall record of 6-6 to the competition and will send 13 riders to face their Big 12 rivals.  

“We are really looking forward to competing at the Central Championships this weekend,” English head coach Ashley Foster said. “We have been working on preparing mentally for the competition and working hard to perfect our riding. In the first round of competition we will face OSU whose hunt seat team is currently ranked number one in the nation. It will be a great test to ride against them. If we keep our focus, we will be capable of turning in very strong rounds.”

K-State’s English team comes into the weekend with a No. 7 ranking according to the final Varsity Equestrian National Championship rankings. The Wildcats squad in Equitation over Fences will include senior Whitney Snyder, who leads Kansas State in wins with 14, junior Leslie Yates, sophomore Kendall Marvin and sophomore Ashley Collett, who is 6-3 on the year.

In Equitation on the Flat the Wildcats will feature Snyder, Yates, junior Jenny Giraldin, who is coming off a big win against Fresno State and freshman Julie Wolfert, who picked up her first varsity win and MVP award against Georgia earlier this season.

"The girls have worked really hard in and out of the arena to ensure we are putting on the best show possible,” Western head coach Casie Williamson said. “The western riders have worked extremely hard to prepare themselves for this competition. We would like to have really strong, solid rides across the board. I believe this team has all the talent they need, we just need everyone to apply it this weekend."

Kansas State’s Western squad finished the season as the fifth-ranked team according to the VENC final ranking and its Horsemanship team will consist this weekend of sophomore Laura Browne, who looks to continue her winning ways as she picked up a win against Fresno State in her last competition, junior Jana Lechtenberg, who also picked up a win against Fresno State, Alyssa Freeman, who is 13-7-2 on the season and senior Lindsey Salsbury, who is 8-2-1 on the year.

K-State’s Reining squad will send a young squad of sophomore Morgan Campbell, who is sporting a 6-4-2 record on the year, freshman Alecia Zimbelman, who holds a record of 6-5-1 and sophomore Tara Hallan, who looks to continue her perfect record as she is 4-0-1 in her first year with the Wildcats.

Kansas State will look to capture its second win over Baylor this season as it defeated the Bears, 14-6, on Oct. 12 before losing, 10-8, in Waco on Feb. 22.

Oklahoma State also split the season series with the Wildcats, cruising to a 17-5 win at home on Feb. 2 before dropping a 10-9 loss at Fox Creek Farm on Feb. 29.

Texas A&M took both matches from Kansas State this season, one at home and one on the road, as the Aggies defeated K-State, 14-8, in College Station on Feb. 23 and 12-8 in Manhattan on Nov. 9.

 “The four teams who are coming here this weekend are all very competitive,” Foster said. “We also have some great horses for the show, so there will be some good all-around competition to watch this weekend.”

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

Below is a schedule of events for the weekend.

SCHEDULE FOR BOTH DAYS (Saturday and Sunday)

9 a.m.: Show begins

Equitation over Fences

Horsemanship/Equitation on the Flat

Reining

SATURDAY ONLY

8:30 a.m.: Opening Ceremonies featuring

Special guest rider Bill Snyder!

Halftime relay race competition

Featuring other K-State student-athletes

WILLIE THE WILDCAT!

K-STATE TEAM HORSE

Available for children to pet, brush,

and photo opportunities.

- kstatesports.com -