MANHATTAN, Kan. The Kansas State equestrian team concludes the fall season by hitting the road for only the second time this season as it competes in two shows this weekend. K-State will go head-to-head against Tennessee-Martin on Friday before heading to Auburn Saturday.  

The Wildcats first competition of the season featured a road contest against South Dakota State on Saturday, Sept. 29, where K-State defeated SDSU, 11-5.

"We are looking forward to traveling this weekend,” English head coach Ashley Foster said. “It will be great to go ride UT-Martin and Auburn's horses since we have recently had a lot of home competitions. Both teams should be good tests for this team. We are working very hard this week so that we can turn in consistent rides this weekend."

The head-to-head match will feature 16 K-State riders in English and Western styles for both the UT-Martin and Auburn shows. English will send seven riders and Western will have nine riders compete.

On the English side, K-State’s squad in Equitation over Fences will consist of senior Whitney Snyder, who is 6-2 on the season and coming off an MVP award against Texas A&M, junior Leslie Yates, who is 5-3, sophomore Kendall Marvin, 3-1 in Equitation over Fences and two MVP awards, sophomore Ashley Collett, who is 3-0 on the year and sophomore Paige Sullivan.

In Equitation on the Flat the Wildcats will display Snyder, Yates, Marvin, freshman Julie Wolfert and junior Jennifer Giraldin, 3-1.

"I want the girls to step into the arena confident this weekend and ride like they have all semester,” Western head coach Casie Lisabeth said. “It will be tough to travel to two schools we've never been to and ride their horses. I feel confident that they will all ride smart and end the semester on a good note."

In Western, K-State’s Horsemanship team will include sophomore Laura Browne, 3-1 with one MVP award, sophomore Courtney Watters, 2-2, junior Jana Lechtenberg, 2-2 with one MVP award, junior Alyssa Freeman, 6-1with one MVP award and senior Lindsey Salsbury 2-1.

K-State’s Reining squad, which has only lost once all season, will send a squad of sophomore Morgan Campbell, 3-1with one MVP award, sophomore Dani Pettera, 2-2 with one MVP award, sophomore Kaylee Stout, 2-2 with one MVP award in Reining and freshman Alecia Zimbelman, 3-1.

Saturday’s show at Auburn will also feature three riders performing in exhibition rides, including sophomore Bridget Doyle in Equitation over Fences. In the Equitation on the Flat portion of the show, K-State will ride junior Katie Mellon, and in Horsemanship, sophomore Mikaela Sundgren will compete.

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

                                    -kstatesports.com-