AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 1 Auburn equestrian team is set to welcome another talented class for 2019-20 as 11 student-athletes signed with the program, head coach Greg Williams said Wednesday.
Joining the Tigers on the Western side of competition is Maggie Bowers (Niceville, Fla.), Rachel Hoopman (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho), Boo Kammerer (Mount Sterling, Ky.), Jen Kasper (Elgin, Ill.), Kayla Shelnutt (Loganville, Ga.), Maddie Spak (Waukesha, Wisc.) and Olivia Tordoff (Powell, Ohio).
The Hunter Seat crew will add Paige Matthies (Lake Leelanau, Mich.), Mary McDaniel (Fredericksburg, Va.), Alex Pielet (Highland Park, Ill.) and Ava Stearns (Chilmark, Mass.).
"This class is phenomenal," Williams said. "We are graduating a bunch of seniors and associate head coach Jessica Braswell and assistant coach Mary Meneely have done an amazing job recruiting replacements the past few years with this class being the final group to finish it.
"You can see that it is a very balanced group between disciplines to ensure we won't have any holes in our roster next year," Williams continued. "I am excited for the opportunity to coach this great class and I want to thank my entire staff for all they do to continuously uphold a high standard that will keep Auburn equestrian as premier contenders for years to come."
MAGGIE BOWERS
Hometown: Niceville, Fla.
High School: Florida Virtual School
Event: Western (Horsemanship)
HIGHLIGHTS: Two-time reserve Level 1 Champion … Multiple Top 5, Top 10 and finalist finishes at the AQHA Level 1 Championships … Multiple AQHA Dixie Nationals titles … Multiple circuit and all-around titles on the AQHA and NSBA circuits … AQHYA World Show qualifier.
RACHEL HOOPMAN
Hometown: Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
High School: Coeur d'Alene
Event: Western (Horsemanship)
HIGHLIGHTS: 2017 ABRA World Champion – Youth 14-18 Trail … 2017 NSBA Champion – Youth 14-18 Trail … 2017 NSBA Year End Reserve Champion – Youth Ranch Riding … 2017 NSBA Year End Top 10 in Youth Trail … 2016 ABRA Reserve World Champion – 14-18 Horsemanship … 2016 ABRA Reserve World Champion – Youth Hunter Hack … 2016 NSBA Champion – 14-18 Horsemanship … 2016 NSBA Champion – 14-18 Hunt Seat Equitation.
BOO KAMMERER
Hometown: Mount Sterling, Ky.
High School: Montgomery County
Event: Western (Reining)
HIGHLIGHTS: 2017 Young Riders Team USA … 2017 FEI Young Riders World Championship – Sixth Place … 2017 NRHA Futurity Finalist … Finished fourth and sixth in 14-18 NRHA World standings in 2017 … Top 3 at 2018 USEF Young Rider Championship.
JEN KASPER
Hometown: Elgin, Ill.
High School: Harvest Christian Academy
Event: Western (Reining)
HIGHLIGHTS: AQHA Congress Reserve Champion – 14-18 Reining … Multiple Congress Top 5 finishing in Non Pro Reining … Reserve Champion in Non Pro Affiliate Finals.
PAIGE MATTHIES
Hometown: Lake Leelanau, Mich.
High School: Laurel Springs
Event: Hunter Seat
HIGHLIGHTS: Third place at 2018 Maclay Finals … Fifth place at 2017 Dove/USEF Medal Finals … Top 25 ASPCA Maclay Finals in 2017 … 2018 Top 25 Dover/USEF Medal Finals … Fifth place at 2018 North American Junior Equitation Championship … SJHOF High Junior Jumper Classic winner at Devon 2018 … IHJA Junior Medal Finals winner 2017 & 2018 … 2018 NAYC Junior Team Gold Medalist … Zone 5 Horsemanship Class Sportsmanship Award winner 2018.
MARY MCDANIEL
Hometown: Fredericksburg, Va.
High School: James Monroe
Event: Hunter Seat
HIGHLIGHTS: Winner of the High Children's Jumper Classic at the Upperville Colt and Horse Show … Three-time junior hunters qualifier for the Washington International Horse Show and Pennsylvania National Horse Show (2016, 2017, 2018) … Qualified in high children's jumpers at the Washington International Horse Show and Pennsylvania National Horse Show … Finished second in the Claire Mawdsley Scholarship and Rider Recognition Program at the 2018 Pennsylvania National Horse Show.
ALEX PIELET
Hometown: Highland Park, Ill.
High School: Highland Park
Event: Hunter Seat
HIGHLIGHTS: 2018 individual and team gold at the FEI North American Youth Championships … 2018 Region 5 Maclay Championship winner … Individual and team silver at the Junior Jumper Championship Prix des States at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show … 2017 USEF Talent Search East Finals – sixth place … Fourth place in the 2018 $250,000 HITS Junior/Amateur Jumper Prix … Fourth place 2018 Hunterdon Cup … Tenth place International Hunter Derby Championship Challenger Round … Champion High Junior/Amateur Jumper at the Washington International Horse Show … 2017 Reserve Grand Junior Hunter Champion at Junior Hunter Finals … Top 25 at 2017 Maclay Finals … USET Bronze Medalist in 2017
KAYLA SHELNUTT
Hometown: Loganville, Ga.
High School: Loganville
Event: Western (Reining)
HIGHLIGHTS: 2018 Dixie Nationals Freestyle – third place … 2018 HRDHA Reserve Youth 14-18 and Rookie 1&2 Champion … Fourth place in Freestyle at the 2018 Congress … Finished seventh in Freestyle at the 2017 Congress.
MADDIE SPAK
Hometown: Waukesha, Wisc.
High School: Mukwonago
Event: Western (Horsemanship)
HIGHLIGHTS: AQHA Level 2 – third place … Multiple Top 5 and Top 10 finishes at the annual Quarter Horse Congress … Multiple regional championships.
AVA STEARNS
Hometown: Chilmark, Mass.
High School: Martha's Vineyard Regional
Event: Hunter Seat
HIGHLIGHTS: Ninth place at 2018 USEF East Coast Talent Search Finals … Ninth place at 2018 WIHS Junior Equitation Finals … Sixth place at 2017 WIHS Junior Equitation Finals … 2018 Grand Champion at USEF Junior Hunter Finals West Coast … Second place New England Equitation Championships 2016, 2017 & 2018 … Winner of the Hunter Phase and Jumper Phase in the 2017 WIHS Junior Equitation Final … Champion Older Large Junior Hunter at the 2018 Washington International Horse Show … Second place 2017 George Morris Excellence in Equitation … Third place 2018 George Morris Excellence in Equitation.
OLIVIA TORDOFF
Hometown: Powell, Ohio
High School: Laurel Springs
Event: Western (Horsemanship)
HIGHLIGHTS: 2018 AQHYA World Champion – Hunter Under Saddle … 2017 AQHYA World Champion – Horsemanship and Hunter Under Saddle … 2016 AQYHA Reserve World Champion – Hunter Under Saddle … Eighteen-time All-American Quarter Horse Congress Champion … Four-time All-American Quarter Horse Congress Reserve Champion … Currently serving as the AQHYA President, the Ohio QHYA President and the Southern Ohio QHYA President.