AUBURN, Ala. – Members of the No. 1 Auburn equestrian team closed out the fall with not only success on the Plains, but away from Auburn as well.
Representing the Jumping Seat side of competition was sophomore Ava Stearns, freshmen Ellie Ferrigno and Grace Pearson and recent signee Sophee Steckbeck.
Stearns competed at the USEF Talent Search Finals East in Gladstone, N.J., Oct. 8-10. The Chilmark, Mass., product finished second for the second-straight year in the event.
Ferrigno, of Newtown, Conn., had a busy fall away from Auburn. She kicked things off at the Capital Challenge Horse Show, Sept. 25-Oct. 4, in Wilmington, Ohio and was reserve champion in the Junior Hunters and champion in the 17-year-old Equitation division.
In addition, Ferrigno finished third in the WIHS Junior Equitation Finals (Oct. 26-31) and followed with a Top 25 showing at the National Horse Show in the Maclay Finals.
Freshman Grace Pearson was also busy this October, putting together three solid finishes at the Capital Challenge Horse Show. The Seattle, Wash., product came in second in the Ariat Adult Medal Finals and was champion in Adult Equitation. She also finished fifth in the North American Adult Equitation Championship.
Pearson also competed at the National Horse Show in Lexington, Ky. (Oct. 23-Nov. 1). She came away in fifth in the NHS THIS Adult Equitation Finals.
Steckbeck boosted her resume as the 2021-22 signee was champion in the 1.30-meter jumpers and winner in the Stake class in the Tryon Fall series. In addition, she was a winner in the High Junior Jumpers.
Steckbeck was a part of the silver medal-winning team at the Prix de States, competing with Zone 2, Oct. 9. She also competed at the USEF Talent Search Finals-East with Stearns and put together a sixth place showing.
The soon-to-be Tiger closed out the fall with a second-place finish at the WIHS Junior Equitation Finals and took fourth in the ASPCCA Maclay Finals at the National Horse Show.
Jumping Seat Update
