AUBURN, Ala. – The Western corps of the Auburn equestrian team had a successful summer away from the Plains.
Representing the Tigers all over the country was fifth-year senior Taylor Searles, seniors Ellie Becker and Rachel Hoopman, sophomores Jacqueline Frimodt, Olivia Marino and Madison Parduhn and freshman Jenna Chiarella.
Searles, of Scottsdale, Ariz., had big summer in Las Vegas and Oklahoma. At the Summer Celebration in Las Vegas (July 1-11), she was named champion in four categories – Level 3 Amateur Western Pleasure Circuit, Amateur Western Riding Circuit, 3-year-old Non-Pro Western Pleasure Futurity and 3-year-old Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle Futurity. In addition, Searles had a Top 5 placing in the Level 3 Amateur Horsemanship.
At the 2021 NSBA World Championship in Tulsa (August 12-22), Searles earned reserve champion in BCF 4–6-Year-Old Limited Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle. She also took home bronze in Amateur Western Riding, Amateur Hunter Under Saddle and BCF 3-Year-Old Intermediate Non-Pro Western Pleasure.
Becker kicked off her summer with a reserve champion showing in Amateur All Around at the APHA Zone 2 show (May 26-30). In addition, she was earning finalist in Western Pleasure and Hunt Seat Equitation.
The Bellevue, Washington product capped her time away from Auburn with a fourth-place finish in Amateur Color Trail and fifth in Amateur Color Western Riding at the NSBA competition in Tulsa.
Hoopman (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) also competed at the NSBA show, riding in Novice Amateur Trail.
Frimodt earned a world champion title this summer, competing at the National Appaloosa Show in Tulsa (July 26-August 1). She took home the world crown in Non-Pro Bareback Horsemanship.
Marino was busy at the Tennessee Reining Horse Association show in Murfreesboro, May 13-16. The Birmingham product was co-champion in Novice Horse Level 2 and Limited Non-Pro. She picked up a pair of reserve champion titles in Intermediate Non-Pro and Level 2 7 & up. Marino earned Top 10 finishes in a handful of other categories at the three-day competition.
Parduhn traveled to Oklahoma City for the AQHYA World Championship Show (July 28-August 4) and secured a fifth-place finish in Level 3 13-18 Hunt Seat Equitation.
Chiarella joined Searles and Becker at The Celebration in Las Vegas, earning a Top 5 place in 14-18 Horsemanship L2/L3 and Trial L2/L3.