It's time to meet the newcomers to the 2021-22 Auburn equestrian team!
Up next is a freshman from Memphis, Tennessee…Anna Marie Mayes! Anna Marie came to the Plains as a multiple qualifier for the Maclay Finals. She's provided depth on Flat for the squad so far this season, picking up a win against Georgia to start the season.
Q: What did you choose Auburn?
"I chose Auburn because the minute I stepped on campus it felt like home. Whenever I asked anyone about Auburn there was never anything negative said. I had never heard a bad thing about the school, everyone absolutely loves it. I loved the family dynamic and knew it was where I wanted to be."
How long have you been riding?
"I've been riding since I was three. I don't even remember starting but my mom rides so as soon as she could put me on a pony she did. I started riding competitively at seven."
What was the name of your first pony?
"My first pony's name was Oreo, and he was a black and white and small. He was perfect but could also be such a turd sometimes. He would often just stand completely still. I'd be pony kicking as hard as I could, and he would not move an inch. But when he was good, he was perfect and had the best pictures with that pony."
Looking forward to most this season?
"I'm looking forward to hosting the SEC Championship in March."
Favorite Auburn tradition?
"My favorite Auburn tradition is rolling Toomer's Corner. I don't know if singing the fight song would be considered an Auburn tradition, but that is a close second."
What is the movie you could watch for the rest of your life?
"I could watch Good Will Hunting every single day for the rest of my life and never get tired of it."
Pre-meet routine?
"Coffee is my fuel that gets me through the day!"
What is on the top of your bucket list?
"I'm dying to go sky diving even though I'm scared of heights."
Go to guilty pleasure?
"Hard to choose just one but I'd say my most frequent guilty pleasure is reading Nicholas Sparks novels and crying; I am a sucker for a soppy romance."
Celebrity crush?
"Harry Styles is the love of my life. That man is absolute perfection, he can do no wrong. I know God made us with flaws, but that man has not one flaw."
What is your major and why?
"I am pre-business and will most likely declare as a finance major. I also love history and will minor in history. I've always been interested in law school and business seemed like an appropriate route. There is not a particular use with my history minor. I just enjoy history and want to take history classes. But honestly, I don't really know what I want to do after college."