AUBURN, Ala. – Thirteen riders have signed to join the Auburn Equestrian team for the 2026-27 academic year, head coach Jessica Braswell announced on Wednesday.
Auburn will add eight Western riders to the team: Hannah Borders (Missouri City, Texas), Charlie Brooks (Laurel Hill, Florida), Delaney Lee (El Dorado Hills, California), Lindsey Lester (Waterloo, Illinois), Landri Lisac (Pueblo, Colorado), Leila Palestrant (Scottsdale, Arizona), Maddie Rippeon (Mt. Airy, Maryland) and Maggie Robinson (Norfolk, Nebraska).
The Tigers will also have five Jumping Seat riders join the squad: Taylor Cawley (Wellington, Florida), Rylynn Conway (Fair Haven, New Jersey), Brooke Hagerty (Terrebonne, Oregon), Parker Peacock (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) and Hayden Scherer (Truckee, California).
Hannah Borders
Hometown: Missouri City, Texas
High School: Grace Christan Academy
Discipline: Western
Highlights: Multiple IEA High Point Rider Awards- Reining and Horsemanship, 2024 IEA National Finalist-Varsity Open Horsemanship, 2023 NRHA Youth 14-18 NAAC Top 10, 2023 NRHA 100X Rookie Shootout Finalist, 2023 NRHA 100X Cowtown Classic Rookie Champion, 2023 AQHYA World Show L3 Reining Finalist
Braswell: “We are excited to welcome Hannah and her family to The Plains. We got to know Hannah through our camps and see what an outstanding job she does on college horses. Her experience with the IEA and competing on unknown horses will really lend itself to collegiate success. Hannah is a very hard worker and will be a great teammate.”
Charlie Brooks
Hometown: Laurel Hill, Florida
High School: Florida Virtual School
Discipline: Western
Highlights: 2023 & 2024 Congress Champion, 2023 Reserve Congress Champion, 2024 Level 1 Championships Champion and Reserve Champion, 2023 NSBA World Champion, 2025 NSBA Reserve World Champion, 2024 AQHYA World Show L2 Reserve Champion
Braswell: “We are looking forward to bringing Charlie’s talent to Auburn. Charlie has had a lot of success in the All-Round and pleasure over the years. She had an outstanding fall with big wins and great success at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress. We have also seen Charlie in camps on college horses and think she will acclimate well to college riding.”
Taylor Cawley
Hometown: Wellington, Florida
High School: Upper Echelon Academy
Discipline: Jumping Seat
Highlights: 2024 USET Finals winner, 2024 Maclay Finals winner, 2023 Prix des States Bronze Medalist, 2025 U25 4th overall at the Winter Equestrian Festival, 2024 second place WIHS Equitation Final, 2*/3* placings at the national & international level
Braswell: “We are so excited that Taylor is officially an Auburn Tiger. Taylor has won in every arena and has an unbelievable level of competitiveness. She is already competing at the international level on the jumpers and all of that experience is going to make her an incredible college rider. She has won at every level, and we look forward to having her talent at Auburn.”
Rylynn Conway
Hometown: Fair Haven, New Jersey
High School: US Performance Academy
Discipline: Jumping Seat
Highlights: 2025 ASPCA Maclay Final sixth place finish, team silver at 2025 Prix des States, team bronze and sixth place individual Junior Division at 2025 NAYC, 2025 Kathy Scholl Equitation Championship Winner, ninth place at 2025 WEF Equitation Championship. seventh place at 2024 ASPCA Maclay Final, ninth place at 2024 Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final, fourth place at Governor’s Perpetual Hunt Seat Cup, 2023 WIHS Final Medium Jr/A-O Jumpers champion, gold medalist at 2022 NAYC Individual Children’s Final, 2021 NHS Hamel Medal Final champion
Braswell: “We are excited to welcome Rylynn to Auburn. Rylynn has had great success the last couple of years in the jumper and equitation rings. She also comes from a family of athletes and knows the work and discipline it takes to compete at the college level. She is consistently a top finisher at national championships and finals and we look forward to having her in orange and blue.”
Brooke Hagerty
Hometown: Terrebonne, Oregon
High School: Upper Echelon Academy
Discipline: Jumping Seat
Highlights: 2024 Jump Seat Finals winner, 2024 Taylor Harris Finals winner, 2025 Grand Junior Hunter Champion in Harrisburg, 12th place at 2025 Medal Finals, fifth place at 2025 Hermes Equitation Championship, 2025 Governor’s Cup winner, sixth place at 2025 WEC Equitation Championship, 2024 WCHR Challenge winner, eighth place at 2024 Maclay Finals
Braswell: “We are looking forward to having another Hagerty sister as part of the Auburn Family! Brooke has had an incredible last two years, and we have enjoyed watching her hard work translate into great results. She has had great success in the junior hunter and equitation rings. We have seen her in pressure moments and are ready to see her in an Auburn uniform.”
Delaney Lee
Hometown: El Dorado Hills, California
High School: Pacific Crest Academy
Discipline: Western
Highlights: 2025 NRHA Derby Rookie 1&2 Champion, 2025 NRHA Derby top 10 in the Youth Derby, 2025 High Roller Classic Res. Champion Rookie 1&2 and Youth 14-18, 2024 High Roller Classic 14-18 Circuit champion, 2025 Congress Top 10 15-18 Horsemanship, 2025 AQHYA World fourth in Level 2 14-18 Horsemanship, 2025 The Emo Celebration Circuit Champion Level 2 Youth Horsemanship, 2023 AQHYA Champion of Champions, 2023 NSBA World Novice Youth Horsemanship champion
Braswell: “I am so excited to welcome the Lee family to Auburn. Delaney is coming in with tremendous experience in both horsemanship and reining. She has dedicated herself to her sport and becoming a contender in both Western events. She and her family are also already huge Auburn fans and I can’t wait to have them on The Plains.”
Lindsey Lester
Hometown: Waterloo, Illinois
High School: Waterloo High School
Discipline: Western
Highlights: Multiple NRHA Non-Pro Derby Finalist with a top five finish, multiple NRBC non-pro top 10 Finalist, The Run For A Million Rookie 1&2 top 10 finish
Braswell: “I am looking forward to adding Lindsey to a very talented group of reiners. Lindsey has had success at some of the biggest reining events in the country. She is cool under pressure and we think that is going to translate well to the team environment. Lindsey has proven herself to be a hard worker and we look forward to seeing the great things she does for Auburn.”
Landri Lisac
Hometown: Pueblo, Colorado
High School: Pueblo County High School
Discipline: Western
Highlights: Two-time National High School Rodeo Cow Horse World Champion, non-pro Bridle World Champion, Youth Bridle World Champion, two-time Colorado High School Rodeo State Champion
Braswell: “I am really excited to have Landri at Auburn. She is familiar with college riding by watching her sister’s success as a college rider. Landri has ridden a lot of different horses, and riders that have had success in the cow horse industry tend to be very successful in college. Landri is a determined rider and ready to ride any horse offered to her. That attitude will drive her success at Auburn.”
Leila Palestrant
Hometown: Scottsdale, Arizona
High School: Dwight Global
Discipline: Western
Highlights: Multiple division champions in the youth, rookie and green as well as many class wins. Best of the West Youth Derby Reserve champion.
Braswell: “I am really excited to welcome the Palestrant family to The Plains. Leila is another athlete we first met in camp. She began her riding career in the hunter and jumper discipline and has spent the last few years transitioning to reining. She is a well-rounded rider and that will be very valuable on college horses. Leila and her family love Auburn and we can’t wait to have her in orange and blue.”
Parker Peacock
Hometown: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
High School: USPA
Discipline: Jumping Seat
Highlights: 2025 Reserve Champion at Medal Finals, 2025 Reserve Champion at Maclay Finals, 2025 Maclay Regional Champion, fifth place at 2025 USET Finals, Grand 3’6 Junior Hunter Champion at Junior Hunter Finals, Champion 16 year old age group equitation at Capital Challenge, fourth and fifth place in the WEF Equitation Championship, fourth place in the Gladstone Equitation Championship
Braswell: “I am so excited that Parker is finally an official Auburn Tiger. Parker is another rider that has had success in the hunters, jumpers and equitation rings. She does a lot of catch riding of junior hunters and is well practiced at riding a lot of different horses. She had an outstanding fall championship season finishing second at two major championships. We are looking forward to watching Parker transition to college horses and make an impact for Auburn.
Maddie Rippeon
Hometown: Mt. Airy, Maryland
High School: Homeschool
Discipline: Western
Highlights: Multiple World and Congress champion, Bronze World Champion at the 2025 AQHYA World Show,, Reserve Champion in the Level 2 Western Riding at the 2024 AQHYA World Show, 2024 Reserve Congress Champion 15-18 Trail at Quarter Horse Congress, Congress Champion 14-18 equitation at the 2022 Quarter Horse Congress, top five Level 3 14-18 Horsemanship at the 2025 NSBA World Show, bronze World Champion Level 3 Youth Western Riding at 2024 NSBA World Show, Level 2 Champion at 2024 AQHYA World Show in the Showmanship
Braswell: “I am so excited for Maddie and to have her as part of the Auburn Family. Maddie is an outstanding rider, but most importantly she has a winning attitude. She is going to thrive in a team environment because of her positive attitude and desire to push others to be successful. Maddie has had a tremendous year with great results at the AQHA Youth World Show and All-American Quarter Horse Congress.”
Maggie Robinson
Hometown: Norfolk, Nebraska
High School: Bridgeway Academy
Discipline: Western
Highlights: 2025 AQHYA Level 2 Reining Champion, 2025 L3 Youth World Top 15, AQHA Youth Reining Superior, 2025 The Run for the Million Rookie 2 Top 10, 2025 The Run for the Million Youth Top 10, 2025 High Roller Reining Classic Derby L1 Reserve Champion, 2025 High Roller Reining Classic Derby L2 3rd, 2025 AQHYA L3 Reining Reserve Year End Champion, 2025 RMRHA Summer Slide Youth Maturity Champion, 2024 AQHYA Youth World L2 Finalist, 2024 AQHYA Youth World L3 6th
Braswell: “I’m really excited to have Maggie in orange and blue. Maggie is a worker and has great drive to be successful. She has had a lot of success the last couple of years in the reining. We were able to see how valuable her experience on different horses will be when she was in camp. She will join a really deep reining quad and I look forward to seeing her results translate to college.”
Hayden Scherer
Hometown: Truckee, California
High School: Tahoe Expedition Academy
Discipline: Jumping Seat
Highlights: Numerous wins across the West Coast in the hunters, equitation, and jumpers on a variety of horses.
Braswell: “I am excited to welcome Hayden to Auburn. Hayden is another athlete we first met in camp. She did such an outstanding job on college horses. She has done a lot of catch riding in her career, and her patience and adaptability are going to be key to her success in college. She is a quiet worker who I think will be a leader in the locker room.”