Varsity Equestrian Team Members Qualify for Zone 11 Finals

The George School Varsity Equestrian team finished their regular season with 27 points and third place out of eleven teams, qualifying them to compete at the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) Regional Finals. At the finals, the team placed third overall and four athletes—Olivia Garrett ’23, Meadow Gober ’25, Sevde Guleryuz ’23, and Nicole McCleskey ’25—will compete at the Zone 11 Finals on the weekend of March 19-20, 2022, at Gloucester County Dream Park.

For Equestrian Director and Head Coach Tiffany Taylor, this season was a great success despite the challenges of the pandemic, “Last year we did not compete in the IEA due to COVID-19 so going into this year most of the team had not competed in the IEA,” she said. “Although inexperienced, the team’s enthusiasm for the sport and their genuine support of one another is remarkable.”

Meadow said that one of the biggest factors that contributed to her success this season was her coaches’ and teammates’ technical advice and encouragement, “My team is caring, kind, and friendly. Despite fellow teammates not being able to help each other directly while we’re on the horse, we’re still able to show support,” She said, “ And I had all the support I needed to overcome this season’s challenges from Tiffany, my coach, who always encourages me and reminds me to stay confident.”

Captain Kitty Evans ’22 reiterated that even though riding is seen as an individual sport, her squad has a strong sense of partnership, “The IEA requires a great deal of commitment and preparation. Every team member practiced hard, and we often had to ride when the weather was cold and rainy to make sure the team had enough practice,” she said. “Even though it took a lot of time and effort, the team was supportive of one another and had positive attitudes. On show-days, we all woke up early and spent most of the day cheering each other on. Sunday IEA shows revealed the dedication of the team, the care fellow riders shared for each other, and proved to me what a great team we have.”