Auburn equestrian rides to fifth national championship

The second-ranked Auburn Tigers bested No. 1 Georgia 10-5 to claim the championship trophy at the 2018 National Collegiate Equestrian Association competition in Waco, Texas, last month.

The victory was Auburn equestrian’s second national championship in three years and was head coach Greg Williams’s fifth national title since equestrian earned designation as an official varsity sport at Auburn in 2002.

In addition to the overall national title, Auburn also finished first in four separate events, including equition over fences, horsemanship, Western and hunt seat.

Williams said he was confident going into the Waco showdown that this year’s team had what it took to finish on top, so the key was to keep the riders focused.

“It’s always wonderful to win a national championship, but it’s also very nerve-wracking when you go in with a team that should win it like the one we had,” said the 1986 animal sciences alumnus who has built Auburn’s equestrian team from the ground up. “Georgia is a great team, and they weren’t going to give it to us. This Auburn group deserved it, and I’m so proud of everyone for their efforts.”

Details on the championship events and scores can be found here.