(MILL SPRING, N.C.) – The equestrian season came to a close over the weekend with Wilson College making unprecedented marks as
Julie Warnick (So., New Oxford, Pa.) won the national championship in open reining. It's the first national title in program history, but the Phoenix also made headlines on the hunt seat discipline as
Samantha Gilley (So., Sykesville, Md.) placed fifth in intermediate equation on the flat.
This is the first time Wilson College has had a rider in the Western discipline advance to nationals. For hunt seat, it's been since 2009 that the Phoenix have been represented.
Warnick's and Gilley's road to nationals started in the regular season. On the Western side approximately 380 colleges totaling 8,000 riders attempt to obtain the qualifying points to go to the regionals. From there, the top two riders qualify to go to the semifinals. Semis are divided up into three seconds of the United States where the top four riders of each discipline go to nationals.
On the hunt seat side the regional qualifiers go to zones where the top four riders also advance to nationals. Through all 8,000 riders from all over the United States, about 400 qualify to go to nationals, which mean the top 12 riders in every Western class and the top 16 riders in every class on the hunt seat side compete for the national champion title.
Even more good news came for the Phoenix as as this year Wilson was invited to bring horses to nationals. The Phoenix horses won some top honors starting with Nota in the individual rookie event as he and his rider from the University of Findlay won the national champion title.
Ned, a new addition to the Wilson equestrian program, showed in the individual open reining. He and his rider from North Carolina State were reserve national champions. Perry, also a new addition, was in the individual rookie class where he and his rider from the University of Findlay were third place.
