MSU’s Equestrian Team saddles up for national finals

Contact: Carson McFatridge

STARKVILLE, Miss.—For the first time in program history, the Mississippi State University Western Equestrian Team is bound for nationals. The team is set to compete in the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) National Finals held May 1-3 at Tryon International in Mill Spring, North Carolina.  

Ashley Glenn, MSU Equestrian Team head coach, said while individual riders from MSU have competed at nationals in the past, this is a first for the team.  

“It’s the determination of our riders that defines our team,” said Glenn, also facilities supervisor of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station’s Equine Unit. “Within IHSA, not every rider has to be an expert. We have students who’ve never had a formal lesson and others who have ridden horses their entire lives. This allows the team members to learn from one another, create a support system and build a strong bond within the team.”

Natalie Ruha, a senior criminology major from Alabaster, Alabama, has been around horses since childhood. Guided by her grandmother—a professional horse trainer—and her mother, she began showing ponies at just a few years old. When she entered college, she couldn’t imagine her life without horses, leading her to join the team where she has competed for four years and now serves as team captain.

To advance as a team, MSU needed a top four finish at the IHSA semifinals, held March 21–22 at Murray State University in Kentucky, a goal Ruha said was driven not by individual ambition, but by a shared commitment to one another.

“We delivered some of the strongest rides of our careers,” Ruha said. “We stepped up not just to qualify as a team, but to make sure our teammates had the opportunity to compete on that national stage.”

At competition, each rider begins with an unfamiliar horse, randomly assigned a steed at the venue. Students compete at different levels, from beginner to open. The events showcase the riders’ ability to navigate the horse through complex patterns and maneuvers.

The team is funded by fundraisers and donations. Those interested in supporting the team can contribute through the MSU Foundation at https://dda.msstate.edu/give-now?f=312934.

The following students will compete:

ALABASTER, Alabama—Natalie Ruha, criminology senior, High Point Rider competition, Individual Open Horsemanship, Team Open Horsemanship

CLANTON, Alabama—Carrie Brigham, agricultural engineering technology and business freshman, Team Level 2 Horsemanship

FILLMORE, Utah—Lillie Reid, animal and dairy sciences senior, Team Rookie Horsemanship

FLORENCE—Wren Algee, psychology junior, Individual Level 2 Horsemanship

MADISON, Alabama—Sarah Broyles, animal and dairy sciences junior, Team Beginner Horsemanship

MADISONVILLE, Louisiana—Hayley Pettus, animal and dairy sciences junior, Individual Beginner Horsemanship

MORRISTON, Florida—Breana Souders, animal and dairy sciences senior, Team Ranch Riding

NASHVILLE, Tennessee—Olivia Trotter, psychology senior, Individual Rookie Horsemanship

PELL CITY, Alabama—Chloe Joiner, animal and dairy sciences sophomore, Team Level 1 Horsemanship

WALNUT GROVE—Makenzie Moore, veterinary medical technology junior, Team Reining

To learn more about the equestrian team, visit www.ads.msstate.edu/eteam.

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