May 11, 2006

Columbia, S.C. – The South Carolina equestrian team held a year-end banquet in April and announced team awards, in addition to receiving their 2005 Equestrian Championship rings. USC honored seniors Tara Brothers, Courtney Borton, Ashleigh Collins, Ashley Williams, Laura Pipkin and Chelsea Koornick and named the 2006-2007 captains, Rachel Sternoff and Carly Johns.

Brothers was named Equestrian’s Overall Most Valuable Player, in addition to being named MVP for Equitation of the Flat and earned the top Grooming Award. Kristen Terebesi was named MVP for Equitation over Fences and was also named Most Dedicated.

MVP for Horsemanship was Allison Bradley and for Reining was Lindsay Williams. Ashley was voted Most Improved and Johns was voted Most Team Spirited. The Community Service Award went to Jamie Diamond, and Katy Biffle received the Grooming Award for the Western team.

Brothers, is USC’s winningest hunt seat rider, and helped guide the Gamecocks to its second hunt seat national title this season. A 2005 and 20006 team captain, Brothers was the 2003-04 IHSA Hunter Seat national champion. She has also been recognized for her community service involvement and her participation with SAAC.

Borton has been one of the Gamecocks’ top horsemanship riders and helped guide the team to a fifth-place finish at the national championships last season. Her best finish was in 2005 when she placed third at the championship.

This group of seniors led the Gamecocks to its first national title and two hunt seat national titles. In 2006, they finished second overall, as Co-Reserve Champions at the Varsity Equestrian National Championships, and will go down as one of the most successful classes in USC Equestrian history.