In 2017, Lydia Hicks was a freshman at Samford. Now, however, she is the current coach of the Equestrian Team. She rode in a barn in Claremont, Alabama and partnered with a high school trainer to coach the first establishment of the equestrian team at Samford.
Before Covid would strike, the team was widely active, never having less than 15 members.
After dealing with hardships and not being able to compete in 2021, the team was able to “restart everything and start from scratch a little bit” this past year, according to Hicks.
The equestrian team is now under President Hannah Swearingen and is a part of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) zone 5 region 2. This region consists of schools in Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi. The equestrian team participates in roughly three to four competitions per semester. Last season the team went to Auburn and UGA- which was a two-day show, and in Spring 2024 the team traveled to Auburn, Barry and MSU.
A rider first starts in the region, then if the riders get enough points to qualify, they then can compete in Zones. After that, they can earn the possibility to perform in Nationals.
Since the team is more of a club, tryouts are to “see where everyone is, and their experience level,” said coach Hicks. The team is open to whomever wants to join, and would be evaluated on what level of competition they would be in.
The team is still in the rebuilding phase, shares coach Hicks, so competition spots are available for a wide range of experience levels. The team also holds non-competing teams which would at minimum meet once every two weeks, while the competing team minimum is once a week.
The team also allows learners and first-time riders to join, having lessons with the horses the team holds at the barns they are stationed at. Horses are mostly stationed at the school, which allows no one to have an advantage with having a horse they have ridden for years.
“Each division has horses that are appropriate skill level wise,” said Hicks.
At each of the shows the team has attended, most of the team have been ribboned ,which is a way of ranking from first to sixth.
The team has ranked in both flat (non-jumping) and flat with jumping classes.
The biggest achievement a player received last season was Taylor May-Smith at the Bary show, who was rewarded with a Reserve High Point Rider.
Each of the ribbons counts for a number of points respective to its placing. At the end of the show the points are added up and the highest scorer receives a championship and a reserve.
The team has an Instagram account at: @samford.equestrian
Staff Writer
