Mississippi College Equestrian Rider Erica Reynolds Heads to Nationals

For the first time since 2008, a Mississippi College equestrian team rider landed a spot at the national championships.

MC student Erica Reynolds of Dallas, Texas shined at zone horse riding competition in Georgia to punch her ticket to the Nationals in Springfield, Massachusetts April 30-May 3.

Erica becomes the first MC equestrian rider to compete at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association’s Nationals since standout Meredith Guider of Hinds County represented the Baptist-affiliated university in Clinton.

Reynolds and three other teammates put on impressive performances at the zone competition in late March. Others competing were MC students Katherine Mooney of Jackson, Sela McClelland of Batavia, Illinois and Hailey Elder of Tomball, Texas.

“I couldn’t have been more impressed with how well our riders rode,” said MC equestrian team coach Tina Davey. “Erica is headed to the Nationals and we are very proud.”

Erica will compete in intermediate over the fences at the 2015 Nationals. There be stiff competition, with top collegiate riders coming from eight different zones around the USA.

That is quite an honor since Mississippi College is among over 300 colleges that compete in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, Davey noted. There are about 8,300 college riders in the IHSA.

The strong showing by Erica Reynolds and her equestrian teammates this season is getting noticed across the Clinton campus.

The team practices at 2,000-acre Providence Hill Farm with speedy horses with names like Hale Bopp and Cody Pony. The farm is a 20-minute ride from the university.

“We are excited to see how Erica Reynolds does in the Nationals,” says Jim Turcotte, vice president for enrollment services and dean of students.

“We are very proud of our equestrian team and their hard work is paying off,” Turcotte added. “Coach Tina Davey has done an excellent job getting the riders prepared.”

Turcotte oversees the MC equestrian team as well as bass fishing, sporting clays shooting and archery teams.

Supporters of the Mississippi College equestrian team are invited to a Spring 2015 benefit horse show and luncheon April 25-26 at Providence Hill Farm. Funds raised from the event will help the university’s equestrian team.

MC’s team is in its 8^th season and typically ranks among the best equestrian squads in the South.

For additional information on the MC equestrian team, contact Jim Turcotte at 601-925-3315 or turcotte@mc.edu. Coach Tina Davey can be reached at cdavey@mc.edu