DEFENDING CHAMP SMU TOO MUCH FOR JACKRABBITS

Friday, January 31

Dallas, Texas

11 a.m.

South Dakota State University

SMU

Kendyl Rudolf Equestrian Flat Photo 2025-01

Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia

1/31/2025 9:26:00 PM | Equestrian

DALLAS, Texas — Two-time defending National Collegiate Equestrian Association champion SMU nearly ran the table in defeating South Dakota State, 19-1, in head-to-head competition Friday at the Dallas Equestrian Center.

The loss dropped the Jackrabbits to 2-6 on the season.

Newcomer Paxton Wilson notched SDSU's only point in the meet with a victory in reining over Addisyn Schmersal, 68-67.5.

The Mustangs' Sara Beth Filiatreau pulled out a narrow win over Emilie Strahm, 67.5-66, Shelby Clausen earned another win for SMU by beating Adisyn Kuxhaus, 72.5-68, and Maria Richards bested Emma Riggs, 69.5-68. To close the event, Chalyce Head's 72.5 beat the Jackrabbits' Lydia Loken's 69.

The Mustangs earned sweeps in the horsemanship, fences and flat disciplines.

Senior Paige Wellendorf lost to Ava Blyth 73.5-73 while Hannah Dutton was defeated by Alexa Black 75-73.5.

Nya Kearns earned a victory over SDSU's Grace Gerbus 76-71, which was followed by a 77-point ride from Jayna Lagace that was the highest score in horsemanship and earned her a victory over Avery Bergan. Anna Minich's ride of 70.5 wasn't enough against Violet Shetler's 75.

In fences, SMU dominated with all five riders scoring in the 80s. Katie Kiely's 83 beat Sarah Gould's 67, Elli Yeager won against Juliana Gullo, 82-77, and Hannah Hoch scored an 82-77 victory over Brooke Borges.

The matchup between SDSU's Hannah Steele and SMU's Taylor Kraft was the closest in the event, ending in an 80-77 victory for Kraft and the Mustangs. Augusta Iwasaki was also victorious over Samantha Aisenberg, 80-72.

A 73-point ride from Kendyl Rudolf was the highest score for a Jackrabbit in the flat discipline but wasn't enough to beat Audan Mooney's ride of 75. Steele suffered another loss in the meet, this time against Iwasaki, 77-70.

Hensley Humphries won the Most Outstanding Rider award for SMU in flat with a score of 77, beating Elizabeth Wagner,77-65. Kayla Scherer lost to Kiely, 68-54, and Yeager earned another win for the Mustangs with a victory over Sierra Elliott, 73-57.

UP NEXT
The Jackrabbits will finish their three-meet week in Waco, Texas, with a matchup against the Baylor Bears Saturday morning at the Willis Family Equestrian Center. Start time is 10:30 a.m.

SMU 19, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 1
Fences
Taylor Kraft (SMU) def. Hannah Steele (SDSU), 80-77 [Hardy]
Augusta Iwasaki (SMU) def. Samantha Aisenberg (SDSU), 80-72 [Zulu]
Hannah Hoch (SMU) def. Brooke Borges (SDSU), 82-67 [Tokyo]
Elli Yeager (SMU) def. Juliana Gullo (SDSU), 82-77 [Emil]
*Katie Kiely (SMU) def. Sarah Gould (SDSU), 83-67 [Jalapeno]
Flat
Elli Yeager (SMU) def. Sierra Elliott (SDSU), 73-57 [Zulu]
Katie Kiely (SMU) def. Kayla Scherer (SDSU), 68-54 [Billy]
*Hensley Humphries (SMU) def. Elizabeth Wagner (SDSU), 77-65 [Uno]
Augusta Iwasaki (SMU) def. Hannah Steele (SDSU), 77-70 [Charlie]
Aedan Mooney (SMU) def. Kendyl Rudolf (SDSU), 75-73 [Enil]
Horsemanship
Ava Blyth (SMU) def. Paige Wellendorf (SDSU), 75.5-73 [Austin]
Alexa Black (SMU) def. Hannah Dutton (SDSU), 75-73.5 [Shirley]
Nya Kearns (SMU) def. Grace Gerbus (SDSU), 76-71 [Sam]
*Jayna Lagace (SMU) def. Avery Bergan (SDSU), 77-73 [Pete]
Violet Shetler (SMU) def. Anna Minich (SDSU), 75-70.5 [Merlin]
Reining
Sara Beth Filiatreau (SMU) def. Emilie Strahm (SDSU), 67.5-66 [Shiney]
Paxton Wilson (SDSU) def. Addisyn Schmersal (SMU), 68-67.5 [Tberg]
Shelby Clausen (SMU) def. Adisyn Kuxhaus (SDSU), 72.5-68 [Goose]
Maria Richards (SMU) def. Emma Riggs (SDSU), 69.5-68 [Jellybean]
*Chalyce Head (SMU) def. Lydia Loken (SDSU), 72.5-69 [Tuni]
*Most Outstanding Performer (MOP)

-GoJacks.com-