No. 5 Texas A&M equestrian kicked off its fall slate with a statement victory on the road, defeating UC Davis 11–5 on Friday, Oct. 10, at the UC Davis Equestrian Center. The Aggie squad displayed consistent performances in all four disciplines, controlling the meet from start to finish.
Aggies set the tone in Fences
The Aggies were quick to get on the board in the Fences discipline. Freshman Logan Thomas introduced herself to the 12th Man, leading off with an impressive 86 on Glennis. Senior Alexa Leong’s would follow with an 82 on Tony to give the Aggies a strong start.
UC Davis answered with junior Lauren Kolbe’s 84 on Otis and sophomore Carmen Gonzalez’s 72 on Bear, keeping the event close early on. However, sophomore Grace Shipman closed out the event in style, earning an 85 on Otis to seal another point for the Fightin Farmers.
A tie between A&M junior Alida Treuting and her counterpart, both scoring 83 on Bam Bam, helped the Aggies secure a commanding lead to start the meet.
A&M led UC Davis 4-1 after Fences.
Dominant showing in Horsemanship
Coach Tana McKay’s team continued to roll in the Horsemanship phase of the meet. Juniors Kaylynn Heitman and Kendall Dirksen led the way with matching 74.5s on Hoss and Penny, securing key points that pushed A&M further in front.
Before the veteran pair closed out the event, senior Meagan Braun added a 72.5 on Henry, while Adasyn Kallay contributed a 70.5 on Shylo to keep the Aggies in control throughout.
When the dust settled, A&M had claimed four of five matchups in Horsemanship to build a commanding 7–1 lead over UC Davis.
Aggies keep rolling in Flat
A&M continued its Horsemanship momentum in the Flat event, trading a few points but maintaining a firm lead.
Sophomore Grace Shipman notched her second win of the day with a 77 on Stallone, while senior Devan Thomas added a 78 on Courtage and junior Kate Egan posted an 80 on Calvigo to secure a 10-2 lead heading into Reining.
Sealing it in Reining
A&M closed the door in Reining, holding strong through the final rides. Junior Moriah McQueen opened with a 72 on Mr. T, followed by 5th year Mattie Gustin’s 72.5 on Belle and senior Gracie Casebolt’s 73 on GT to finish off the program’s impressive outing.
UC Davis went for a late comeback with a few points toward the end of the competition, but it wasn’t enough to overcome A&M’s early lead.
The Aggies finished with an 11–5 victory, securing their first win of the 2025 campaign and proving why the program is a national powerhouse.
McKay’s Aggies will travel to Columbia, South Carolina, on Friday, Oct. 17, to face South Carolina in a rematch of last year’s Southeastern Conference Championship. The Aggies will look for redemption after falling 11–8 to the Gamecocks in the conference final.
