I am excited to announce that the Judson College Equestrian Team now has three new members: Lindy Cowart, Meagan Bennett, and Megan Kingsmore.

                 It is not often that new members are added in the middle of the season, but if a position on the team opens up during the first semester, students who qualify for those positions may be offered a spot in January. Spots on the team open up when a rider "points out" of a class and the team no longer has someone riding in that class, or if it would be beneficial to have multiple riders in a class.

                 That is what happened this year. Our walk trot rider Sarah Dunn "pointed out" of class 11 beginner walk trot at our last show in the fall, so we would no longer have someone riding in that class. Lindy Cowart and Meagan Bennett both qualified for this class and, because it is a small class and riders are generally able to "point out" of it fairly quickly, it was beneficial to have both of them join the team as class 11 Beginner Walk- Trot riders. Meagan Kingsmore has joined the team as a class 12 B Intermediate Walk-Trot-Canter rider. Though Judson's equestrian team already had riders in this class, two of them are very close to pointing out and because it is good to have multiple riders in a class, it worked well to have Megan join the team.  

Starting now is good for all three of these girls because it gives them a head start towards qualifying for Regional's next year. There are not enough shows left in this season for them to accumulate enough points to qualify, but competing this year puts them that much closer next year, since the points that a rider gains carries over to the next show season. It is also beneficial for the team for them to join now because any points they earn still goes towards the team's total.

                It is great to have these girls on the team and I am looking forward to working with them in the coming shows!