The Varsity Equestrian Selection Committee selected South Dakota State sophomore Megan Violand as one of 16 riders to compete at the 2011 WEF Collegiate Equitation Challenge on Feb. 11 at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Fla.

"It's an extreme honor for a rider to get to represent their school at the WEF Collegiate Equitation Challenge," SDSU interim assistant equestrian coach Leigh Nichol said of the selection. "Every team invited sends one of their top hunt seat riders and Megan fits that bill. She has a very diverse background as hunt seat rider and I think she can prove her strength as an equestrienne and the strength of SDSU Equestrian Team."

No stranger to the national scene, the Moorpark, Calif., native Earned reserve national champion honors in working hunter over fences at the Arabian Horse Association Youth Nationals in 2009 and finished in the top-10 in equitation on the flat and equitation over fences at the 2008 Arabian Youth Nationals before bringing her skills to South Dakota State last year.