The South Dakota State equestrian team started the spring season strong with a 16-3 win over the Minnesota-Crookston on Saturday at the DeHaan Equestrian Center.
The Jackrabbits fifth straight win raises the team's record to 5-3 on the season.
Despite a slow start in the equitation ever fences event, where the Golden Eagles took three of the five points, the Jackrabbits managed to sweep the reining, horsemanship and equitation on the flat phases of the competition.
"The girls started out too relaxed, but then came back into the rest of the events hungry," assistant coach Kamerra Brown said, "I'm very proud of freshman Marielle Golden, she had a fabulous start to her second semester. She's a talented rider and is stepping up and showing her potential by putting herself out there."
Along with Golden, senior Megan Violand scored the only fences points for the Jackrabbits today.
"I'm just so proud to represent my team and prove their faith in me by winning my points today," Violand said of her accomplishment over fences and MOP award on the flat.
Golden earned the MOP honors fences, senior captain Jana Basler earned MOP honors for reining and senior captain Hannah Stone completing the clean sweep of MOP awards in horsemanship,.
Violand, junior captain Santana Wright, sophomore Jordan Goodall and Golden earned points for the Jacks on the flat..
Stone, Kelsey Champagne and Hillery Baysinger, along with junior Shelby Webb and freshman Lexus Hoffman all won their points in horsemanship.
Senior Jana Basler, junior Laura Dunlavy, sophomore Danielle Baker and freshmen Raivenne Scott and Jessie Miller all won their points in reining, as well.
"The meet started off slow with a few errors in the fences," head coach Megan Rossiter said. "But the athletes regained their composure and had some standout rides. We had very strong finish sweeping in reining, horsemanship and flat."
The Jackrabbits now look forward the Winter Equestrian Festival on Friday in Wellington, Fla., where Violand represents the Jackrabbits in equitation on the flat and Wright represent South Dakota State in Equitation over fences.
