The Red and Black

As a member of the Varsity Equestrian team, i found this article to be a bit of an insult to us. We work EXTREMELY hard as varsity athletes, and for us to hear that they are "simply two different teams" is unfair and downplays the hard work we put in. There is an enormous difference between the level of difficulty of the club and varsity teams, and we have all the mandatory workouts, tutoring, and other requirements of a varsity athlete that the club team does not. We were national champions last year, and that was against some of the top riders and teams in the country. The club team is a great thing, but don't get the idea that it is the same as the varsity team. I believe we deserve a bit more recognition than that.

There should only be one equestrian team, the club team, since the only reason there is a varsity equestrian team is because of title ix.

And some people think it's insulting that the varsity team (cough, Athletic Assoc, cough) is trying to force the Ag School to give up the horse/livestock facilities on South Milledge.

The article wasn't about your team, it was about the club team. You got your "recognition" when you won the title last year.

yes, this article is about the club equestrian team. congratulations girls for doing well. more power to you. BUT, let's not lose sight of our varsity equestrian team who was NATIONAL CHAMPIONS last year. they beat out over 100 schools in the nation and were declared the best. their article, if i do remember, was even smaller than this article about the club team, but thats not the point here.

as far as "forcing the Ag Scool to give up the horse/livestock facilities"...don't you think that the varsity team WANTS their own facilities? YES. do you think they LIKE sharing with the Ag school? NO. can they control any of that? NO again. So, before you go *coughing* at the athletic association, how about you be a REAL bulldawg and congratulate these girls' efforts for representing our school and being the best.

p.s. i'm NOT a member of the varsity equestrian team.

i think that if you were good enough to be on the varsity team, you wouldn't be so bitter about it. i think you're jealous you can't be a national champ like they are and are too busy competing in walk-trot. big whoop. i think those girls work their butts off and it isn't just "two different teams". the club team is pointless. why not just compete on your own? you have to pay to be a member anyway. you didn't earn anything.

I absolutely cannot believe the comments I have seen about this article. As a previous member of the 'club' team, I know that we have worked extremely hard in the past four years to form a strong team. This distinction of a club sport is only due to the type of fundraising we receive from the university, so yes, you have to pay to be a member. UGA had only the IHSA team before title ix. In fact, we have asked the varsity team, on numerous occasions, to scrimmage the IHSA team. However, they have refused each time. We have offered to come to their facility, use their horses, with their course and format... but to no avail.

We have worked to create a nationally competitive team. This article was merely a way to put our name out on campus. The team gives riders an opportunity to compete, not just be on a team. It is fantastic that the varsity team earned a national championship, however, you are just plain wrong when you say they beat "100 teams." There are over 300 teams in the IHSA, and only about 18 in the NCAA format. Our team placed second last year at a show that was open to the top 20 teams of the 300 in the country. This is not a competition, it is simply two different teams. Both of which should support each other's accomplishments and should come together to inform the student body of the equestrian programs at the University.
And get your facts straight. Walk-trot is only one of the levels of competition available. Not to mention most members show outside of team competition on their own horses at top levels of competition on the east coast. The team is simply a way to expand our love of the sport and represent the school in the best way we can.

I don't understand all the hostility coming from the proponents of the varsity team. This article in no way exhibits any resentment or bitterness towards the varsity team. The fact of the matter is, they are two different teams. They compete under different formats in different areas of the country. That makes them DIFFERENT. And it says a lot when a team can successfully coach riders from every level of competition as opposed to a team full of girls who has been able to ride around on expensive horses and afford to ride at high levels all of their riding careers and call it a sport. And how dare anybody say these girls don't earn their spots on the team. Just because they pay to be on the team doesn't mean they don't have to go through tryouts. These girls absolutely earn their spots on the team and work so hard for every opportunity they get. Not only are they great riders, but they are also great horsepeople, and because they run the team themselves, they are also great administrators. I know these girls personally and I do not appreciate anyone insinuating they have not earned their spots on a team or this article in the red and black. It's about time the club team got some recognition. Competing against 300 other teams in the nation is a little more impressive than competing against 18. just a thought you guys might want to consider.

The title 9 queens sound like a bunch of stuck up bitches. I'm sure this isn't the attitude of the majority of the girls on the team, but seriously, get a goddamn life. You have to come on the Red and Black's website and belittle club competition? Why, to make yourself feel better? Go cry in a corner, emo kid. It doesn't belittle you to praise the club team. In fact, it helps you out because people will actually hear about your sport (which nobody cares about and only exists to balance out the football team). Be thankful your sport got the publicity.

I can't believe how bitter and/or bitchy you have to be to belittle your own sport's competitors because the article was somehow 'unfair' to you.

I am frankly shocked at the immaturity of the varsity team. Really? I thought we were in college. I thought for sure that the varsity team could just give a friendly congrats on our single article in the paper. Our 1 versus there how many in past few weeks? We don't get spotlight, especially not our individual members. I love the team and all the girls on it are supportive. I don't think any of us would act this bitter or immature. I have a question though, when you girls go to a show and somebody betters you on a course, do you sit on the ground and throw a tantrum? Do you pitch fits if UGA's varsity is not the first one announced?
I am a member of the club team. I feel privileged to be a part of it. I'm walk/trot. This is not because I'm a terrible rider it's because I grew up riding trails. I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth and with million dollar horses. I really want to learn to ride english and this team gives me a chance to learn and to compete. We all get a fair chance to compete.
What the club team does is amazing, we help out with other local shows and other trainers and barns. I am proud to say I am part of the UGA IHSA Intercollegiate team. After the comment from the varsity team member I would be ashamed to even have anything to do with them.
You girls need to buck up and put your big girl panties.

We need Sam Steinberg's coverage of equestrian!

As another member of the Varsity Equestrian team, I can only speak for myself when I say I do not agree with the sentiment of the original response (though I imagine I am not the only dissenter). I agree with what the article says-yes, we are two DIFFERENT teams. Different format, different opponents, different team obligations. That does not mean one is better than the other. Who's to say a more advanced IHSA (club) member could not easily walk on to the varsity team? Who's to say a varsity member wouldn't enjoy the less stringent obligations of the club team? As for the IHSA team's success in their latest competition, a sincere "congratulations" is certainly in order.

equestrian is not a sport, it's a hobby. horse racing is a sport. these "athletes" are just taking a ride around a corral. why is the story about a girl riding a horse? the horse does all the work. let's see the gals jump over those obstacles and then i'll say they have some athletic ability.

i assure you that the first response does NOT express the views of the majority of the varsity team! we are proud to be a part of a community in which both the club and varsity level teams are EXTREMELY successful. congrats to the club team for a great start to the season.

This is so sad and pathetic I don't even know where to begin. Out of the gate, I would like to congratulate the IHSA team for their 2nd place win, great job girls, you'll get Hatchet Face and her Cronies soon.

I find it pretty pathetic at first whoever started the shit talking couldn't even post their name, all I can guess is that it was Meg-HAN or one of her player hating corn dogs! Way to be different there MegHAN! That's the stupidest pronunciation I have ever heard. And yes I am going to talk shit because these club girls obviously have more class then some of u "Varsity" girls and right now some shit needs to be thrown at some peepers on here.
The only thing mentioned about the Varsity team In this short arse article is ;

"The club team differs from the varsity team in format and circuit of the shows"

"We are simply two separate teams,"

"We compete against different schools and in different locations."

That's it...OMG Im so sorry Red and Black forgot to post a follow up article praising your victory...again, everyone don't forget to bow down now... You had your article, it had a picture, some words on your awesome victory (congrats on btw), and a congrats from the R&B and school. You won, wtf else is there to say? Oh yeah I forget, you need more money, more horses, your own place, sorry we forgot to include your incessant bitching. Please give us a f* break, you get how much money from the school, I think it's somewhere around the tune of $100,000? Where in the hell does it say anything, or knock on the varsity team about how much work you girls do? Want more money, how about you do so "work" (heres a link to wiki which defines it for those girls who don't know what this word is/means http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work >

Obviously whoever is bringing this up, (btw; you must be real f* smart based on your mind blowing complex and detailed interpretation of this article) must be feeling guilty on the amount of work they do to even bring this up? Where the hell do you see anything talking about your team or the work they do... Fu*k... sounds like you need to stop humping that horse and go back to grade school chickadee.

"For us to hear that they are "simply two different teams" is unfair and downplays the hard work we put in"
OMG, you must be under the expert tutelage of James Carville himself to have come up with that mind boggling introspective interpretation? Please explain how the f* that sentence is unfair or downplays the work you do...your just plain stupid that's all... hey, but it's not your fault, we'll just blame it on your Mommy and Daddy McCain supporting arses.

Let's be honest, and you knows it's the truth; The varsity team exists for title ix purposes...plain and simple. The AA knows it, you know it, we know it. Why don't you think you have your own place, why do you think your incessant bitching won't get you a new place...you're a bastard red head child in the super market which I should have left in the 100degree car with the doors locked. It's 60 plus girls (of which only 12 compete). Fuk!!! MegHAN has to go out every year and recruit even more freshmen to show because the other girls riding under her for more than a year are so fuked up in their riding style that they aren't even allowed to show anymore? Did you ever stop and think why you don't show after two years? Hell when is the last time MegHAN even got up on a horse, can she even get that Christmas ham she calls a thigh off the ground?
You want to talk about work now, the money yall have HANDED OUT to you, has to be fundraised, earned at a secondary job, or donated by the community (who extensively supports this club based on a host of reasons)? What do you girls do? Go home, sit on daddys lap, nod at him when he asks you if your voting for McCain? How many carwashes, bakesales, no horse-horse shows, community dinners, potlucks, raffles, festivals, camps, or bingo nights have yall planned?

I want to see your coach or any rider on that team take a back yard rider, a backyard horse/rescue horse, and send them to The Tournament Of Champions in under a year of training and win top 5 like the club team. I want to see your team get on a rescue horse or 1000 dollar horse and teach that green pony to jump 3''...hell I would be surprised to even see if you could even train it yourself, sorry these girls didn't have daddy buy them a 100,000 dollar horse who can jump 3'6 right out of the gate...sorry they don't care more about chasing points and winning titles than the health and quality of each of their horses... sorry they can't just go buy new ones like you.
Obviously some of you rats don't know the first thing about this industry, winning bitches like some of you go nowhere, no one likes to work with you much less train with you, why do you think theres some many ppl on your team, so they don't have to look at ur face

U bitches are a waste of breath, congrats Club girls, its yalls time to shine

O yeah, Lorrin Mortimer is hot... but i still luv my Bu-Baby! Cheeeeesee!!! I used to be first man :O(

gimme some cheetos bitch! Ha-Ha!

In response to a previous posting of "Jacob" we echo the response of Anon
posted 10/09/08 @ 9:26 PM EST
In saying that these views do not reflect the opinion of the IHSA team. We are very proud to be a part of this team and this community, that has produced both a national championship NCAA team and a very successful club team. We apologize that views like this were expressed.
We wish both the teams luck for the season.

Jacob your my HERO!! I love my IHSA girls and i wish you all the best of luck this season!!

I agree with "give the horses the credit" or whoever that was. equestrian is not a sport! haha That was the best sentence on this entire comment board!

Horses have really big dicks

I do not understand why two teams from the same school in the same sport cannot support each other. This is ridiculous. If we were competing for the same titles then MAYBE stones can be cast but seriously....where is the jelousy coming from? I guarantee you that each of the members of the varsity team has gone to ATLEAST 1 football game if not another sporting event of the University of Georgia and its not even their sport! I would think the number 1 team they should support outside of their own would be the IHSA team...and yes we are AN EQUESTRIAN TEAM OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA!!!!!! I personally support the varsity team and look foward to a weekend that I can attend one of their home shows. Congratulations to you girls on your National Title and best of luck this year.

Most importantly though, Congratualtions to the IHSA team riders for their hard work and dedication to the team. It has really paid off and keep in mind that the things that are most appreciated in life are those that we have to work to obtain. Congratulations on our show at Berry and keep up the hard work!!!