The University of Wyoming Ranch Horse Team had its first ever collegiate champion crowned at the 2023 Stock Horse Association of Texas (SHTX) National Intercollegiate Challenge.
This challenge took place during the National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) Celebration of Champions in Fort Worth, Texas. The event was held from Feb. 10-12 with the collegiate portion on Saturday, Feb. 11.
Three members qualified for the event; Kailynn Stoll, Samantha Knack, and Niamh (pronounced knee-of) Sexton. One of the members marked the highest scores of the day, winning the elite event.
Kailynn Stoll was in the collegiate Non-Pro division on her horse SCR Gunshot. The freshman and her 2010 gelding, “Marshmallow” had a score of 272.0 points.
“I’ve only been going down the fence for four months now so I’m really happy with how we both did,” Stoll said.
The duo ended in 17th place overall and 8th in the division.
“The experience was definitely one of a kind. I joined the team for that experience, to just feel everybody around you at different levels and it was very cool to experience as a freshman.” Stoll said.
“Everyone was very, very supportive.”
In the novice division, sophomore Samantha Nack would have her very first experience in Fort Worth, riding Don’t Jynx This Lynx, or as she likes to call him, “Sweet Tea”.
Nack is the vice president of the UW Ranch Horse team this year and getting the opportunity to show at that level has been the start to a dream becoming a reality.
“Sweet Tea and I have never been to a big NRCHA show to that level before and it was really exciting getting to be on a stage like that and it just felt good knowing that I got to show off my horse and represent all the hard work we have been doing this semester.”
Nack ended this first time experience with a combined score of 234.0 points. Nack is proud of her four-year-old equine partner, Sweet Tea, as they only had a short time to prepare for this distinguished event.
“I went in with a goal to have nice spins, get a lead change, and circle well and he did all those things so I was super excited about that,” Nack stated.
“Showing in Texas was a lot of fun and I hope that eventually down the road that I can go again and do even better than this time. “
Representing UW in the Non-Pro division was Niamh Sexton on her seven-year-old stallion, Ima Metallic Shine, who she calls “Swagger.” Sexton achieved the highest scores in her division and the most points overall against 41 other collegiate competitors.
Her reigning score was 148.5 points and her cow work score was 148.0, making her combined score 296.5 points. She became the first member to win an intercollegiate competition in UW Ranch Horse Team history.
“I was actually super nervous at first. When I was showing in that event it was only my second time having to be able to ride my horse. Four days ago, he was in a trailer accident and had been kicked pretty severely by another horse so he had not been feeling great. So I hadn’t been able to ride him and get comfortable with him.”
Her closest opponent, Cutter McLaughlin from West Texas A&M University (WTAMU), scored 295.0 points.
“We had some of the biggest Non-Pro and exiting youth competing. We had Tyler Todd and Cutter McLaughlin and a lot of Top 10 open trainers poaching the teams. It was very elite this year,” Sexton stated.
“It’s been extremely influential in my character through college and I feel very fortunate to be a part of that and really feel at home in my own little collegiate world.”
Sexton is a senior with double majors in Natural Resource Management and Agricultural Communications. She also has an undergraduate certificate in remote sensing. It was not her first time at the event, however, it was the best way to end the athlete’s collegiate showing career.
“I want to give all the credit to the university and the team and the organization. I truly can say I would not have been as successful as I am today without the support and the guidance of our alumni that have been with the team.”
