University of Georgia Athletics
Kyndall Harper Finishes Second at NRHA Collegiate Reining Championships
July 01, 2016 | Equestrian
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. --- Georgia's Kyndall Harper finished second at the National Reining Horse Association's Collegiate Reining Championships on Thursday held at the State Fair Park in Oklahoma City as part of the NRHA Derby.
"It was super exciting," Georgia assistant coach Laura Brainard said. "Kyndall rode great and I was so proud of her. She brought a lot of excitement to the arena and to the crowd as well. It's always such an honor to compete at this level and to have a rider represent the University of Georgia."
Harper was the last of 12 riders to compete with a strong run that earned her a score of 214 on Coastal Smoke. She finished just shy of Auburn's Blair McFarlin's 216.5 and edged Texas A&M's Hannah Jechow's score of 212.
"I look forward to the Collegiate Championship each year," Harper said. "It's an honor to show at the NRHA Derby and represent Georgia. I enjoyed my ride on Coastal Smoke. He was a very fun horse and I was very lucky to draw him."
The St. Augustine, Florida native was chosen to represent the NHRA following an application process. She finished the 2015-16 season with a 12-4 record, including two MOP awards. She was named to the All-SEC Reining Team and earned NCEA second team All-American honors.
The NRHA Derby runs for one week each summer in Oklahoma City and showcases the world's best reining horses in the four to six year age range. Thousands of spectators, exhibitors, and horses attend the event each year. The Derby is one of two major events presented by the NRHA each year in Oklahoma City. For more information on this year's Derby, visit www.nrhaderby.com.
For more information on the Georgia equestrian team, follow @UGAequestrian on Twitter and Instagram or Georgia Equestrian on Facebook.
