It's also made Auburn a model school for many other universities with equestrian teams and programs, including the University of Kentucky, which is attracted to the way Auburn has set up this relationship between the two departments.

Barbara Camp, AU senior women's athletic administrator, says it's a “good marriage,” so to speak, between academics and athletics. While the College takes care of the horses' needs, from grooming to feeding, “our part is the female student athletes,” Camp says. “We take care of them.”

From equipment and travel to trainers and media relations, the girls' needs are met.

“I think it's a really good situation because we are the land-grant school and we have the necessary departments that can make this work,” Camp says.

The new commitment for an equine program has come from L. Wayne Greene, Auburn's new department head for animal sciences. Greene says he wants to increase the equine teaching, research and extension programs within animal sciences and plans on building a strong working relationship between the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Athletic Department. For the team, he plans on being a strong ally of the program.

“These are exciting times for the equine program and I am looking forward to being a part of it,” Greene says.

Williams says academics are priority for the team, and notes that the team won top scholastic honors in awards that the Athletic Department presented in 2004.

Kimberly Tidwell, a freshman majoring in pre-vet\pre-professional, says having to keep your grades up to stay on the team makes everyone a better student. She says it gives members incentive to study and make good grades.

But it's more than good grades that make the equestrian team a winner.

“What I feel is special about the team is the fact that we are a team,” Tidwell says. “We all understand each others' lifestyles because we have something in common: Horses.”

Virgil Starks, associate athletic director, says the equestrian program is the only true partnership between athletics and academics at AU and he is going to work hard to protect that. Starks says the young ladies excel both academically and athletically.

“The equestrian team has thrived because the academic unit in the college really partners with athletics,” Starks says.

“It's a natural fit,” says Williams of this partnership. “We have not only an animal sciences department that may add a new equine science major or track program, but we also have a veterinary school here, and the horse industry is growing rapidly in Alabama. The number of trainers moving in and the type of shows that are being created are getting better all the time.”

The team has already proved itself in competitions. Now the goal is to be known around Auburn's campus. Tidwell hopes the team will garner more recognition within the Athletic Department and throughout Auburn University.

In addition to the new animal sciences department head, the team last summer got two new assistant coaches, including western coach Ruth Sorrel and hunt seat coach Lindsay Neubarth, an AU graduate and former AU equestrian club sport member. Neubarth says their jobs consist of recruiting, coaching, NCAA paperwork and managing horses.

Neubarth has definitely seen changes occur within the equestrian team.

“It is very exciting because when I started here it was still a club sport,” she says. “I got to be here for the first year that it was a varsity program, so that's always exciting to be a part of something from the ground up, and be here to grow and develop it.”

She's excited to be back as coach and says, “It's great to be back as a coach helping the other girls that have come after me, just to develop it now, as a sport and continue the program that I was here to begin.”

Although Sorrel is a University of South Carolina graduate, she still enjoys her job as a coach at Auburn.

“It's still the South,” she says. “It's still great. Both teams have great support from their athletic facilities. South Carolina is a little different because they don't have the agricultural part, but I think it's a great partnership and I think it's very beneficial for both sides.”

In February the team competed against Georgia, who had not lost a game since Auburn beat them last year at the SEC's. Meets against Sorrel's Alma matter followed Georgia and then came Ohio State.

The equestrian team hosted Ohio State on senior day and the Tigers beat the Buckeyes 1,174 to 1,118.5. Special guests met Mayor Bill Ham, AU Athletic Director Jay Jacobs and Greene, after they were introduced on horseback. AU Equestrian shirts and souvenirs were given out along with free horse rides.

“We are having a great season this year. We narrowly lost to Oklahoma State, at the end of January, making our record 2-2,” Neubarth says.
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