Mississippi College

CLINTON, MS - Mississippi College's equestrian team is led by a new captain and the talented squad features a number of new riders this spring. MC senior Sara Mellado of Mesquite, Texas was recently named captain of the Lady Choctaws team. Last year, Mellado advanced to post-season regional competition in Georgia. The Texan is the granddaughter of former MC art chairman Sam Gore.

"In high school, Sara did the pole vault and kept raising the bar,'' Gore said. "She works at two jobs and still keeps a high performance in her studies.''

Working at First Baptist Church in Jackson and the horse stables plus her performance with the MC equestrian team combined with her academic work on the Clinton campus, Mellado "is not satisfied without a challenge,'' Gore said. "It is her character trait to be a leader.''

Now in its third season, the MC equestrian team is gearing up for Intercollegiate Horse Show Association competition at Sewanee, Tenn. Feb. 13-14. Next up will be the IHSA horse show March 6-7 at Murray State University in Kentucky.

Newcomers to the 11-member team this include MC students Ori Cloutier of Wilsonville, Ala., Alison Newman of Jonesboro, Ark. and Leah Katynski of Orlando. An MC freshman, Newman says she's happy her friend talked her into joining the team.

"I came out here (Providence Hill Farm) a few times and just fell in love with it," Newman said. "Hopefully I will ride the next few years."

Newman didn't know that Mississippi College fielded an equestrian team until she enrolled on the Clinton campus last August. Her favorite horse to ride is named Dribbles, a former Western show horse. Another favorite is Woodrow, an older and bigger horse. There are good benefits to being on the MC equestrian team at Providence Hill Farm, a short 20-minute ride from the university.

"I like getting away from campus. The scenery is absolutely beautiful out there," Newman said. Besides riding MC horses several times a week, she often hits the books. The Arkansan is a political science and pre-law major. The MC freshman may follow in the footsteps of Providence Hill Farm owner Jamie Martin, an attorney, longtime horse lover and the team's adviser.

Some on the MC equestrian team have been active competitors in the horse world for years.

Freshman Kathyrn Cawthon, 18, a psychology major from Brandon, began riding at age nine and never stopped. A graduate of Northwest Rankin High, she participated in numerous schooling horse shows and in the annual State Games of Mississippi in Meridian.

When she's not riding at MC equestrian headquarters at Providence Hill Farm, freshman Josie Taylor of Petal spends lots of time studying. She's a biology/pre-med major. Others on the team include Christian studies major Audra Johnson, a junior from Holcomb, Cameron Crowe of Belden, Caitlyn Hagenbrok of Colliersville, Tenn., Rebekah Langley of Memphis and Sierra McAvoy of Ohio.

Becky Baumel, a former star collegiate rider at Findlay University in Ohio, is the MC team's coach.