Posted: Thursday, October 8, 2009 4:07 pm

Caroline Cramer

MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin women’s equestrian team opened its season against perennial power Georgia Friday at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Complex on campus and, if the raw score counted, the host Skyhawks would have come out on top as they edged the Bulldogs by 2.5 points.
Unfortunately that raw score only comes to play in the tiebreaker. Georgia claimed a 10-5 victory over UT Martin.
In the hunt seat competition, UT Martin and Georgia tied 2-2 in Equitation on the Flats. Caroline Cramer turned in a 79-point ride, while Kelsy Abell had an 83-point ride to claim the two points for the Skyhawks. Georgia’s Daisy Whelan won the MVP with an 89-point ride.
Georgia blanked UT Martin in Equitation over Fences. However Cramer claimed the MVP honor with her 76-point ride.
The overall score in the hunt seat was 6-2 Georgia.
“In the hunter seat, a few small mistakes were costly to us,” said UT Martin head coach Meghan Cunningham.
On the Western side, UT Martin won the Horsemanship 3-1, but dropped the reigning event 3-0. Hannah Derks, Heidi Grimm and newcomer Michelle Chullock recorded victories in Horsemanship. Grimm won the MVP in the Horsemanship with a 75.5 ride.
Overall Georgia won the Western events 4-3.
“Our Western riders were dominant in horsemanship,” said Cunningham. “Georgia is a powerhouse,” the coach said. “We could have ridden better, but mistakes kept us away from the win. However, for our first competition, we are much stronger than we were this time last year. I look forward to a strong season.”
Things will not get any easier for the UTM riders this week when they host another Southeastern Conference team in Auburn at 1 p.m. on Friday, at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Pavilion.
“We have some work to do this week in practice to be prepared for Auburn on Friday,” said Cunningham.