The Basics
Oklahoma State equestrian returns to action for the second half of the 2023-24 season as it takes on Big 12 rival Baylor on Feb. 9 at Pedigo-Hull Equestrian Center in Stillwater. The Cowgirls went 2-5 in the fall campaign and are ranked seventh in the NCEA entering the spring. OSU sits in second place in conference competition with a 2-1 record. The Cowgirls beat the Bears in Waco in the fall half of the season, 10-8. The spring season kicks off at 1 p.m. CT.
About the Cowgirls
Head coach Larry Sanchez, in his 25th year at the helm, leads the Cowgirls alongside fifth-year assistant Laura Brainard, second-year assistant Carter Anderson, first-year assistant Alle Durkin and consultant Jody Brainard.
Fresh Faces on Staff
Alle Durkin and Jody Brainard enter their first year with the Cowgirls. Durkin, a former rider at Texas A&M joins Carter Anderson as OSU’s second assistant Jumping Seat coach. Prior to her time at Texas A&M, Durkin trained under the tutelage of several leaders in the equestrian world, such as Kevin Babington and Kenny and Linda Langmeier. While working with Babington as a student worker, she developed skills in training and caring for top-level horses, along with gaining experience in business and equine management activities. Brainard, uncle of OSU Western assistant coach Laura Brainard, joins OSU as a consultant in the Reining event. Brainard brings over 40 years of experience to OSU’s team, highlighted by his time spent as a professional horseman and his established credibility in training horses. He’s held titles such as official, researcher, monitor and mentor to go along with his status as a professional.
National Recognition
Cowgirls Claire McDowall and Emma Filiatreau were recognized as Riders of the Month in November for their respected events. McDowall was the NCEA and Big 12 Horsemanship Rider of the Month, while Filiatreau was named the Big 12’s Co-Reining Rider of the Month. McDowall became the first Horsemanship rider to earn the national title since Jojo Roberson in 2022, while Filiatreau is the first Reining freshman to earn conference accolades since Hannah Mitchell in 2017.
An Oklahoma State Win Would...
- improve its home record against Baylor to 20-0.
- be its 13th-straight win over Baylor.
- be its 37th win over the Bears, the most wins out of any team in the NCEA for the Cowgirls.
- improve its conference record to 3-1.
“The team could not be more excited to get our spring semester underway,” head coach Larry Sanchez said. “Baylor is coming into Stillwater after a big home win against Georgia, so we’re prepared for the energy they will bring. We are riding at a very high level right now and plan to carry that into Friday. It looks to be a beautiful afternoon, so we are hoping for a lot of fan support for our Cowgirls.”
Cowgirl MOPs
Claire McDowall: 3 (TCU, at South Carolina, at Georgia)
Quincee Clark: 2 (at SMU, Fresno State)
Maddie Fussell: 2 (TAMU, Fresno State)
Riley Hogan: 2 (TCU, at Baylor)
Bella Holway: 1 (at SMU)
Sydney North: 1 (Fresno State)
Ella Reinauer: 1 (Fresno State)
Who to Watch
- Claire McDowall has proven to be one of the most reliable riders on the Western side. She’s 6-1 to start the year and leads the Cowgirls with three MOPs. For her efforts, she was named the NCEA and Big 12 Horsemanship Rider of the Month in November after going 3-0 with two MOPs in as many days, on the road, to conclude the fall season. Likewise, she’s on a four-ride win streak.
- Junior Riley Hogan enters the spring season with the most combined wins on the team, with five in Fences and three in Flat. The all-American earned two MOPs, one in each event, and has a season-high of 87 in Fences.
- Captain Sydney North returned to OSU for a graduate year. Currently sitting at 31 combined wins, she got things going in the 2023-24 season with her 25th career win in Fences against TCU and a career-high 90 points against SMU. She also earned her first MOP of the year in Fences against Fresno State.
- Freshman Emma Filiatreau earned Co-Reining Rider of the Month in November after going 3-0 to conclude the fall season. She leads OSU’s Reining squad with a 5-1-1 overall record and became the first freshman in the event to go undefeated in a month since all-timer Hannah Lovrien did in 2018-19.
- Sydney North and Riley Hogan are the active leaders in career wins for OSU, each with 31 combined victories from Fences and Flat.
- Freshman Bella Holway put forth a 91-point effort in Fences against SMU in just her third collegiate ride. It tops the list of freshmen performances in the event in OSU history and is the second highest among any riders in program history.
- Quincee Clark is a two-time MOP on the year with a 69.5-69 win against Fresno State. An all-American honorable mention last year, Clark has two of the five highest scored rides in Reining for the Cowgirls this season.
- Captain Maddie Fussell has either won or tied her rides since the first meet of the season. She’s 5-1-1 with two MOPs that she earned in consecutive meets. She has a season-high of 76.5 against Fresno State in Horsemanship, which earned her the second MOP of her career.