Auburn equestrian team defeats Lynchburg in season opener

The University of Lynchburg equestrian team opened its 2026-27 season with a two-day road trip to Alabama, facing Auburn University and Bridgewater College.

In the first meet, the No. 3 ranked Auburn equestrian team defeated Lynchburg 9-0 in a Jumping Seat-only contest. Auburn swept the Most Outstanding Performer honors, with junior Ariana Marnell winning on the Flat and freshman Taylor Cawley earning honors in Fences. While the meet does not count toward official records due to the difference between dual discipline and single discipline programs, Auburn maintained a raw-score advantage of 854-800.

Lynchburg concluded its trip with a 5-3 victory against Bridgewater. After trailing 3-2 following the fences portion, the Hornets secured three points in the flat event to win the meet. Amaya Bellfield and Rebecca Collier provided the necessary points in fences for Lynchburg, with Bellfield scoring an 84 and Collier also earning an 84.