The Voice of Blythewood & Fairfield County

UGA Riders Upset Gamecocks

Senior reiner Amanda Pope won her head-to-head ride giving Carolina an early lead.

No. 1 South Carolina suffered its first SEC lost on Saturday, as the Gamecocks were upset, 11-8, by No. 3 Georgia at One Wood Farm. South Carolina is now 5-3 overall and 3-1 in conference play, while the Bulldogs improved to 5-3 overall and 2-2 in conference play.

South Carolina’s Western team defeated the Bulldogs, 5-4, while the Gamecock Hunt Seat team lost, 7-3.

“We knew coming in that we’d have to ride our best to beat Georgia today, and I think our riders would agree that there were some times when we didn’t do that this afternoon, and we can’t make mistakes against a team like Georgia and expect to win,” South Carolina head coach Boo Major said. “I thought our Western team was phenomenal today and I couldn’t be happier for Coach Sorrel and our Western riders because they certainly were great. On the Hunt Seat side, we made some mistakes and Georgia capitalized on them, and that proved to be the difference.”

South Carolina returns to action on Feb. 14 when the Gamecocks travel to Auburn to face the Tigers.