South Carolina Equestrian Team Upsets Georgia
The Gamecocks defeated the Bulldogs 12-6 in a collegiate equestrian meet held on Thursday.
Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Equestrian
South Carolina secured a decisive 12-6 victory over Georgia in their recent collegiate equestrian meet. This result marks the first loss of the season for the Bulldogs.
Why it matters
The win serves as a major turning point in the collegiate season by handing Georgia its first defeat. It highlights the competitive depth of South Carolina across multiple disciplines.
South Carolina dominated the fences discipline 4-1 and secured the reining category 3-0. Individual performances included high scores such as 89 from Maggie King and 85.5 from Liza Cram.
The players
Liza Cram
Liza Cram is a collegiate equestrian athlete who recorded a score of 85.5 during the meet.
Maggie King
Maggie King is a collegiate rider who achieved the highest noted individual performance of 89 points.
Gabriella Curry
Gabriella Curry is a competitor who contributed to the meet results with a score of 80.5.
Devin VanZanten
Devin VanZanten is an equestrian participant who finished the event with a score of 72.5.
The details
The meet was contested across four disciplines: fences, horsemanship, flats, and reining. South Carolina controlled the day with a 3-2 victory in the flats, while Georgia managed a 3-2 win in the horsemanship discipline.
Timeline
The equestrian meet took place on October 23, 2026.
Georgia is scheduled to compete against Fresno State on October 30, 2026.
Season Trajectory
This upset disrupts the established hierarchy of the 2026 collegiate equestrian season and forces a recalculation of the postseason picture. The loss shifts Georgia's momentum as they look toward future matchups against non-conference opponents.
Georgia now moves to 0-1 against SEC competition, altering the standing metrics for the current collegiate season. The nullification of two points in reining due to ties indicates high scoring parity that could influence future tie-break protocols.
The takeaway
Maintaining consistent performance across all four disciplines is essential for securing victory in collegiate meets. Teams looking to improve should focus on depth in the reining discipline where ties can often neutralize hard-earned points.
What happens next
Georgia is scheduled to compete against Fresno State on October 30, 2026.
Further reading
For more on competitive riding, visit the Equestrian section.
