The Jackson Academy equestrian team concluded its competition season this weekend at Nationals in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Since August, the 2021-2022 equestrian team has been prepping for its year-long season. The equestrian team is in its eighth year and consists of fifth through twelfth graders, split into Middle School and Upper School teams.
During the regular season, riders accumulate individual points according to their placement and can advance to Regional competition within their Zone, which is the entire southeast region. The team can also accumulate points and advance simultaneously. First-place winners at each competition, from Regionals to Nationals, advance to the next level of competition, with Nationals being the highest.
The teams started their season on the road to Memphis, Tennessee. They then competed locally at Reunion Farm in Madison, Mississippi. At each of these competitions, the Middle School and Upper School teams were named Grand Champions and Reserve Champions. In January, the regional competition was hosted locally in Brandon, Mississippi. Upper School and Middle School teams were named Grand Champions here, with seven team members advancing to Zone finals. Those who advanced to Zone finals were senior member Alden McNamara and underclassmen Ellen Morgan, Chloe Palato, Sara Madalin Brown, Selah Jones, Emma Charlotte Hosch, and Lola Rhoden.
Zone finals were hosted in Tryon, North Carolina, where the seven advanced team members competed for Nationals. From Zone finals, ninth-grader Ellen Morgan advanced to Nationals in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Ellen competed at Nationals this past weekend in two categories: Varsity Intermediate Equitation On-The-Flat and Varsity Intermediate Equitation Over Fences. She placed fifth in Equitation Over Fences. Congratulations, Ellen, and congratulations JA Equestrian Team on an outstanding season!
