Sweet Briar Riding

06/18/2026

Some exciting new opportunities for our coaches. We are looking forward to our upcoming season.

SWEET BRIAR, Va. – The Sweet Briar College Riding Program has announced a realignment of the coaching staff for the National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA), Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA), and show teams.

06/17/2026

Congratulations to our Director Merrilee "Mimi" Wroten '93 on being named the Paul D. Cronin Chair of Riding.

🎉 Sweet Briar College recently honored IHSA Hall of Fame inductee Paul Cronin by naming their Director of Riding the Paul D. Cronin Chair of Riding.

The inaugural Paul D. Cronin Chair of Riding is Merrilee “Mimi” Davies Wroten ’93.

Cronin was inducted posthumously into the IHSA Hall of Fame Class of 2026 at the National Championship in May after an accomplished tenure at Sweet Briar College.

He coached at Sweet Briar College in Sweet Briar, Virginia, from 1967 until 2001, then served as Director of Riding Emeritus from 2001 until his death in 2024. Paul Cronin earned a reputation not just as a capable trainer of horses and riders, but also as a teacher of teachers.

🔗 Read more about this influential IHSA Hall of Famer https://brnw.ch/PaulCroninIHSA

📸: Photos courtesy of Sweet Briar College.

05/14/2026

Senior Ride 2026 is in the books! Two beautiful mornings spent riding on campus with our wonderful mule and ponies! 🫏🐎🩷💚

05/13/2026

We had a great time celebrating all of our riders at both the Athletics and Riding Banquet and at our Riding Program Awards Cookout.
Congratulations to:
Wyette Felton '26 for winning the prestigious Chrysler Award
Naomi Dachis '26 - Rider of the Year
Sadie Swift '29 - Rookie Rider of the Year
Eva Crowley '29 - Susan Lehman Courage Award
Maggie Booth '26 - Crispen Award - NCEA Team
Sarah Pastula '26 - Crispen Award - IHSA Team

Riding Program Award winners were:
Kendel Wickline '27 - Blackwell Challenge Trophy
Sophia Peterson ' 29 - Fayette - Brown Challenge Trophy
Sarah Chapin '29 - Owings Loving Cup
Kaelin Hanson '28 - Lendon Gray Equitation Trophy
Jane Harrigan Rashid '29 - 52 Cup - Most Improved First Year
Emily Viger '28 - Daisy Volunteer Award
Sunny Iskra '27 - Vixen Award
Celia Phelen '29 & Wyette Felton '26 - Rider Scholar Award
Hallie Nelson '29 & Sadie Swift '29 - Preson Brown Horsemanship Award.

Good luck to all our seniors and we look forward to next year with our returning students and new incoming first years!

05/11/2026

Happy birthday to Riding Instructor Sarah Miller! We are so thankful for all that you do for our students and our horses!

05/06/2026

Today after 18 years with the program our sweet boy Ray, SBC's Love Z, told us it was time for him to pass over the Rainbow Bridge. Ray was 31 years old and came to us as a former Grand Prix jumper and left us as the best beginner horse a student or instructor could hope for. In his time with us, he was always in the ribbons for SWVHJA Medal finals, finally winning it in 2019 with Katie Balding '21. He was a fixture in the Oak Ridge Medal, his best finish was 2nd with Kathryn Richards '15. Ray participated in NCEA meets, ANRC's, IHSA and many local and rated horse shows. He participated in Senior Rides, Tree Lighting ( up until he decided he didn't like the bells), Trail Rides, Reunion Rides and Halloween Gymkhanas. He had the form of a hunter and the handiness of a equitation horse, he would happily canter around the ring on the counter lead and then throw out a perfect lead change. He believed that jumps were for jumping, not trotting, he was easy to teach on, all you had to let your riders know was that he liked to go left and was still teaching our riders to trot and canter and participating in fun shows and IHSA up until just recently.

05/03/2026

MILL SPRING, N.C. – The Sweet Briar College IHSA team completed day two of action at the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) National Championship today with both junior Kendel Wickline (Frederick, Md.) and first-year Sadie Swift (Leonardtown, Md.) competing.

05/02/2026

Good luck to Kendel Wickline and Sadie Swift at IHSA Nationals today!

05/01/2026

MILL SPRING, N.C. – The Sweet Briar College IHSA team kicked off action at the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) National Championship today, with first-year Sadie Swift (Leonardtown, Md.) seeing action in the ring.

05/01/2026

Good luck to Sadie Swift competing at IHSA Nationals today!

(Picture is of fellow IHSA Nationals Qualifier Sarah Pastula who is currently studying abroad in France!)