Tryon, N.C. - On Friday, May 2, 2025, freshman Elizabeth Bechtold brought Randolph-Macon College to the national stage once again at the IHSA National Horse Show. The Kennett Square, Pa., native took First Place in her class (Individual Novice – Flat) against the top 16 riders in the country.

This is the fourth consecutive year that RMC Equestrian, under the leadership of Director of Equestrian John West, has sent a rider to IHSA Nationals. Bechtold is also the second rider to claim a national championship, following Caitlyn Giese '24 winning the 2022 Novice Flat title. Grace Bakeman '23 placed 11th in the 2023 Individual Introductory class and Kelsey Sullivan '26 placed third in the 2024 Intermediate Over Fences class.

"Coming in as a freshman, I was welcomed and encouraged by the coaching staff and team here at Randolph-Macon College. Head coach John has played a significant role in building my riding and horsemanship skills throughout this academic year. The guidance and support from the coaches this season have been vital to my growth as both a rider and as an individual. This experience has been truly meaningful to me as I have worked hard this year to find my spot on our team." Bechtold said.

"Above all, the unwavering support from my teammates and barn mates has been incredibly motivating. My goal this year was to simply do my best day in and day out, whether it be in my lessons, in the gym, or in my horse care. I'm grateful to be achieving much more than that as part of the Randolph-Macon College Equestrian team. This process has shown me that if you work hard, you really can achieve any goal that you set." Bechtold continued.

Led by Director of Equestrian John West, the Randolph Macon College IHSA team is composed of 38 riders all with different levels of experience. College bound riders can find more information about the team on the RMC IHSA page.