156 SIDELINES FEBRUARY 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
By Marissa Collins
Brendan Quinn, from Evans, Georgia, is used to being the
only guy at the barn and that scenario hasn’t changed as he has
entered college. A freshman business management major at the
University of South Carolina Aiken (USCA), Brendan is the only
male rider on the USCA eventing team.
“It’s not really that much different from how it’s been my whole
eventing career. I’ve always been the only guy or there may have
been one or two others, so I’m used to it. I know when I was
younger I felt kind of alienated, but at the same time that may have
been more of my fault because I was a lot more shy,” Brendan
said.
As a member of the USCA eventing team, Brendan has jumped
USC Aiken’s Go To Guy
e
Eventing
Brendan and Mac – members of
the USC Aiken Eventing Team.
Brendan and Mac tackling cross-country
– Brendan’s favorite phase of eventing.
Photos courtesy of the Quinn family.
in with great enthusiasm and taken on responsibilities as the
community service coordinator for the equestrian club as well
as the eventing team and the coordinator of the eventing team’s
competitions.
Brendan competes his 15-year-old Thoroughbred, The
Macallan - known as Mac - at the training and preliminary level of
eventing. He keeps Mac at Fairwinds Farm and trains with Lynn
Coates-Holmes.
He may be the only guy on the team, but he’s become the “go
to guy” as he is always willing to pitch in and get the work done.
About the writer: Marissa Collins is originally from Cape Cod, Massachusetts
but moved to Aiken, South Carolina to attend college at the University of South
Carolina Aiken (USCA). While in Aiken she has competed her horse up through
training level in eventing. She is the vice president of the Eventing Team at USCA
and works in admissions helping prospective equestrian students.
What do you consider your biggest riding accomplishment
to date?
I received an eventing gold medal at the novice level/top 10
junior horse and rider pair in United States at novice in 2010.
Biggest riding goal?
To compete at the international level for the United States.
Favorite phase in eventing?
Cross-country.
Why did you choose USC Aiken?
The Aiken horse community and the opportunity to compete.
What is your favorite thing about eventing?
The bond and trust it requires between horse and rider.
What do you hope to get from being on the eventing team?
Experiencing what it feels like to compete in a team
competition and to be part of something that is helping to grow
our sport.
Where do you see the team in the future?
I feel that if we get more people on the team, and more people
who will come out and do the dirty work, this team can go far,
becoming one of the more competitive teams in the country
because of the caliber of riding and training in the area.
What is the hardest part about riding in college?
Finding the time to study, ride, compete, do homework
and everything else that goes along with horses and college.
People always say that the biggest thing about college is time
management. I feel like we take time management to a whole
new level, though.
