It's time to meet the Auburn equestrian freshman class as we bring you Q&As with the newcomers.
First up is Western rider, Taylor Banks! Taylor hails from Redwood City, California and is a pre-business major.
Q: Why Auburn?
A: "I choose Auburn because of the family environment and support the school provides. With the help of coaches, advisors, counselors, athletic trainers, and nutritionists, the team and staff set us up to succeed and feel our best. It is often said that 'Auburn fans love Auburn' and in my short time here I have found that to be true. From my first phone call, the Auburn equestrian staff made me feel at home and continuously showed me they cared about who I was in and outside of the arena. Auburn is extremely special because everyone who has attended, lives in, or supports Auburn becomes your family."
What is your major and what do you hope to do with it after college?
"My major is currently business. After college, I hope to work for a a large pharmaceutical company, potentially in marketing or management. Ideally, I would love to work for a company that focuses on fertility medication and research."
How are you managing being on the equestrian team and your class load?
"The team advisors and coaches work really hard to build schedules for each athlete that will allow them to balance the team and class loads. Overall, the team keeps a consistent schedule and plans changes ahead of time. This allows for me to have ample time to plan my week and assignments. My schedule allows for me to use my mornings to attend classes and focus on school so that my afternoons can be focused on the team and riding. This schedule allows me to have most of my nights free to study or catch up on my work."
What is your favorite Auburn tradition so far?
"My favorite Auburn tradition so far was Halloween Downtown. I love the sense of community and family Auburn has. It was extremely fun to hand out candy with my team! I enjoyed getting to see how many members of the Auburn community attended and participated to make the event so special."
What are you most excited about this season?
"While we have many fun events and meets this season, I would say the most exciting event will be the national championship. I am most excited about getting to spend a week with my friends riding horses. Nationals also allows us to compete back-to-back with almost every team in the NCEA at one time!"
What is your favorite thing to do in Auburn?
"My favorite thing to do in Auburn is attend Saturday football games with my team! I have loved getting to know my team outside of school!"
What was your favorite class you took this past semester?
"My favorite class this past semester was anthropology. Because I love crime solving shows, I was extremely interested in getting to study forensic science. Mostly, I enjoyed being in this class with many of my teammates!"
What horse is your favorite to ride for Auburn?
"Dually is definitely my favorite horse at Auburn. He is my personal favorite because of how good natured, talented, and consistent he is. Dually is capable of laying out huge maneuvers and scores and is almost always in the top two horses at our meets. He's also super sweet on the ground and always ready for treats or pets. My favorite maneuver on Dually would be his circles!"
What is your favorite memory with the equestrian team thus far?
"My favorite memory with the Auburn equestrian team so far has been our triple header meet! These meetings meant early wakeups and late nights. However, it also allowed us to spend our days doing what we love and spend time working together and bonding. I loved getting to watch and learn about the Jumping Seat side!"
What does 'War Eagle' mean to you?
"'War Eagle' is a reminder of the community of Auburn and what it stands for. It is a commitment to outworking your peers and working to do good. It is also a reminder that with hard work anything can be overcome."
Since you are from California, opinions on In-N-Out? Rating on a scale of 10?
"Ten out of Ten! In-N-Out is definitely my favorite fast food ever. Fun fact is that the closest In-N-Out to Auburn is 97 miles away. (Yes, this was the first thing I researched when I moved here)."
What is your favorite thing about being from California?
"My favorite thing about California is all the lakes and beaches we have. Because I lived so close to the water in California, me and my family spent almost every weekend on a lake."
What was the name of your first pony and what was special about that horse?
"My first horse was named Oakie. He was not only my first reiner, but also my mom's. Growing up, after rides we would always split a PB&J sandwich! He piloted me through my first reining runs and my first wins."
