By: Kendall Wilkes, Auburn Athletics Communications Intern
Kaitlyn Ferguson’s journey of riding began when she was seven years old. Her mom got her a horse and exposed Ferguson to riding as soon as she was old enough to take care of an animal. Her mother, also a rider, was hopeful she would follow in her footsteps.
The passion was passed to the next generation and when it came down to making the decision of where she would push her equestrian skills to the next level, it was not a hard decision for Ferguson to choose The Loveliest Village on the Plains.
Ferguson, of Battleground, Washington, praised Auburn equestrian’s program, facilities and reputation.
“Obviously, everyone wants to be on the best team,” Ferguson said. “When I came here for camp, I fell in love. The facilities are crazy, the campus is crazy. Everything at Auburn was far beyond what I saw at other schools.”
When Ferguson reflects on her favorite moments with Auburn equestrian, nothing comes close to the time when the team competed for the national title in Ocala, Florida in 2023.
After a five-hour road trip for the team, Ferguson fondly recalls the memories she made with her teammates.
“Going into Fences, we were head-to-head with SMU,” Ferguson said. “Watching our team come together and cheer and endlessly support each other. It was so from the heart, and it showed how competitive we are and how much we care about one another. Things didn’t end up going our way, but it didn’t even matter because all the love and support we gave was insane.”
That love and support has spilled over into other areas of Ferguson’s life on campus.
Ferguson has dedicated a lot of her free time to serving as a connect leader through Auburn’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, working with freshmen and new Auburn student-athletes. She has had the opportunity to serve in this position for the last three years.
However, it is not a simple task to balance academics, extra curriculars and being a part of Auburn equestrian, but Ferguson makes it look easy. Being on Auburn equestrian’s team has also taught Ferguson a lot of leadership development skills, which has allowed her to get to know more people on the team on a more personal level.
With everything she has learned throughout her time on the team, Ferguson encourages younger student-athletes to listen and lean on those who seem tough on them.
“They’re not trying to make your life harder; they’re trying to make it easier because they have your best interest at heart. They care about the team and they’re trying to lift you up, not tear you down, so don’t take their advice the wrong way,” said Ferguson.
The psychology major dreams of one day pursuing a career in sports psychology, using these experiences she’s already faced as a student-athlete as a connection to others and to her passion for athletics.
This season, Ferguson hopes for the team to stay strong, despite any difficult obstacles they might encounter. She believes it is important for them to stay strong physically, but also mentally as they use their confidence to excel and potentially win more championships.
As for herself, Ferguson sees herself as a motivator to the younger athletes and she hopes she can “pass the torch” to a team member who can take on this position after she graduates.
“I want to teach someone why we value leadership so they can continue to develop that culture and atmosphere for each other,” she said.
Ferguson learned a lot about leadership from the most influential person in her life, her mother.
“She was my coach until I was about 14,” Ferguson said. “My mom did everything to help me out and hauled me everywhere I needed to be. She has definitely had the biggest impact on my life.”
That’s not the only family she values as Ferguson also has much gratitude for the Auburn family and the classic saying that comes with it, “War Eagle!”
“War Eagle is a phrase that connects us all,” Ferguson said. “You can meet a random person in the airport and say, ‘War Eagle’ and instantly have that connection and understanding of Auburn, the Auburn family and the love that comes with it.”
According to Ferguson, the Auburn family has given her and the team a crazy amount of support no matter the circumstance. If nothing else, she knows she will always have the Auburn family in her corner.