USC Aiken saluted student-athletes involved in its equestrian club athletic programs and raised funds to support their efforts during the Mane event Oct. 26 at the Burgundy Polo Club near Wagener.

Major sponsors of the festivities included Aiken Horse Park Foundation president and philanthropist Jack Wetzel, La Bourgogne owner David Meunier, Liz Stewart and Ann Perryman.

In 2023, after USC Aiken won the US Eventing Association intercollegiate championship in North Carolina, Wetzel led the creation of The Mane Event, and it was held at the Horse Park Foundation’s Bruce’s Field.

“We wanted to have some sort of victory celebration,” said Wesley Brown, USC Aiken major gifts officer. “It was such a success that we decided to bring it back this year.”

Brown, who served as master of ceremonies at Burgundy, introduced members of USC Aiken’s polo, eventing and Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) teams to attendees of The Mane event.

Additionally, Brown announced Shona Adams as the first recipient of the Kiara Balish Barnett Excellence in Equestrian Endeavor Award.

“I knew a lot about what was going on at this event — the planning part of it all — but receiving this award surprised me,” said Adams, president of the USCA Polo Club. “I am very honored to be the first to receive it, especially because of everything Kiara Balish Barnett has done for the equestrian community. I am also very grateful to everyone who has helped me in my equestrian journey.

Earlier this year, Adams and her USCA teammates advanced to the semifinals of the US Polo Association Division I Women’s Intercollegiate National Championship before the University of Virginia defeated them 20-16.

The University of Virginia won the title by defeating 2023 national champion Texas A&M University, 14-13.

“It’s exciting for me to see women’s polo at USCA grow over the years,” said Adams, who is a senior. “It started with three girls, then four girls, and now we’re at six. Our goal is to win the national championship (in 2025), and I think we have the team to do it. We have a lot of talent.