DALLAS (SMU) - SMU Equestrian head coach Carol Gwin has announced the addition of six student-athletes for the 2017-18 season, as Brett Burlington, Kirsten Ostling, Kerah Pedergraft, Jill Pfisthner, Sharese Rivait and Ransome Rombauer have signed National Letters of Intent to join the Mustangs.
 

Brett Burlington	Hunt Seat	Coral Gables, Fla. (Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart)
Kirsten Ostling	Hunt Seat	New Canaan, Conn. (New Canaan High School)
Kerah Pedergraft	Western	Aubrey, Texas (Aubrey High School)
Jill Pfisthner	Western	Scottsdale, Ariz. (Chaparral High School)
Sharese Rivait	Western	Orillia, Ontario, Canada (Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School)
Ransome Rombauer	Hunt Seat	St. Helena (Napa Valley), Calif. (Sonoma Academy)

 
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Brett Burlington makes her way to the Hilltop from Miami, Fla., where she will join the hunt seat team. The Coral Gables, Fla., native has a highly decorated resume, highlighted by a Gold Medal in the 2016 $100,000 USEF U25 Show Jumping National Championship, the junior hunter championship at 2016 Pennsylvania National Horse Show and the 2015 Team Gold Medal North American Junior Young Rider Championships. Brett also has numerous wins in the equitation ranks. 

Outside of equestrian, she attends Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart. She is an ambassador for JustWorld International, an organization that supports basic education, nutrition, health and hygiene, and cultural development programs for children in impoverished communities in Cambodia, Guatemala, and Honduras.

"I am thrilled to have Brett Burlington join the Mustang family," assistant coach Megan Southam said. "She is the complete package: incredibly talented rider, amazing academics and enthusiastic and humble attitude. She has ridden countless horses and that experience is going to be a huge asset in the collegiate format"
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Kirsten Ostling will join the SMU hunt seat team after finishing at New Canaan High School in Connecticut. Training under Val Renihan and Amber Henter, Ostling's riding resume present many top finishes including second and 10th place finishes at the World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) Junior Challenge (2015, 2016) and Reserve Champion Junior Hunters at the 2015 Capital Challenge. She has also earned ribbons as Top equitation, junior jumper and junior hunter at Old Salem, Brandywine, and Vermont Winter Equestrian Festivals, respectively, along with ribbons at indoors in junior hunters.

Outside of equestrian, Ostling has been on the honor roll every quarter in high school, and boasts a 92.17 overall GPA. She also is a member of the National Charity league, volunteers at the New Canaan food bank, with Person to Person, at Waveny care center, and with Kids in Crisis.

"I am so excited to have Kirsten Ostling join us next fall," Southam said. "She is currently taking a gap year and is spending a lot of time in the saddle. Her diligence to the sport and her strong academics are going to make her an amazing member of our Mustang family."
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Kerah Pedergraft makes her way south to Dallas from Aubrey High School in Aubrey, Texas. The Texas native was the Bronze Champion in Rookie Showmanship at the AQHA Level 1 Championships, and has had multiple top-10 finishes at the AQHA Level 1 Championships and APHA World Show.

Outside of equestrian, Pedergraft is the Vice President of Finance for FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America).

"I am so excited to have Kerah join us next fall," assistant coach Trista Adkins said. "She brings so much excitement and enthusiasm that I look forward to working with her."
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Jill Pfisthner of Scottsdale, Ariz., is a western rider who focuses primarily on reining. Pfisthner, who trains under Abby Cosenza and Samantha Walker, was crowned the IEA Zones Varsity Open Horsemanship Champion, the Reserve Champion at the AQHA Novice Championships in Reining and Ranch Riding, POA reining Congress Champion and end-of-year youth AZRHA champion on multiple occasions.
 
Outside of riding, Pfisthner is the Arizona Reining Horse Youth Association President, was a member of DECA and a Red Cross Treasurer, while maintaining a 3.9 GPA at Chaparral High School.

"Jill not only is a great reining rider, but her sweet and enthusiastic attitude will add so much to our team," Adkins said.
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Sharese Rivait makes her way to the Hilltop from Orillia, Ontario, Canada, where she attends Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School. Rivait is a western rider and boasts many top honors, highlighted by the 2015 Reserve Congress Championship and the 2014 Congress Championship.

Outside of riding, she earned honor roll accolades in the 11th grade.

"I am delighted to have Sharese join our team," Adkins said. "She is a very talented western rider that I see making an immediate impact."
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Ransome Rombauer makes her way to the Hilltop from St. Helena (Napa Valley), Calif. where she will join the hunt seat team. Rombauer, who trained under Daniel Ighani and Karen Healey, is a highly decorated hunt seat rider. After competing in the indoor USEF Pessoa and WIHS Equitation Medal Final National Finals in 2014, she rode in all indoor National Finals (USEF Pessoa Medal Final, WIHS Equitation Medal Final, ASPCA Maclay Medal Final) in 2015 and 2016. She was also named the 2015 and 2016 CPHA WCE High Point Rider.
 
In 2016, Rombauer was crowned the Champion of the Capital Challenge North American Equitation Championship and the CPHA Jr Equitation Medal Final. She also the USEF Platinum Performance Talent Search Gold Medal Recipient (20 wins). Rombauer was also named the Del Mar National Shalanno Style of Riding Award and the Horse and Style Magazine Style of Riding Award. In 2015, she was the USEF Platinum Performance Talent Search Medal Final – West Champion, USHJA EAP National Finals Reserve Champion, CPHA Foundation Medal Final Reserve Champion, USEF Zone 10 Equitation 15-17 Division Reserve Champion, and HITS Thermal Equitation 15-17 Division Circuit Champion.
 
Outside of equestrian, Ransome is a junior Ambassador for Giant Steps Therapeutic Riding Program and a Junior Ambassador for BrookeUSA – International Equine Welfare Philanthropy. Academically, she boasts a 3.7 GPA.
 
"Ransome has excelled on the west coast circuit," Southam stated. "Not only does she have numerous big wins but she also has dedicated her little free time to rescuing miniature horses. She will bring so much to the team from her riding talent to huge heart and we can't wait for her to make an immediate impact when she joins us next fall."
 
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