Tova Barden is next up in SMU Equestrian's 2020 Senior Spotlight series. Barden came to the Hilltop all the way from Snoqualmie, Washington and rides on SMU's western team. Before joining the Mustangs, she competed as a member of New Mexico State's team. This season, she has showed as a demo rider in the Reining portion of meets.
Do you have any superstitions or pre-meet rituals?
I use my finger to draw the pattern in the air when I memorize it.
Is there a nickname you have on the team?
Sometimes people call me "Tov."
What's your go-to pump up song?
"Honkytonk U" by Toby Keith. It puts me in a good mood every time I listen to it!
Fun Fact
I currently work part-time at Starbucks as a barista.
How did you get into equestrian?
I started riding when I was about five years old when my older sister started leasing a horse. We then bought horse property and the whole family enjoyed riding together. I started competitively showing when I was 11 years old in Reined Cowhorse. From there, I heard about collegiate equestrian and I knew it was something I wanted to do because I didn't want to give up riding horses in college.
Which SMU horse is your favorite and why?
My favorite horse is Jellybean because she wasn't the best horse at first, but has come together through hard work in the past few months. She hasn't been here very long, but I knew I liked her from the moment I first rode her because we got along really well.
What's your favorite memory from SMU?
One memory from SMU that sticks out to me is meeting President George Bush my sophomore year of school. It was a surprise one day and suddenly President Bush was in my class. It's a memory I will never forget from SMU.
What are your plans after graduation?
I am either staying in Dallas or returning home to Washington State. At the moment, I am interviewing for job opportunities in both the Dallas area and in Washington State.
What's one thing you want to say to the SMU family?
Thank you for a great three years at SMU. I have learned so much from my experience at SMU that I will take with me for the rest of my life. I have been fortunate to get to know so many different people on the team. I will always cherish the friendships and memories from the team.
