SACRAMENTO, Calif. – St. Francis senior Niki Barnes will sign to attend school and ride for the Texas Christian University Equestrian team at the St. Francis Signing Day Celebration on Wednesday.

“There is such a big span of riders across the United States and so few opportunities in college, to be chosen to be part of a team is a really big deal,” said Barnes. “It is not like other sports where there are so many (scholarship) opportunities.”

Barnes, who lives in Rancho Murieta, is an accomplished rider who has been around horses and the sport for most of her life.

“I love it because I have had a passion for animals forever,” said Barnes. ”It’s not a (typical) team sport because the results depend on how hard you work for your own outcome. This opportunity is really important to me and all of the work I’ve put into this sport, including gaining trust from my horses and in myself to make the right decisions while on course. Having multiple horses is more work because each horse is different in what they need in a rider, there for the choice to have multiple mounts was a large commitment for me. It is a different ride each time you get on.”

Barnes will join a TCU program that is currently ranked No. 8 in the country in the National Collegiate Equestrian Association. There are 13 schools that sponsor the sport.

“I picked TCU over the other schools because of the family environment with the team,” said Barnes. “Everyone watches out for each other. I also really like their business program so I got the best of both worlds.”

Barnes, who is a Big Sister and an SF Ambassador, currently competes with her trio of horses: Cappo, Sushi and B (short for Bernadette).

Barnes and her stable have put together an impressive resume of titles, earning the Zone 10 12-14 NorCal Equitation Champion and back-to-back PCHA Reserve Champion Equitation titles in 2012 and 2013.

She was the overall winner at the CWD Concours D’Equitation Championship, winning a championship CWD saddle at Murieta Autumn Classics, while also earning the title of 2016 Reserve Champion at the Large Junior Hunter Finals in Del Mar, Calif.

Barnes was part of the championship team at the 2016 Sacramento International in a local event.

All of her dedication has been worth it – including the daily early mornings and afternoon sessions at the Murieta Equestrian Center have paid off with her collegiate opportunity.

“It is a really big deal because I have had struggles with health and so to be recognized for equestrian is great,” said Barnes.

The St. Francis Signing Day event will be held in the CLC on Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. It will be shown online on TroubieTV.

Other Accomplishments for Niki Barnes in riding:

• EMO Horsemanship Cup 3′3 Equitation Winner in 2013 at HMI Equestrian Classic 1 July 2013
• 1.20 Jr/AM Classic winner at 2016 Paso Robles show 
• 1.20 Classic winner 2017 in Del Mar
• Many top ribbons in 1.30 Jumpers
• 2nd place 1.35 JR/AO September 2017 Sonoma
• 6th place NAL Finals Del Mar 1.30 Sept. 2017