SACRAMENTO, Calif. – St. Francis senior Makenzy Barnes has been riding horses her whole life and now it will lead her into college. She will sign to ride for the Texas Christian equestrian program on National Signing Day on Nov. 14.

“I loved the school when I went to visit,” said Barnes. “It has a great family feel to it. The town around it is amazing. All the girls and coaches are pretty great.”

Barnes will join a TCU program that is currently ranked No. 6 in the country in the National Collegiate Equestrian Association. There are only 17 schools that sponsor the sport at the NCAA Division I level.

“It is going to be pretty fun,” said Barnes. “I am excited to get the opportunity to ride many different horses and to be a part of a team. I have my barn mates but it has always been an individual sport for me so far. It is going to be a new and fun experience to be on an NCAA Equestrian Team.”

Barnes, who plans to study business, has been riding since she was six years old, joining her older sister Niki ’18, who is also a member of the TCU program.

“I am excited,” said Barnes of joining her sister. “I am going to a whole new place so it will be nice to have someone there with me.”

The sisters started riding early in their lives.

“We started on little ponies and have been riding ever since,” said Barnes. “We started riding when we were six. My dad owns a ranch and we started riding there. We grew up with horses and there was a horse jumping barn across the street. It looked like so much fun.”

Barnes has two horses, Green Bay whose barn name is Aaron. Her trainer gave him the name. “We think of him as the quarterback,” said Barnes of the namesake Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers. She also rides Graham whose show name is Granada.

Barnes has an impressive resume that attracted the attention of the TCU program and Director of Equestrian Haley Schoolfield. She was the Reserve Champion in NCEA West Coast Medal Finals and the Reserve Champion in 12-14 Equitation Year End Award. She was also the Champion in Large Junior Hunters at Woodside Horse Park in 2018 and recorded back-to-back top-10 finishes at the Norcal Junior Medal Finals in 2017 and 2018. Barnes competes and trains at the Murieta Equestrian Center under Kelly Van Vleck.

She has also received High Honor Roll every semester in 9th, 10th and 11th grade during her time at St. Francis, while participating in CSF tutoring and serving as an Ambassador as a junior.

Barnes will participate in the St. Francis Signing Day celebration on Nov. 14.