Laura Brainard - Western Assistant Coach - Cowgirl Equestrian Coaches

Laura Brainard

Title:
Western Assistant Coach
Email:
laura.brainard@okstate.edu
Phone:
(405) 744-7421

    Laura Brainard is entering her sixth year as Oklahoma State Equestrian's assistant western coach.

    During her time in Stillwater, Brainard has coached 12 All-Americans and a Big 12 rider of the year, and nine Cowgirls have earned All-Big 12 honors under her tutelage.

    In her first season, one shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cowgirls posted a 9-3 record, and Harley Huff and Emma Verplank earned first-team All-America honors in horsemanship. Huff was also named the Big 12 Reining Rider of the Year, while Verplank, Huff and Hannah Mitchell collected All-Big 12 accolades.

    Last season, under Brainard, Claire McDowall and June Roberson earned NCEA All- Championship Team in Horsemanship. Emma Filiatreau was awarded NCEA All- Championship Team in Reining her freshman year. In addition, Claire earned second-team All-American status in horsemanship. McDowall garnered All-American status for the second consecutive year. She also coached Tristan Bagby and Emma Filiatreau to their respective first All-Big 12 selections. On the year, Brainard’s horsemanship unit compiled 38 wins and five MOPs while the reining squad tacked on 38 wins and four MOPs. OSU went 9-7 on the year and won its fourth consecutive Big 12 title. The Cowgirls went to the national semifinals in Ocala, Fla., where her western squads collected 11 total wins.

In 2023, Claire McDowall was NCEA All- Championship Team in Horsemanship along with Molly Mitchell capturing NCEA All- Championship Team recognition in Reining.

    In 2022, Brainard was key component of a historic Cowgirl team that captured both a Big 12 an NCEA overall national championship for the first time in program history. Two of Brainard’s western riders, Roberson and Molly Mitchell, earned second-team All-America honors. Jojo Roberson was awarded the Most Outstanding Performer in Horsemanship at Nationals along with NCEA All- Championship Team. Brainard was also awarded the NCEA Western Coach of the year.

    In 2021, Brainard helped the Cowgirls capture the seventh Big 12 championship in program history. Under her guidance, Huff captured Big 12 Horsemanship Rider of the Year and Mitchell was Big 12 Reining Rider of the Year honors. Huff was also second-team All-American, while Roberson was tabbed an All-American for the first time in her career. Brainard’s reining and horsemanship teams also helped advance the Cowgirls to the semifinals of the NCEA Championship.

    Brainard spent the 2019-20 season at Baylor, where she assisted in coaching the Bears’ horsemanship squad to a No. 1 ranking heading into national competition. Her guidance helped Sydney Scheckel to first-team All-America and Big 12 Reining Rider of the Year honors. Brainard’s Bears took home the 2019 Big 12 Championship and the horsemanship team advanced to the semifinals of the NCEA Championship.

    Before her time at Baylor, Brainard coached three years at Georgia as the assistant western coach. She helped lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back SEC Championships and back-to-back NCEA National Championship runner-up finishes in 2017 and 2018. Brainard also had the number one ranked reining and horsemanship squads heading into the National Championship two consecutive years in a row.

    Two of Brainard’s former riders at Georgia, Graysen Stroud and Jordan Carpenter, garnered All-America honors in reining in the 2019-20 season. Stroud was also named Co-NCEA Reining Rider of the Year.

    In the 2017-18 season, Brainard helped coach two SEC Riders of the Year and totaled five All-America honors.

    During Brainard’s three years at Georgia, her Western student-athletes collected 13 All-America selections.

    Prior to her time at Georgia, Brainard was a volunteer assistant coach at her alma mater, Texas A&M, following a standout career as rider.

    In her four years with the Aggies, Texas A&M collected consecutive western national titles in 2011 and 2012, as well as the overall National Championship team title in 2012. She earned All-SEC status in Horsemanship her junior and senior season along with NCEA Horsemanship Rider of the Month honors.

    Brainard graduated with a B.S. in Agriculture Economics from Texas A&M in 2013 before completing her Master of Science degree in Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications in May of 2015. Her grandpa is NRHA Hall of Fame legend Jack Brainard. Her uncle is NRHA professional horseman Jody Brainard who co-coaches the OSU reining squad with Laura. She is also a third generation NRHA judge.