WACO, Texas – Reluctant but ready was Carly Anthony.
 
With years in the show ring under her belt and her mom as a professional at the Grand Prix level, Anthony and her sister both focused on equitation and had success. 
 
The clarity was there that Anthony was meant to ride, but it wasn’t so true when it came to academics. As others started getting their college applications in, high school senior Carly was lamenting the idea.
 
“I wasn’t really inspired about university,” she said. “It was kind of hard for me to get into it.”
 
But a former barn-mate was at Georgia for her freshman year and spurred Anthony on.
 
“She messaged me one day and said ‘You know Carly, you’ve got to get your butt over here. This is insane.’ And at the time, the hype was coming, the prestige of riding on a collegiate team was definitely still new. I thought of it more like an IHSA type of situation, but she said it wasn’t anything like that and that I needed to check it out.”
 
With applications in to other universities on the west coast, admitting they were more like a hope than an expectation to get in, Anthony visited Georgia, tagging along on a recruiting trip. Meeting coach Logan Fiorentino at the student-athlete learning center, she and her father were blown away by what they found.
 
“If this is how we’re going to get treated, this is going to be where I get an education. Coach M [Meghan Boenig] was incredible and the whole atmosphere of Georgia blew us away – I didn’t need to go look at any other school. I loved Athens, I loved everything about it and I could see myself there. I had the best four years of my life there.”
 
That she did. Anthony found the structure and purpose she had been missing and saw the unique blend of athletic intensity and academic accountability she needed that defines collegiate sports.
 
“Being part of something that big, it just changes you. You learn how to manage your time, how to show up for a team, how to lead, how to fail and get back up again. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
 
Anthony is an elite athlete who came out of her Bulldog days decorated and as a leader of her peers outlined by her passion and work ethic. She graduated with 31 Most Outstanding Performer honors across both Flat and Fences, with 99 rides won. She received All-America honors, Rider of the Year awards, and was a captain. 
 
“Her driving motivation, willingness to be gritty, and present voice made us all powerful and purposeful,” said Georgia head coach Meghan Boenig. “Carly always backed up the words with action. She always jumps into hard work and pulls others with in with her. The team voted as the standout teammate of the year, the ultimate recognition at the end of the year for leadership. Carly’s decorated career, culture-defining leadership, outstanding professional success, and continued support of developing future horsewomen make her the ideal NCEA Hall of Fame recipient.”
 
Boenig saw that she wasn’t just trying to compete, she was trying to elevate everyone around her at the same time.
 
“She was the person who would walk into my office, unscheduled, plop down in the chair, take a deep breath, and say, ‘Okay, here it all is. Now let’s dive into this and see what we can do.’ She inspired others to do more, ask more, and be better; not just in the arena, but for the team.”
 
A moment in time that showcases Carly’s integrity? One that initiated the creation of a sportsmanship award. At the NCEA Championship, one of her rides didn’t go as she wanted, and even though the horse she drew was marked as not needing spurs, she advised her opponent to wear them for a better ride.
 
“That was so typical Carly,” Boenig said. “She was fiercely competitive, but she always believed in winning the right way. She believed the fight should be in the arena, in the ride, in the score – not in hoping your opponent makes a mistake.”
 
Anthony’s days at Georgia aren’t just marked by her athletic success, but that sense of purpose. She knew she wanted to be a professional show jumper, and today, she’s riding with Team USA Jumping.
 
“She always saw college as an opportunity, not a detour. She knew she could ride professionally, but she knew what she needed to do that. Carly always saw there is value to working out, to being a team member, to be business minded. She made sure there was a well-roundedness to her so that when she went professional, she had those other skills. She showed up with hard work and the questions. That’s why people wanted her in their barns. That’s why she’s found success, not just as a rider, but as someone building a sustainable and meaningful career.” 
 
“She’s proof you don’t have to choose between college and a professional riding career. She showed everyone you can do both, and do them incredibly well.”