Humphrey earns honor

For the second straight week, Georgia’s Tasha Humphrey was selected as SEC Player of the Week.

Humphrey, a junior forward from Gainesville, Ga., averaged 25.5 points and 11.5 rebounds in leading Georgia to a 69-60 win over No. 22 Ole Miss last Thursday and a 77-54 victory at Florida on Sunday.

Humphrey has received the award seven times.

Equestrian places third at tournament

The Georgia IHSA club equestrian team placed third in a field of the nation’s top 20-ranked teams at a Tournament of Champions show it hosted in Athens over the weekend.

The only two teams to finish ahead of them were a pair of squads from Virginia Intermont College.

“They have an amazing equestrian program (at Virginia Intermont), so we’re not ashamed,” team president Laura Adams said.

“I guess you could say that in terms of colleges, we came in second.”

Erin Brown placed first in the novice equitation class, while a number of riders finished second or third.

The show concluded a hectic week of preparation where the team found themselves doing most of the work in setting up the event.

“It was definitely a lot of work. We spent all week getting the arena ready and having the horses shipped over there,” Adams said.

The team will host another competition this weekend when they host a regional show at the Livestock Instructional Arena on South Milledge Avenue.

Kentucky Derby winner euthanized

KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. - Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro was euthanized Monday after complications from his gruesome breakdown at last year’s Preakness, ending an eight-month ordeal that prompted an outpouring of support across the country. A series of ailments, including laminitis in the left rear hoof, an abscess in the right rear hoof, as well as new laminitis in both front feet proved too much for the gallant colt. The horse was put down at 10:30 a.m.

“Certainly, grief is the price we all pay for love,” said co-owner Gretchen Jackson at a news conference.

Barbaro battled in his ICU stall for eight months. The 4-year-old colt underwent several procedures and was fitted with fiberglass casts. He spent time in a sling to ease pressure on his legs, had pins inserted and was fitted at the end with an external brace. These were all extraordinary measures for a horse with such injuries.

“Clearly, this was a difficult decision to make,” chief surgeon Dr. Dean Richardson said. “It hinged on what we said all along, whether or not we thought his quality of life was acceptable. The probable outcome was just so poor.”

Richardson, fighting back tears, added: “Barbaro had many, many good days.”

Contributed by Lawrence Conneff & The Associated Press