Courtney Tidmore signed an athletic scholarship to the Auburn University Equestrian program on Wednesday.  Pictured L-R seated:  AHS Principal, Patrick Crowder, Courtney Tidmore, Megan Tidmore.  Standing L-R: AHS Athletic Director, Watt Parker, Lalana Tidmore, Sid Tidmore, Jennie Tidmore.                                                                          Photo by Gayla Hayes

April 17, 2008
A lifelong love of horses and riding competitions has led to an equestrian athletic scholarship at Auburn University for Courtney Tidmore.  Courtney, who is a 2007 graduate of Arab High School and currently attends Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, signed the Auburn Equestrian program scholarship during ceremonies at Arab High School Wednesday afternoon.  Courtney will enter Auburn as a sophomore in August.  

Courtney will be a member of the 35 member equestrian team at Auburn and will specialize and compete in the reigning category.  The equestrian team participates in four categories; Reigning, Jumping, Horsemanship, and Hunter Under Saddle. The scholarship is a full book plus partial tuition scholarship.

Courtney was offered a full equestrian scholarship to the University of Georgia upon graduation last year but opted to stay in Alabama and attend school locally.  "I wasn't ready to to go off to college then and I didn't want to leave Alabama." Courtney said.  Courtney said this is the first time in AHS history that two students from the same AHS class have received SEC athletic scholarships.  Classmate Ali Smalley is also attending Auburn on a basketball scholarship.

Courtney grew up with horses and has competed since age 8.  The Tidmore family has raised, trained and shown AQHA horses all for years.  Her grandfather, Charles Tidmore, owns and operates the Pioneer Saddle Club Horse Arena in Arab.  Her dad assists Charles with the horse arena and competed for many years.

Courtney normally competes in the Western Classes of Reigning and Working Cow-Horse.  While she will be competing at Auburn in the reigning division, Courtney said that Working Cow-Horse is her favorite.  Friends on the University of Georgia introduced her to reigning and it quickly became another favorite style of riding.

She finished 3rd in the nation in the AQHA Working Cow Horse  competition in 2006 and in the top 5 the prior two years.  She won the  cow-horse division of the Dixie National Horse Show in 2004 and 2006.  The Dixie National is the second largest AQHA show in the world.  She has also qualified several times for the AQHA Youth World Show.  She was also a cheerleader at Arab High School.

Courtney is the daughter of Sid and Jennie Tidmore of Arab and Lalana Tidmore of Tennessee.  She plans to major in secondary education at Auburn and plans to teach History or English after graduation.  In addition to attending Wallace State full time she works at Grumpy's Restaurant.