{"id":6170,"date":"2017-04-26T10:49:45","date_gmt":"2017-04-26T15:49:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/?p=6170"},"modified":"2017-05-01T11:13:01","modified_gmt":"2017-05-01T16:13:01","slug":"boots-books-mule-baird-handing-sau-mulerider-reins-guin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/2017\/boots-books-mule-baird-handing-sau-mulerider-reins-guin\/","title":{"rendered":"Boots, books, and a mule: Baird handing SAU Mulerider reins to Guin"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Mulerider Payton Baird has led the charge at Southern Arkansas University since 2014, an era that has seen record-breaking enrollment growth. Now Baird is preparing to hand over the reins to the newest Mulerider, Abbie Guin.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs most people know, SAU has one of the most unique mascots in the country,\u201d Baird said. \u201cI find it very important because (the mascot) gives the public a chance to see what our University stands for: loyalty and support.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/files\/2017\/04\/Mulerider-passing-of-the-reins-Payton-Baird-Abbie-Guin-SP17.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-6171\" src=\"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/files\/2017\/04\/Mulerider-passing-of-the-reins-Payton-Baird-Abbie-Guin-SP17.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"702\" height=\"441\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/files\/2017\/04\/Mulerider-passing-of-the-reins-Payton-Baird-Abbie-Guin-SP17.jpg 1185w, https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/files\/2017\/04\/Mulerider-passing-of-the-reins-Payton-Baird-Abbie-Guin-SP17-300x189.jpg 300w, https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/files\/2017\/04\/Mulerider-passing-of-the-reins-Payton-Baird-Abbie-Guin-SP17-768x483.jpg 768w, https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/files\/2017\/04\/Mulerider-passing-of-the-reins-Payton-Baird-Abbie-Guin-SP17-1024x644.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/files\/2017\/04\/Mulerider-passing-of-the-reins-Payton-Baird-Abbie-Guin-SP17-540x340.jpg 540w, https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/files\/2017\/04\/Mulerider-passing-of-the-reins-Payton-Baird-Abbie-Guin-SP17-320x200.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 702px) 100vw, 702px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>She will graduate from SAU\u2019s Nursing Department on May 5 with a BS in Nursing.<\/p>\n<p>Guin, an agriculture major from Minden, La., said that as a people person, she\u2019s looking forward to her duties as the new mascot.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cPayton told me to be myself and enjoy my time as the Mulerider because it will all go by so fast,\u201d Guin said. \u201cIt takes commitment, but I\u2019m very excited and I think I can do it. I\u2019m looking forward to the next three years.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"The Mulerider: Passing of the Reins\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NVHvbfgobNE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Baird, a native of Fouke, Ark., inherited the reins from Megan Maye, who also helped SAU reach record enrollment numbers. The Mulerider represents SAU in marketing initiatives and appearances across the region. A big part of that will involve the Mulerider\u2019s responsibilities at football games. Baird said one of her favorite memories as a Mulerider centers on football.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/files\/2017\/04\/p2277833094-o929720598-5-e1493221623125.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-6172\" src=\"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/files\/2017\/04\/p2277833094-o929720598-5-e1493221623125.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"304\" height=\"443\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/files\/2017\/04\/p2277833094-o929720598-5-e1493221623125.jpg 437w, https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/files\/2017\/04\/p2277833094-o929720598-5-e1493221623125-205x300.jpg 205w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 304px) 100vw, 304px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/files\/2017\/04\/p2277833253-o929720598-5.jpg\"><br \/>\n<\/a>\u201cIt was my final home football game,\u201d she said. \u201cMy family, friends and the Berry family were all there to escort me across the field for a special recognition. They presented me with an exceptional photograph for me to keep, along with a dozen gold roses. It was a day that I will forever cherish.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Baird fondly remembered trying out for the Mulerider mascot in the spring of 2014.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI had heard of the position becoming available and was encouraged to send in my application,\u201d she said. \u201cI received a call from (Director of Farm Operations) Rusty Hayes and went to the tryouts. My grandpa rode with me to Magnolia from our home in Fouke, and he sat in the stands at Story Arena when they announced me as the new mascot. It was such a memorable day! I knew he could never be more proud.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She said she loved each of her experiences with Molly Ann, the SAU mascot. \u201cIt was something I loved to do and I tried my best to indulge in every activity I participated in.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Baird said she attended many parades with Molly Ann \u201cand the public always seemed to love that! Though holding the flag as well as the reins never allowed me to throw candy, we always tried to be crowd-pleasers with videos and photographs.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>I could not be more grateful for the opportunities SAU has offered me. I will be that proud alumni who enjoys coming back to see the University\u2019s advancements in the years to come!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Baird attended Fouke Public Schools and said she owes her love of the outdoors to her family. \u201cMy parents and grandparents played a huge role in my life and supported me in everything,\u201d she said. \u201cI spent most of my free time outdoors, enjoying what I love most, riding mules with my grandpa. Whether we were home or in the mountains of northern Arkansas or Oklahoma, we traveled many miles on the back of a mule.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt the start of my junior year in high school, I can remember a recruiter, Whitney Hall, coming to our school and telling the students all about what SAU had to offer. At this point, I knew I had always wanted to be a nurse, but I had not made any official decision on what college I would attend,\u201d Baird said. \u201cI am very family-oriented, so I knew a large college, miles away, was completely out of the question. Once I learned of SAU\u2019s nursing program \u2013 that it was one of the most affordable in the state, and only 45 minutes away \u2013 I knew SAU was the college for me! I could not be more grateful for the opportunities SAU has offered me. I will be that proud alumni who enjoys coming back to see the University\u2019s advancements in the years to come!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After graduating, she will go to work in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Christus St. Michael in Texarkana. \u201cI am also looking forward to my wedding this September,\u201d she said. \u201cI am truly thankful for my many blessings.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt has been a joy to work with Payton Baird as she represented our University,\u201d Hayes said. \u201cHer knowledge and ability to handle and care for Molly Ann was a great asset to the Mulerider heritage and program. As we say goodbye to Payton, we are excited for the next three years as Abbie Guin steps up to continue the unique tradition of serving as the Mulerider.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPayton Baird has served SAU so well,\u201d said Dr. Trey Berry, president of SAU. \u201cHer sincerity and personality fit perfectly with her role as the Mulerider. She carried on the Mulerider legacy with such dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Guin said she grew up with a love of the outdoors and credited her mother, Teri, with inspiring her.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/files\/2017\/04\/p2277833253-o929720598-5-e1493221695595.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-6173\" src=\"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/files\/2017\/04\/p2277833253-o929720598-5-e1493221695595.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"286\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/files\/2017\/04\/p2277833253-o929720598-5-e1493221695595.jpg 525w, https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/files\/2017\/04\/p2277833253-o929720598-5-e1493221695595-226x300.jpg 226w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 286px) 100vw, 286px\" \/><\/a>\u201cMy mom got her animal science degree and was an extension agent for our local 4-H. She introduced me to all the livestock, and I\u2019ve done shows since I was 8 years old,\u201d Guin said. \u201cI grew up around livestock, sold it, judged it, you name it. When I told my mom I wanted to major in Ag, she said, \u2018I think you should do it, that\u2019s you.\u2019 I listened to her, and of course, she was right.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Guin has enjoyed making new friendships at SAU, meeting people she never thought she\u2019d meet, and that she has \u201cnever gotten homesick\u201d because SAU \u201cfeels like home.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Her friends encouraged her to apply for the Mulerider position when it opened in February. \u201cThey all thought it would be a really good fit. Rusty sent out the email to apply, and it took me two hours to fill out my application. I did, and the next week, he called to say I could interview with a committee. I told them I would be honored to help recruit for SAU. I rode Molly Ann again, with a flag, and the rest is history.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She said she and Molly Ann will be available during Preview Days \u201cto meet the incoming freshmen and to let them get to know me and as much as they can about the University.\u201d She\u2019ll also spend time \u201cgetting to know Molly Ann, learning how to drive the truck and trailer. Rusty told me that he will be calling me and letting me know when to get ready for events. I\u2019ll need to have Molly Ann ready. So it will take a lot of dedication but I\u2019m very excited about it all.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Kids want to go to big colleges, but I have learned that we\u2019re almost a family here, and that\u2019s important. Everyone finds their place. Just be yourself and enjoy it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>She said she already knows that Molly Ann is smart about her job as a mascot. \u201cShe knows how and when she\u2019s supposed to take pictures. She\u2019s mellow, she knows her job.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Guin said one of the things she will try to impress on recruits to SAU is the feeling of family. \u201cI\u2019ll tell them to have an open mind about SAU. Kids want to go to big colleges, but I have learned that we\u2019re almost a family here, and that\u2019s important. Everyone finds their place. Just be yourself and enjoy it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She said she hopes to attend veterinarian school after she graduates from SAU, or obtain a master\u2019s degree in zoology. \u201cI\u2019d like to become a large equine vet,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>The coming years will be a challenge, but she\u2019s prepared. \u201cI\u2019ll have to keep good grades and I\u2019m going to have to study \u2013 for the next few years, it\u2019ll be books, boots and a mule!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Guin said she was excited to be receiving her personalized riding chaps. \u201cMy name will be on them,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s gonna be so cool.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are so excited that Abbie Guin will be continuing the great legacy at SAU,\u201d said Berry. \u201cAbbie will represent the University not only at our athletic events, but also in the community and throughout the region. As a person with true integrity and sincerity, Abbie will be a tremendous symbol for SAU and for the student body.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mulerider Payton Baird has led the charge at Southern Arkansas University since 2014, an era that has seen record-breaking enrollment growth. Now Baird is preparing to hand over the reins to the newest Mulerider, Abbie Guin. \u201cAs most people know, SAU has one of the most unique mascots in the country,\u201d Baird said. \u201cI find&#8230; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/2017\/boots-books-mule-baird-handing-sau-mulerider-reins-guin\/\"> Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":564,"featured_media":6171,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[94,92,32641,7753,143],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-6170","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-admissions","8":"category-athletics","9":"category-featured-layout","10":"category-homepage","11":"category-student-life","12":"entry"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6170","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/564"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6170"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6170\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6171"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6170"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6170"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6170"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}