The recent announcement that Kansas State University was going to discontinue its sponsorship of equestrian at the conclusion of the 2015-16 season sent shock waves through the entire horse industry. The University’s decision was based on the recommendation from the Committee on Women’s Athletics (CWA) to remove equestrian from the emerging sports list.
While the National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA), who is governed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has many challenges ahead, there is still time to gather public support to change the minds of the NCAA athletic directors and presidents. GoHorseShow.com spoke with past NCEA alumni who passionately addressed these new developments.
• Schools would still have the option to continue sponsoring the sport, especially as they would try to get it placed back on the emerging sports list. Many schools would consider keeping their equestrian teams if there was a plan to get the sport back on the emerging sports list.
Johnna Letchworth (USC)–When I heard the recent news that the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics had decided to recommend removing equestrian from the emerging sports list, like everyone else, I was disappointed. We have been fortunate to receive support from several large companies and groups. Leman Wall and the AQHA folks have been our biggest supporters, and our sport would not have gotten this far without his help and without the help of the AQHA community. Adequan and Ariat are also major sponsors of our sport, and I know all of the teams and riders are grateful for everything those companies have done on a yearly basis to support college equestrian. There are more companies and groups out there that could and should get involved with college equestrian, and I encourage those people to do so. If the college equestrian coaches can show the NCAA that they have meaningful support from the horse industry, that would go a long way in helping to save the sport that we all love so much. I hope everybody reading this will take a deep breathe and recognize that NCAA equestrian is not going away tomorrow, and may not be going away at all. There are some very important folks at the schools and conference offices that are working behind the scenes through the normal legislative process to save our sport. Some of the best and brightest people in college athletics are on our side and want to see equestrian succeed at the NCAA level, and that fact alone gives me great hope for the future of our sport. I know there are thousands of young girls right now who dream of getting to compete for their favorite college team, and just like our parents and supporters made our dreams come true by opening the sport to us in the first place, I hope everyone will do their part to support the NCAA schools right now to save the sport of equestrian.
Carey Nowacek (Texas A&M)–I am heartbroken to hear the news that our sport may be discontinued on an NCAA level. The NCEA has done so much for me as a horsewoman and the woman I have grown to be. Being on the Texas A&M Equestrian team not only gave me the opportunity to go to an amazing university but, gave me the opportunity to compete for something bigger than myself. Riding on a personal level is great, but riding for a team is amazing. Having an entire school behind you while you’re riding is such a humbling feeling. On the education side, being an NCAA athlete put me through school. I was able to go to a top university that otherwise I would not have had the opportunity. I was able to be on scholarship, and I had benefits that helped me get through school while still doing what I love. My hope is that those voting on this issue realize how many lives will be changed by dropping Collegiate Equestrian. So many young girls are working their tails off, trying to get the attention of a collegiate coach to maybe ride on a team. Many girls will not be able to attend a university because they will not have the scholarship to do so or because they will not have something to work for. We work just as hard as any sport, and to not be able to continue it on a college level will crush our youth industry.
Indy Roper (Auburn)–A sport is defined as an activity requiring physical skill in which an individual or team competes against another for entertainment. To those involved in the horse industry (AQHA, APHA, NRHA, USEF) this definition clearly defines equestrian. Equestrian is a sport. A sport that has and should remain recognized by the NCAA. My time with the Auburn Equestrian team can best be described as a privilege. I can speak with great passion about the NCEA. The NCEA opened many doors for me as a rider and as a person. As a rider it taught me the true essence of the horse. Horses are individuals. They have strengths and weaknesses. It is our job as athletes to showcase the strengths and hide the weaknesses in five minutes. The riding aspect allowed me to use my horse intellect that I, as other young athletes, worked tirelessly to achieve. But it did more than that it allowed me to represent a prestigious university as a student-athlete. I speak emphatically when I say young equestrians today should not be denied that opportunity. Representing a university and bonding with forty young women is life changing. The younger generation of aspiring collegiate riders shall be given the opportunity like other athletes to be rewarded for hours of dedication given to a sport we love.
Lauren Crivelli (Fresno State)–As a Fresno State Equestrian Team Alumni, I cannot express how grateful I was to have had the opportunity to compete at a collegiate level. The NCEA gave me the chance to enhance my horsemanship skills while riding other horses. The format forced you to think on your toes and adjust to different horses and situations, which not only helped me when I went on to show my three year-old, but it has helped me in my sales career as well. NCEA opened my eyes to different types of horses, riding, and training techniques. I hope that NCEA continues to be offered; the athletes that participate in it are some of the most passionate individuals I have had the pleasure to meet. I believe that NCEA is a valuable asset to the AQHA, APHA, USEF and NRHA community.
Lauren Halvorson (OSU)–I can’t say enough great things about what the NCEA has given me through scholarships and other opportunities given to college athletes. I believe it is an extremely important facet of our equine industry for many reasons. For one, it has provided great scholarship and athletic opportunities to young equine athletes. I believe these scholarship opportunities provide a great incentive for new people to get involved in the equine industry. Also, one of my favorite parts of the NCEA is its competition format. The level playing field on neutral horses is so unique, and I truly believe it has helped take my and many others’ riding skills to another level. It is a great way to showcase the talents of riders of all areas of the equine industry. If this is the end of the NCEA, many young equestrian athletes will be missing out on the opportunity of a lifetime, and that truly breaks my heart. I believe we should do whatever it takes to support the NCEA as it brings so many benefits and opportunities to young equestrians and the equine industry as a whole.
Marissa (Dalton) Ledford (OSU)–No we don’t catch a ball like football players, shoot a basket like in basketball or kick a ball like soccer. Instead we ride a 1200 pound animal that has a mind of its own through a four minute warm up and do our best to show the judge how well we can perform the pattern. However equestrian is being questioned if it should be a NCAA sport. To me it is. We practice and workout just like other sports. But unlike other sports we don’t bring our horses or equipment so being versatile is a quality all equestrians have. Having the NCEA available for me during my four years at Oklahoma State University was a blessing. Being able to compete through college not only helped me become a better rider but made me realize how fortunate I was to have the horses I’ve had over the years. It makes me sad to hear that equestrian could be dropped as an NCAA sport. 
Lindsey (Salisbury) York (KSU)–This isn’t only heartbreaking, but devastating. Being a part of this sport and wanting to see it flourish, it’s just really hard to see it go away from Kansas State University and possibly as a whole. Having the opportunity to compete at one of the highest levels of our sport is huge. It showcases the best of the best at the college level and knowing I was apart of that is something I will always be proud of. Not only did I get to compete in a sport I’m passionate about, but the life-long friendships that I made–those bonds are irreplaceable. Being a student-athlete at a Division I college is one of my greatest accomplishments and I will always hold that high. I hope that the individuals voting on this issue take time to hear what this means to a large number of their student-athletes; past, present, and future. Most of these women, myself included choose a University based on their equestrian program.
McKenzie Lantz (Georgia)–I am saddened to hear of the potential loss of NCAA Equestrian. Participating on an Equestrian team gave me the opportunity to earn an education at an accredited university while continuing to do what I love. The team brings so much more than showing horses, it teaches leadership, commitment, work ethic, and so much more that attending college with out a team experience cannot offer. The opportunities that this team has brought to me now that I am finished are endless. I honestly, could not imagine a college experience without participating on a NCAA Equestrian Team. I feel for the little girls who have worked so hard to catch the eye of one of the many coaches. All of their hard work and commitment to practicing and putting in the extra hours may be of no use. NCAA Equestrian has opened up a new door for women in the horse industry providing those who may have never gone to college in the past, an opportunity to earn a scholarship doing what they do best. To the girls who are current-student athletes seeing that their time may be cut short, and are still working so hard to rise to the top, I commend them. A task like that is not easy knowing that your efforts may soon be forgotten. I hope that the NCAA looks at the impact that collegiate Equestrian has had on our industry and the many women who have their hearts set on competing with a University logo on their back.
Jenna Blumer (OSU)–It is upsetting to hear that the NCAA is thinking of ending the NCEA program completely. Being a member of such a great team and organization provided me with many beneficial experiences and lessons. It definitely helped me grow, not only as a rider, but as an individual. I wish the NCAA would see equestrian just as important as the other sports. It’s extremely frustrating to hear people’s comments about how equestrian isn’t a sport. Little do they know it is probably one of the most difficult. We put in just as many, if not more hours as any other sport. By ending this program, so many girls will be slighted an amazing opportunity not only to do what they love in college as a team, but to also attend such great universities. I know I personally wouldn’t be attending a Division 1 school like Oklahoma State University if I hadn’t received a scholarship. I would be close to home at a more affordable college to earn my degree. I think this shows how giving us the opportunity to ride and attend these Division 1 universities is an amazing opportunity. Definitely one opportunity that we would not get if it wasn’t for the NCEA. I hope that everyone takes this into consideration before they choose to just end the program.
Logan Pluhar (Texas A&M)–Personally, there is no opportunity in regular horse showing like there is here where the amount of money spent on your horse/clothes/ads becomes irrelevant – it is you against your competitor on the same horse for the same amount of time. The best rider on that day wins. But that’s not why we should save our sport, and I’ll give you a small example of how important it is to continue supporting its growth. Recently, several of my teammates and I attended the Texas A&M-Arkansas football game held in Cowboys AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Before the game began, the enormous and obnoxious stadium Jumbotron that normally shows some of the biggest celebrities in sports was panning throughout the crowd. The camera paused on a little girl cheering loudly for our beloved school and held there for several seconds before moving on. What is the point of my story, you ask? This girl was wearing a Texas A&M Equestrian Team shirt. None of us had ever met her, nor knew who she was, but I will never forget that image. I have noticed a growth in the amount of little girls just like her who talk about equestrian as though it is as common a sport as softball or soccer. Girls that have never even touched a horse are suddenly dreaming about being an equestrian athlete and begging their parents to take them to a meet. That is what it is all about. Yes, we have many obstacles to overcome to become as popular as other sports, such as an emphasis on more objective judging and an increase of knowledge and awareness among those not in the horse industry about our sport – but what sport didn’t have these same growing pains? I’m sure when football was first introduced, there were many skeptics about the potential of an idea where grown men played keep away with an oddly shaped ball. We are well worth the same patience and investment, just ask those little girls.
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Float=”left”]/Media/2/jpg/2014/10/7fe1ce62-155d-40df-ea518819f967e60f.jpg[/NPI]Lauren
Love (Georgia)–I was fortunate enough to be recruited to be a member
of the University of Georgia’s NCAA Equestrian Team during my senior
year of high school. Being recruited as an NCAA student-athlete was an
opportunity I never thought I’d have the privilege of experiencing; not
because my countless hours of dedication to riding, training, caring for
horses, working out, etc, didn’t qualify me as a true athlete, but
simply because most people don’t understand it. They don’t understand
that equestrian is one of the most dangerous and competitive sports that
people participate in worldwide. The fact that we are perceived “to
just sit there and do nothing while the horse does all the work” is
exactly what we work so hard for; if it looks like we aren’t doing
anything then that is when we are the most successful. As in every
sport, if you’re making it look effortless, then you’re doing it right. I
was able to meet so many girls I grew up competing against, girls I had
always looked up to/idolized, and many girls whom I had never met and
would’ve never had the opportunity to meet had the NCAA’s equestrian
program not been in existence. I went to college all the way across the
country essentially knowing no one, but that never bothered me because I
knew I already had a group of 70 girls, whom I shared so much in common
with, as immediate friends. I challenge the NCAA to get on a reiner and
run full speed to a sliding stop, or a hunter and jump a fence as tall
as they are. Think about the well-being and future of thousands of
student-athletes rather than what your rules and by-laws say. After all,
the NCAA does say it is “dedicated to safeguarding the well-being of
student-athletes and equipping them with the skills to succeed on the
playing field, in the classroom and throughout life.”
