On the night of Monday, October 13, the Kansas State University women’s equestrian team was informed that the sport would be discontinued following the 2015-16 season. All scholarships would be honored but there was something not quite right about it all. The K-State equestrian team parents have mobilized, and the entire equestrian community is rallying to do our best to save the program.
The story we received from K-State Athletic Director John Currie is that there was no way to save the sport, that the National Collegiate Athletic Association was taking women’s equestrian off the list of emerging sports and K-State needed the money to make room for soccer. This announcement was made before the National Collegiate Athletic Association vote and also that it would be closed down a year prior to the NCAA proposed end.
The plot thickens, as there are actually four more votes to remove the equestrian program from the NCAA, and no other school has cancelled their equestrian team as a result of these votes … why then is K-State?
The girls of the K-State equestrian team are so far undefeated this year and ranked third in the nation.
The Save-KSU-Equestrian Movement and How You Can Help
We, as the parents of the Kansas State University equestrian student-athletes, feel if we can “Save-KSU-Equestrian” this will help save NCAA emerging sport of equestrian.
Our goal? To see the Kansas Board or Regents table their decision until at least the NCAA makes its official ruling January 2015 in Washington, D.C. We believe that by K-State tabling its decision, this act will go a long way in showing the NCAA how strong, committed, determined, influential, and invested the equestrian community really is.
Our K-State equestrian athletes are in immediate need here with their program set to stop at the end of the 2015-2016 season. Please help in any way you can.
We are especially looking for assistance from horsemen and -women with connections to K-State, Kansas equestrian businesses, board members, boosters, alumni, former equestrian athletes, but any help will be instrumental. Please contact the Kansas Board of Regents, K-State President Kirk Schulz, and John Currie, the K-State athletic director, who is the one who, we feel, wants to get rid of equestrian the most.
Anything you can do would be appreciated. And be sure to learn more at www.save-ksu-equestrian.com.
CLICK HERE to sign petition to help save NCEA!
