Success in the Face of Challenges
Despite today’s economic climate, some college riding teams are actually growing in numbers and accomplishments. Schurink says, “About five years ago, when the UMass team was losing serious funding, Bridgewater College purchased their own horse facility. The UMass team recently lost access to their horses for practice, but last year, Bridgewater went to the national championships and were fifth in the country. Bridgewater’s team started about 12 years ago with less than half a dozen kids. Today, we have 113 team members.” He continues, “Lots of factors contribute to the lack of funding for many teams. But it comes down to what is important to the institution. They each have their own philosophy. Some see a riding program as only a high cost. But a few schools, especially the smaller ones, look at what they’re getting for that cost. They see a strong riding team as a recruiting tool to attract students to their school.” Schurink believes the teams that have to ride at a private farm instead of a college owned facility are at greater risk of low funding. Schools that own an equestrian facility might be forced to manage the team like a business, as opposed to those renting a facility with a contract that can be terminated. He cites the University of New Hampshire as an example, “UNH has flourished in the last five years. They
went to the national championships last year for the first or second time in three decades. They have their own facility and they seem to be running the team like a business.”
me to train my horse on my own than to ride on the dressage team. It’s a disappointment because I was really looking forward to riding on a team.”
Friendly Advice
Is There An Answer?
If you’re interested in riding on a team in college, don’t be discouraged, just be a smart consumer. “Do a lot of research about the costs and what you’ll be getting for that cost. At UMass, I think the riding fee is fairly low but you have to pay for everything else. Other colleges cover all the expenses,” says Schurink. He reminds potential students to think about more than just the cost. “What type of riding does the college offer and what is the caliber of the riding? Research the coach’s experience and skill. Decide what you want to get out of the experience of riding on a college team.” For some, riding on the school team isn’t necessarily the best option. “Maybe you want to work with a certain top rider. Instead of riding on a team, choose a school because of its proximity to that professional who is willing to work with you and your horse,” says Schurink. “Or maybe you’d rather go to school, have your horse there, and ride on your own.” That’s what Moran of UMass decided was best for her. “After the funding cuts that were made last year and the problems we had, it just made more sense and is more productive for
McIntyre of Fairfield University believes the long term answer to the funding problem lies not with the colleges and universities, but with the community. She says, “Because of the expenses of the sport in general, and the desire of all teams to make it an option for any rider, no matter his or her personal financial capabilities, funding will always be an issue. “External support for the sport will be what allows it to continue to grow and flourish, much in the same way that donations and sponsorships allow universities to fund their football and basketball programs. This will always be a challenge for equestrian teams, as it is difficult to get ‘non-horse people’ to take an interest in the sport. “That being said, the more that the collegiate programs can get involved with the rest of the horse world, such as IHSA’s recent partnership with USHJA, it will allow the rest of the equestrian community to understand the mission of collegiate riding, the good it does for the sport and the riders, and why it should be something behind which the entire industry stands.”
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JAUNUARY 2012