THE UCONN EQUESTRIAN TEAM

Being a team member is a weighty commitment, and that means you must make up all your lessons--make-ups are available and are encouraged especially right before a horse show. Team members are also encouraged to help each other to improve their skills. Team members will each be assigned a school horse at the beginning of the semester and they will be responsible for the care and grooming etc. of that horse. There are approximately 35 members on the UConn Equestrian Team. There are 2 co-captains who also help out at every show. An entry fee of $25 a class is required to be paid by each rider (on occasion, a few show fees have been paid by student government funds). Transportation is provided to the show. It is desirable that you have proper britches, dark blue or dark colored coat and clean shirt. Dress is very important for a good presentation at the horse shows. Hard hats must have a chin strap (must be ASTM approved) and black boots should be worn. Clothes can be borrowed from team members if needed. There are team dinners once a month. We also hold meetings for various team business.

Students are chosen through the Horse Practicum for the Intercollegiate competition to ride at the Walk-Trot, Walk-Trot-Canter, Novice, Intermediate or Open. Alumni on the Flat/Fences level is open to alumni that have ridden in IHSA shows as an undergraduate in Novice level or above. The levels Over Fences are Novice, Intermediate or Open. The show competition is for all skill levels who compete individually and with the team. We have approximately 10 shows a year and riders have to accumulate 35 points. Once riders acquire the points, they will go on to Regionals. Our region currently consists of 10 schools in the Connecticut and Rhode Island area. At the Regionals, the top 2 riders go to Zones and from the Zones the top 2 riders from each level will go on to Nationals.

The objective of the intercollegiate competition is to offer the opportunity for competition to riders in their first years of riding as well as to students with show experience. All riders are mounted on horses by the host college --each horse being drawn by lot. Here at UConn, each student will ride a different horse in the lessons so they are prepared for the challenges of the show ring. We host 2 shows a year at UConn's facility.

On a normal show day we leave at 6:30 a.m. - 7:00 a.m. and, in order to support everyone on the team, we remain there all day until 4:30 - 5:00 p.m. Many parents have set up great lunches for the whole team! Our lesson program consists of 25-30 horses, mostly Morgans but also Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses and Warmblood crosses. We had a National Champion in Open Equitation Over Fences in '88 and '89 and National and Reserve Champions in Alumni Over Fences in 1996 and 2003. We have students placing at Nationals almost every year. In 2008, UConn is Reserve High Point College for Region I for the second consecutive year.

This year four UCET members have qualified for IHSA National finals taking place in Los Angeles, CA.

Tara Lynch - In Open Equitation over fences as well as Cachione Cup Qualifier - an extremely significant achievement.

Julia Gildea - Qualified in Intermediate Over Fences, after winning the Zone Finals Championship.

Samantha Morse - Qualified in Walk/Trot by being Region Champion, and Zone Reserve Champion.

Alumni - Nick Hunsicher - Qualified in Alumni Flat and Fences as Zone Champion in both divisions.

The UConn Equestrian Team is invited to compete at the Tournament of Champions in various parts of the country every year. Also, you will find UConn's Team very competitive, usually ending up Champion or Reserve Champion Team every year.