United States Eventing Association

Auburn Eventing Team Balances Competition with Class Time

Any rider knows that training and competing takes up a huge part of their daily routine, but what happens when college interrupts that? The riders on the Auburn University Eventing Team are here to explain. The club was started in 2013 and was the 6th university to affiliate their Eventing team with the USEA. This year they have 30 active members, 7 of whom were on the USEA 2015 leaderboard. Don’t let their good grades and dressage scores fool you, all this traveling and competing takes a huge amount of time management and teamwork. Before registration for the semester begins, riders focus on creating a schedule conducive to riding and academics. Katie Cantine, a sophomore, says “I’ve found that balancing academics and school has certainly been difficult, but I try to ride five days a week, three of those days being before my 10:00 a.m. class.” Other riders choose to focus on class just in the mornings like civil engineering major and CIC2* rider Lydia Kennedy. “I try to take all morning classes so that I am able to ride in the afternoons”. Like many student riders, Kennedy uses her planner, which is one of the most important tools for effective time management, to keep her daily schedule on track.

Team Member Lydia Kennedy. Photo via Auburn Eventing Team's Facebook Page.

With the college experience also comes other opportunities, and thus more planning. Leigh Higby manages to compete, study, and participate in a co-op program with Toyota. “My co-op is located in north Mississippi, hours from Events and much too far to attend regular Auburn Eventing Club functions. Depending on the semester, my location dictates how much I can do Eventing-wise. Working long hours forces me to ride in the evenings, mostly after dark.” Like in Higby’s case, traveling during school breaks is the norm. Most students pack up their horses between semesters and head home, if only for a month. This erratic schedule rests on the riders’ ability to plan ahead and maintain relationships with barn owners, vets, and farriers, a task that results from their hectic routines. Some days a successful ride just means being able to make it out to the barn to groom between study sessions.

Having Fun at an Intercollegiate Team Challenge. Photo Courtesy of Auburn Eventing.

A good bit of trial and error goes into maintaining good grades and competing, but being connected to other riders in similar circumstances helps to shorten the learning curve. Kristen Horn, a sophomore, says, “My first semester balancing horses and academics was rough, but my team members were there to support me and show me the ropes. I am a hunter/jumper convert and the complicated conditioning schedule necessary for Eventing took time to figure out. There is no way I’d be regularly competing without the team.” There are so many more benefits to being on a team. Anyone that is or was a college student can remember a time trying to catch a ride and carpooling with friends. The same applies to riders. Shared trucks and trailers are part of what keeps the team afloat and able to attend clinics and Events. Additionally, having the club team has given members a chance to show non-horsey-folk what our sport means. Public relations major Aubrey Wagner agrees, saying “Through the collegiate programs and team challenges we receive much needed publicity to make our sport noticed and appreciated”.

A team member's horse, Crown, investigates the Auburn University Horse Unit. Photo Courtesy of Auburn Eventing.

Additionally, collegiate Eventing has brought more camaraderie to the Eventing community as a whole. Shouts of “War Eagle!” and “Roll Tide” can be heard all the way across the cross country course from competitors, family, and spectators alike. Adding school spirit to horse trials just ups the excitement for riders, but in the traditional eventer spirit, it is all in good fun! So next time you’re at an event and see a rider sporting their school colors, swing by the stalls to say hello and cheer on your favorite team!

Photo via Auburn Eventing Team's Facebook Page.

Kristen Horn is the Social Chair of the Auburn Eventing Team. To learn more about the team, please visit their Facebook Page.

Does your school have an Eventing team? Send your story to Shelby.