United States Eventing Association

Lily Dal Cin Found Her People—and Her Purpose—Through Intercollegiate Riding

For Lily Dal Cin, college has been as much about grit and growth as it has been about horses and art. As a member of NC State’s intercollegiate eventing team, she’s weathered setbacks with her horses while continuing to ride, support her teammates, and pursue a demanding degree. Through it all, the team has been her anchor.

“It just takes a little bit of time to adjust, and it’s nice to know that people are doing it with you,” Dal Cin said. Surrounded by riders who understand the juggle, the 22-year-old has not only formed close friendships but also become a source of encouragement herself—always at the in-gate, the finish line, or behind the camera with a word of support.

That same balance and determination carry over into her creative life as well. She’s studying art and design at the Raleigh, North Carolina, university, concentrating on animation, and plans to pursue fine art after graduation. Last summer, she interned at an interior design firm—an exciting experience, though challenging to juggle with early-morning horse rides. Looking ahead, she hopes to launch her own fine art business, focusing primarily on animal portraits, with occasional photography shoots.

Born in Montreal but raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, Dal Cin grew up riding at a local farm and eventually chose NC State to stay connected to the regional horse community. A friend already leading the eventing team made it easy to get involved, though Dal Cin said anyone can find their place: “We’re all welcoming, and we share a passion off the bat, so it’s easy to get to know each other.”

Though her parents, Paolo and Michele Dal Cin, didn’t ride, their background in car racing helped them relate to the time and cost of eventing. She had to beg for lessons at first, but said, “Once they realized how committed I was, they respected that—and they’ve supported me so much.” Her love for horses started early, fueled by curiosity, animals, and classic horse movies—a true childhood passion.

The Dal Cin family moved often—first from Canada to Connecticut, then to Charlotte when Lily was in fourth grade—largely due to her father’s career as an engineer after retiring from car racing. “My mom worked in television covering motorsports, which is how she and my dad met, and even though he doesn’t race anymore, he still has go-karts and plans to start car racing again in retirement,” she said. Her sister Elena Dal Cin also rode horses with Lily as a child, but now resides back in Canada.

Dal Cin was obsessed with horse racing as a kid, drawn in by what she saw on TV and in movies. She soon found her place at a small farm in Charlotte—doing chores, making close friends, and enjoying her time around horses. The farm’s trainer mentioned eventing, and soon she and her fellow riders were all hooked.

After an early start with lesson horses and leasing opportunities, she got her first horse as a high school freshman. During that time she moved to Dana Cooke’s Kingfisher Park in Mooresville, North Carolina. “That was really good for me, because that’s when I started eventing for real,” she said. Dal Cin became a working student for the four-star Canadian eventer and formed lasting friendships along the way.

While there, she competed at Training level but had bigger goals—aiming for Intermediate, three-star events, and the U.S. Equestrian Federation Eventing Young Riders Championship after college. Committed to her path, she chose NC State, and soon things fell into place. With help from Cooke, she settled in Southern Pines, an hour from campus, giving her a great setup for both school and riding. “I was lucky because one of my best friends that I grew up riding with, Carrigan Hogg, was the president of the NC State eventing team at the time so I already knew a lot about it and was excited to join,” she said. “It added a new dimension to my life as a competitor because now I was a part of a team of riders, and I was representing the university.”

Currently Dal Cin has two horses, both owned by her parents: FE Bobby Dazzler (Sokrates x Bramina), a 12-year-old Polish Warmblood gelding whom they bought from Clayton Fredericks in 2020, and Interstellar, a 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood by Chaman and previously owned by Plain Dealing Farm. She and “Bobby” competed up to the two-star level, and as she said, “He’s like my comfort horse—my OG.” Interstellar (“Nolan”) is her newer addition, purchased in 2022 as a promising horse for the future. Powerful and talented, he’s taught her a lot in their journey up through Modified—and always draws attention at shows for his presence and performance.

But Dal Cin’s journey with her two horses wasn’t without challenges. During her freshman year, Bobby began stopping at fences, even from several strides out. After ruling out jumping issues, vets discovered a cyst in his right eye that was blocking his vision. NC State performed a laser procedure, and afterward, they finally found success—completing a Preliminary at Stable View (Aiken, South Carolina) and eventually moving up.

Just as things were starting to fall into place, another setback hit. A few weeks after competing at the Bromont CCI2*-S in August of 2022, Bobby tore his left hind suspensory—an injury that sidelined him for a year and a half and derailed Dal Cin’s Intermediate and three-star plans. Her focus shifted to getting to know Nolan better and learning how to harness his power, though she admits it was challenging without Bobby as a steady partner. With support, Bobby rehabbed well, and now the priority is keeping him sound.

Now, with both horses in different phases of their careers, her daily routine looks a little different. Bobby is currently going Modified, though she hasn’t competed him much this year. Nolan, on the other hand, felt a bit off form last fall, and after months of diagnostics, he’s not yet back in the ring. While it’s been tough—especially since he was progressing well—she’s found a silver lining: “I think in some ways it’s been nice, because it kind of was like, alright, I need to focus on senior year.” Though she’s still at the barn five days a week, the lighter riding load has eased some pressure.

For her, time at the barn offers a much-needed mental break from the demands of school. What makes it even more meaningful is the community—fellow riders who understand the unique challenge of balancing college and horses. As she puts it, “It’s sometimes hard for people to understand how important it is to have a group of people around you who really get what it’s like to juggle so much at once.”

Dal Cin finds inspiration in her teammates’ dedication—many of whom juggle vet school, long commutes, and late-night study sessions while still making time for the barn.“It just goes to show how passionate we are about it,” she said.

“Even when the weather is awful and we’re riding in torrential downpours, we find ways to laugh about it, and really we try to make the most of every situation, because just being out at a show while in college is a win,” she added. “That’s something I will definitely miss.”

Starting college can be disorienting—especially for student riders balancing academics and horses. As a freshman, she was confident in her goals but hadn’t fully grasped the day-to-day demands. Over time, things fell into place, helped by the support of those going through the same thing. “It just takes a little bit of time to adjust—and it’s nice to know that people are doing it with you,” she said.

Mentorship has played a big role in her journey, both in the barn and the classroom. Early on, when her major felt overwhelming, hearing from older students made a lasting impact. The same holds true with horses—being surrounded by people who understand the lifestyle makes it feel more doable. “On hard days,” she said, “ you’re kind of holding on to that advice.”

For intercollegiate events, the team coordinates who’s going, organizes stabling, and supports each other by watching rides and cheering from the sidelines. Last May, she competed both horses at Modified during the Intercollegiate Championships—held at Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina—and loved the experience. The energy was unmatched, and what stood out most wasn’t the results, but the incredible atmosphere. She had hoped to attend again this year, but the event falls on the same weekend as graduation.

It’s a special feeling to be at the center of attention at events, with spectators showing genuine interest in the college riders. “It’s cool that we can be inspiring to others—or that people are even just curious about us,” she said. “That’s the point of going out there and representing our schools.”

Her parents often help at shows by filming rides and even cleaning studs. Her father was once in the driver’s seat himself, and now he’s a sounding board for when Dal Cin’s nerves hit at a competition. “He gets what it’s like to have intense nerves and be a competitor,” she said. And after tough rides, her mom is all heart. “Even if I have a bad ride… she’s just happy that I made it back safe.”

Dal Cin’s dedication throughout college, both in and out of the saddle, has always been appreciated by her teammates. She serves as the team’s social media coordinator, lends a hand whenever needed, and is a constant source of encouragement—often showing up to ride, video, or simply cheer others on. As team president Maggie Buchanan said, “Lily is often at the finish line for cross-country, and many times at the in-gate for dressage and stadium. She really is a huge emotional support for members—always positive about other people and it really is wonderful to have her around.”

From hanging out at shows to grabbing froyo or watching movies, the small, close-knit NC State team feels like family to Buchanan. She emphasized that participation is key: “The more you put in, the more you will get out of it.” Like Dal Cin, the team aspect has led to lasting friendships and meaningful connections.

And for Dal Cin, it all comes back to the community that made it possible. “The point is to show school spirit, work together, and do what you love with your friends,” she said—a fitting reflection on a college experience defined by passion, resilience, and camaraderie.

About the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Program

The USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Program was established in 2014 to provide a framework within which eventing teams and individual competitors could flourish at universities and colleges across the country. Many events across the country offer Intercollegiate Team Challenges where collegiate eventers can compete individually or in teams with their fellow students. In Intercollegiate Team Challenges, each rider’s score is multiplied by a coefficient appropriate for their level to account for differences in level difficulty, and then the individual scores are added together to determine the team score. The USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championship is a capstone event for the program, which is held annually in the spring. The 2025 USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championship will be held at Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina, on May 2-4. Click here to learn more about the Intercollegiate Eventing Program.

The USEA would like to thank Bates Saddles, Horse & Country, Kerrits, Nunn Finer, Sidelines, U.S. Equestrian, WeRideTogether, World Equestrian Brands and Young Rider for sponsoring the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Program.