United States Eventing Association

With the recent creation of the Eventing Club at Texas Christian University (TCU), its members are excited to begin their endeavors as a team in the upcoming fall show season, here in the heart of Area V. The club originated with the realization that many young eventers viewed college as the end of their eventing careers. They understood that if it was not a university-approved sport then there would be no recognition and understanding that the eventing students were student athletes who were trying to balance their academics with riding. The solution to this problem was the creation of an Eventing Club. This would not only change the perspective of young eventers as to their potential futures in the sport; but it would also provide the current TCU students with the privilege of representing their university in the sport of eventing, while also gaining recognition as a true sport club.

TCU rider Clara Cargile. Photo by Cele Carpenter.

While the TCU Eventing Club may be newly established, its members are seasoned in the sport of eventing. In its first official year as a sport club beginning in the fall, the Eventing Club will begin with eleven members, in hopes of gaining new members when the incoming freshman class arrives on campus. The current eleven member team boasts riders ranging from the Novice level through the Advanced/CCI*** level and welcomes new riders of all levels to participate.

TCU Rider Lauren Branagh. Photo by Anne Branagh.

The TCU Eventing Club’s goal as a collegiate club team is first to provide TCU students with the privilege to represent their school, while continuing to compete in the sport they love. The second goal is to help further the collegiate eventing movement by bringing it to Fort Worth, Texas with hopes to encourage the creation of intercollegiate challenges in Texas as well. The team will be coming together at the end of this summer to compare schedules in order to plan team outings to intercollegiate challenges in hopes of qualifying to compete in the National Intercollegiate Championship in the spring of 2017.

TCU Rider Victoria Garland. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

This team is composed of driven individuals who are not only accomplished eventers, but also hard-working students academically. It is the goal of the team to pursue the idea of excellence both in the academic world and the equestrian world. Since the Eventing Club team is composed of individuals in their freshman year through their junior year, it also provides the opportunity for mentorship. This team will give older students the ability to take the younger students under their wing and teach them the importance of time management in balancing academics and riding. It is the hope that this dynamic will encourage younger eventers to continue to pursue eventing while in college, knowing that they will have a support system of those who have gone before them and have experience being a collegiate student athlete. The TCU Eventing Club has a bright year ahead of them and expects to make the most of the opportunities the USEA has provided it in becoming an affiliated collegiate member.