How many girls are on a team?

There is no roster size limit. The teams range from 15 to 85 girls. The average team has about 46 members.

Can NCEA teams only compete NCAA?

No, schools that are a member of the NCEA are permitted to compete in both the NCAA-NCEA head to head format and IHSA (club) competitions. However, universities can only compete in one National Championship event.

How many coaches are there?

There can be anywhere from 1-3 coaches. Some teams also have volunteer coaches that are designated by the team, one western and one hunt seat for the whole season.

Where do the teams practice?

Practice and competition facilities can be owned by the athletics department or can be multiple use facilities on campus partnered with the Agriculture or Animal Science Department. Some programs lease a private facility.

Who provides the horses?

Most programs have their own string of horses for the team to practice and compete on. These horses have been donated, purchased, or are leased for the competition season.

Typically how many competitions are there?

Teams can have up to 15 dates of competition, not including conference or national championships. Competitions that last more than one day, or tournaments can be considered 1 date, up to 5 times.

What does it cost to run an Equestrian Team?

Annual operating budgets can range from $100,000 to $450,000, depending on the size of your program. The average cost per student athlete is $3,000 to $7,000.

What about grades?

The average equestrian GPA is 3.2

Are there scholarships?

The sport of Equestrian can offer up to 15 scholarships per team. The NCAA defines Equestrian as an equivalency sport, allowing the scholarships to be divided amongst the team.

Can Student-athletes receive course credit?

Some Universities will offer class credit for participation

Can student-athletes win money?

When the teams are in season the student-athletes are not allowed to accept any type of monetary compensation for competition. They are allowed to accept prizes up to a certain value. Each university’s compliance office can elaborate on the details.