Your step by step guide for becoming a potential candidate for a college varsity equestrian team.

In 1998, equestrian was classified as an NCAA emerging sport. Currently 23 colleges and universities offer equestrian as a varsity sport and more continue to add the program to their athletic department each year. Schools compete in a head to head format, where each team is required to ride the same horse and judges’ scores are compared across horses. The host school provides the horses and tack at each competition. The format includes hunt seat equitation on the flat and over fences, western horsemanship and reining. The USEF, the national governing body for equestrian sports, in conjunction with the AQHA have been influential in the development of the sport and its rules.

BECOMING A TEAM MEMBER

To become a member of the team, coaches need to access your academic and athletic abilities. Most universities have questionnaires to fill out along with a request for a resume of your riding history. Coaches would also like to see a video of your riding. Keep in mind your equitation/horsemanship. If possible, please show your abilities on more than one horse and give a brief description of the type of horse you are on so we can look at the video in light of your mount. Proper clothing is recommended – boots and breeches for English and jeans and boots for western.

If you have footage of past shows, please include some of that as well, but timelier video is preferred as well so coaches know what they are seeing is current and you are thinking about your horsemanship and equitation, not the hunters or jumpers or pleasure from a show.

Please contact the university(ies) in which you are interested in to meet individual requirements.

OTHER RECRUITING INFORMATION

Because Equestrian is governed by the NCAA, there are certain rules and procedures to follow regarding recruitment.

Who Is The NCAA?

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a voluntary organization through which the nation's colleges and universities govern their athletics programs. It comprises more than 1,250 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals committed to the best interests, education and athletics participation of student-athletes. For recruiting and compliance information, please see the National Collegiate Athletic Association web site.

NCAA Initial Eligibility/Clearinghouse

Any athlete who wishes to compete for an NCAA Division I or II Equestrian team must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse. Information concerning the Clearinghouse and what documents should be submitted can be found by clicking here.

Other Recruiting Information

Coaches may receive telephone calls from prospective student athletes at any time. However, coaches are not able to return phone calls to students prior to July 1st of their senior year in high school. Coaches are able to send out written information, including email, to students beginning September 1st of their junior year of high school.

Official visits, which are financed in part or in whole by a university, can not take place prior to the student’s first day of class of their senior year. An unofficial visit, made at the expense of the prospect, can occur prior to the senior year. Neither official nor nonofficial visits can occur during a dead period.

2006-2007 Academic Dead Period:

November 6-9, 2006, (during the period Monday through Thursday of the initial week for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent).

April 9-12, 2007, (during the period Monday through Thursday of the initial week for the spring signing of the National Letter of Intent).

A dead period is that period of time when it is not permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts or evaluations on or off the member institution’s campus, or to permit official or unofficial visits by prospects to the institution’s campus. The provision of complimentary admissions to a prospect during a dead period is prohibited, except as provided in Bylaw 13.8.2.5 for a prospect who visits an institution as part of a group. During such a dead period, a coaching staff member may not serve as a speaker at or attend a meeting or banquet at which prospects are in attendance, except as provided in Bylaw 13.1.9, and may not visit prospects’ educational institutions. It remains permissible, however, for an institutional staff member to write or telephone prospects during such a dead period. [13.02.3.4]

NCAA Guide for The College Bound Student

We recommend that you read the NCAA’s “The Guide for College Bound Student Athletes.” This guide was developed to help you and your family understand the NCAA rules and what is expected of an NCAA Student-Athlete.