“Colgate has an equestrian team?” The equestrian team is often asked when they disappear for a day to attend horse shows in the Central New York region. Although it gets little publicity due to its club sport status and off-campus location, Colgate’s equestrian program is nationally prominent. Colgate’s equestrians have established themselves as forces to be reckoned with among the most competitive club and varsity riders both within the region and at the national level. The team competes in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association along with over 400 other schools nationwide.

At the end of last spring, after a year of competing, half of Colgate’s team qualified for regional finals, where two of the riders also qualified for Zone II finals. A month later, the top riders from the country’s nine zones met at the IHSA Nationals competition in Harrisburg, PA, where senior co-captain Devon Storbeck finished as reserve champion in one of the highest levels.

Last year’s accomplishments prove the increasing talent and dedication of Colgate’s equestrians, who represent all four class years and who join the team with a range of riding experience prior to coming to Colgate. Over the past year and a half, the coach and captains have made some fundamental changes in how the team functions, such as increasing practice time in order to optimize potential and gain credibility both within Colgate’s athletic program and among competitors. On the eve of the program’s 11th year, this increased focus and organization will help the team continue to win accolades as one of the university’s growing athletic programs.

Despite of the program’s increased popularity, the team is still looking for more riders at all levels, including those with little or no experience. The captains will be holding a meeting for anyone interested in learning more about the Colgate Equestrian Team in the Coop on September 7th at 8:30pm.