Arizona
New ASU Riding Club
By Priscilla Dance
Apr 27, 2008, 14:40

In the fall semester of 2008, Arizona State University plans to include horses and horsemanship by launching the ASU Riding Club. The Club is affiliated with the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). According to the IHSA web site, the IHSA promotes competition for riders of all skill levels, who compete individually and as teams at regional, zone, and national levels.

The association was founded on the principle that any college student should be able to participate in horse shows regardless of his or her financial status or riding level. Emphasis is on learning, sportsmanship, and fun. Competition plays a role but the students’ enthusiasm and team spirit are the major factors. The objective of IHSA competition is to offer the opportunity to riders in their first years of riding as well as to students with show experience.
Eliminating the expense of shipping or even owning horses puts IHSA competitions within reach of many who would otherwise miss the equestrian experience.

Full-time undergraduate students of member colleges or alumni who competed in the IHSA as undergraduates are eligible to compete. Riders qualify for the National Championship Horse Show (Nationals) through a point system. During the year, contestants accumulate points at local shows to qualify for the Regional Finals in their respective divisions. The top three riders in each class of the Regional Finals move forward to the Zone Finals. The top two competitors in each class at Zones qualify for Nationals.

Each region’s high point team competes head to head with the other high point teams in its Zone for the right to represent the Zone for National Champion Team honors: winning the “Collegiate Cup” for the Hunter Seat division and the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Trophy in the Western division.

The regional high point riders are eligible for the National Individual Championship. The USEF/Cacchione Cup is awarded to the National Individual Hunter Seat High Point Rider. The AQHA Western Rider winner receives a Textan saddle and a scholarship. The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) awards a Morrison Bronze trophy to the winner of the Individual Open Reining Horsemanship class winner.

The ASU Riding Club is associated with the Hunkapi program. Hunkapi was founded as a research program in 1996. When compared to other sports, research showed that horseback riding was the most positive intervention for children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism. The positive results prompted the launching of the community outreach program in 1999. Hunkapi believes that interacting with horses can serve as a non-drug intervention alternative

Terra Schaad, the director of the Hunkapi program is the head coach of the Riding Club, with Amy Vanderluit overseeing the English program and Bob Leary as the head coach for Western. It took them about nine months to put the program together and receive club status from ASU.

Vanderluit is experienced in dressage, flat, hunter/jumper and a wide range of English Disciplines. Alice Sarno will assist with the eventing. Vanderluit taught at Vershire Riding Academy in Vermont; she was an instructor in eventing for 7 years.

“I’ve combined my love of horses and education,” she said. “I enjoy the technicality of dressage but eventing is my favorite.”

Bob Leary is ideally suited to coach the Western riders; he was the instructor at Scottsdale Community College’s equine program. His focus is on teaching people how to ride their horse or other horses. He’s a big believer in the four natural aids: weight, legs, voice, and hands. He puts his biggest emphasis on how to control to ride safely.

“Trainers often train the horse instead of really teaching the student how to ride the horse under any condition,” he said. “The student has to able to learn how to control the horse. It’s not just going around the arena. The students start out learning how to compete. Horses behave differently at a show. They have to know how to do things when the unexpected happens. One of my students was in the middle of his reining pattern when a young man on a skateboard in the stands lost his balance and slid down the steps. The horse kept his pattern and won the class.”

Some of the students will have the opportunity to be working students at ranches. Everyone will meet with coaches once a week for about 80 minutes. One hour of that will be for riding. There are 25 horses, some for every level rider from beginner through advanced. The fee will be $125 a month. To help defray the costs, there are Independent Education Scholarships and students can earn $7.50 an hour credit for volunteer hours with Hunkapi.
For more information, call the ASU team office at 490-965-4268



www.bridleandbit.com