Clubs and Teams
More about our Clubs and Teams
Click the name of a club/team below to learn more information:
UK Collegiate Professional Horseman’s Association
More information coming soon
Club Advisors
- Savannah Robin (savannah.robin@uky.edu)
- Dr. Bob Coleman (rcoleman@uky.edu)
UK Dressage Team
The UK Dressage Team competes with other colleges in the region. Team members will either ride a dressage test in front of a judge or will ride in dressage seat equitation. Dressage seat equitation is a flat class with other riders in that level; riders are judged solely on equitation and not the patterns of a test.
A student can get involved by coming to meetings and joining the team for events. Participants can also get involved by following the team’s social media outlets, which are kept up to date. The team does require tryouts to determine which level participants compete in. Those who try out will hear back with the results within a week of the final tryout.
The team uses and practices out of the facilities at Clover Hill Farm in Paris, Kentucky. The team’s coach is also based out of there, enabling access and the ability to ask questions when at the barn. Students do not need their own horse to be a part of this team. The farm has horses available for practices and competitions use the horses at the school the team competes at.
Something that the team is very proud of is even with the season getting cut short, the team placed third in the region. The team has riders from all different backgrounds and styles of riding, and loves to learn from each other to grow as riders and as people. The team would love to get to know you and welcome you to the family!
UK Equestrian Team
UK's Equestrian Team has both hunt seat and western disciplines represented.
ISHA Hunt Seat Team
The team competes in the hunt seat portion of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, which is an organization that allows college riders to compete on a regional and national level. The team needs riders at all levels who can compete in everything from first-year beginner walk trot to the most advanced open fences class. During the year we show at eight to ten regular season shows (four to six a semester). The team is based out of Ballyhigh Show Stables.
The team decides on members solely based on tryouts. This allows everyone who participates in tryouts to be given a chance to make the team without any bias. The team has an informational meeting during the first week of classes every fall. More information about this will be posted on the team’s social media pages closer to the time. This meeting will give out more specifics about the team for that year and allow for tryout sign-up.
Due to the large amount of interest in the team each year, the team had to make cuts. However, because it needs to fill all IHSA divisions, it selects riders of all abilities. The team prefers to keep the membership around 35-40 members. However, everyone has to tryout each year, so new members have as equal a chance of making the team as returning members. Decisions are sent out within a week of tryouts. Even with the season being cut short, the team was the 2019-2020 Region 3 Champions!
Make sure to follow the team’s social media.
We look forward to seeing and meeting everyone at tryouts.
ISHA Western Seat Team
The team requires weekly lessons in Paris and three shows per semester. If you qualify for regionals, semifinals and/or nationals you will continue to have lessons and compete in those shows as well. To get involved with the team, reach out via the social media accounts linked below and come to the team’s first meeting.
The team is very proud of its members and the fact that several riders qualify for semifinals every year! The team is associated with Bennie Sargent Quarter Horses and host home shows at Lakeside Arena.
No experience is needed to join the team. If you are interested, the team’s coaches will teach you everything you need to know!
UK Eventing Team
This University of Kentucky Eventing team competes in the Intercollegiate Eventing League at sanctioned U.S. Eventing Association events. Students can join the team by messaging any of the team social media pages, or our president Hannah Warner (916) 837-7477/warnerhannah12@gmail.com.
The eventing team was the highest-ranking Intercollegiate team on the USEA leaderboard for 2021, with multiple members winning national end-of-year titles. The UK Eventing team also won the Intercollegiate National Championships in 2021 and finished in 3rd place with four teams in the top eight at the 2022 National Championships.
In order to ride on the team you must have your own horse. However, we offer a social membership for students who do not have access to a horse but want to be involved in the eventing community. We do not require tryouts nor do we have a specific barn related to the team. All of our members are at surrounding Lexington farms and are allowed to train with the coach of their choosing. We host meetings every other Wednesday night on campus.
We host an Intercollegiate Challenge at Jumpstart Horse Trials every year. We also host multiple schooling jumper shows throughout the year. Joining the UK Eventing team is a great way to meet lots of like-minded individuals and have access to a variety of opportunities, both in and out of the saddle!
UK Horse Racing Club
The purpose of the club is to promote and educate members about the Thoroughbred horse racing and breeding industry. The club also takes pride in providing networking opportunities within the Thoroughbred industry.
The club takes monthly trips to different Thoroughbred farms or industry destinations which normally include a tour of the facility and time to ask questions as well as network with those who work there. This club provides you an incredible opportunity to see some of the world’s best racing athletes as well get your own interactive experience and pictures of some of the horses usually only being seen on the television.
To get involved in the club, like and message the club’s Facebook page linked below or email Averie at aele242@uky.edu and we will make sure to get you joined and part of the UK Horse Racing Club family.
UK Polo Team
UK Polo is a club sport that focuses on practicing the sport of horse polo. Inside the student-run program, there are 15 members from different parts of the country and the globe.
UK polo has a string of eight to 5 top-of-the-line polo ponies, which are used for games, practices and lessons. The men’s and women’s varsity teams compete year-round against other university teams in tournaments across the country representing the University of Kentucky.
The program has members of all levels and backgrounds. The team conducts polo clinics, one-to-one polo and riding lessons and teaches important horsemanship skills. Members greatly enjoy sharing their passion for horses and polo with anyone that is interested to try something new and different. They accept new members who have never ridden horses before right alongside their polo-playing peers; Polo is a sport for everyone!
The team is very proud of its varsity women's team, who were the D1 Intercollegiate Regional Champions in November 2021 and the D1 National Finals Runner-Ups in April 2022. They are on route for the national intercollegiate tournaments this year, and are routinely on the roster every school year. The women on the team like to emphasize that while they play hard, they also work hard, and the team prospers because of it!
The team only requires tryouts for players interested in playing in the men’s and women’s varsity teams. Any new member has access to riding and playing while being accompanied by experienced members to help them develop their riding and polo skills. The only requisite is to be willing to learn and have fun!
Some of the team’s main events include open to public polo exhibition games on Saturdays in February - May, fundraisers and its semi-annual Polo Ball. Information for these upcoming events can be found through their Instagram, Facebook, and website. The easiest way to get involved with UK Polo is to contact the team through any of its social media platforms - or the website and email - and their members would be happy to introduce you to the program!
UK Rodeo Team
The University of Kentucky Rodeo Team competes in the Ozark region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association, NIRA. Through NIRA, the team’s students can compete in events such as saddle bronc, bareback, bull riding, barrel racing, goat tying, steer wrestling, tie-down roping and team roping. Rodeo for many of the team’s members, is an outlet where they can escape the stress over classes and enjoy doing something they love. The team has students from all corners of the United States with different backgrounds and disciplines. The rodeo family at UK is continuously growing and is dedicated to taking the team to the next level. The team practices at Mark Wilks and Hodge Arena.
To get involved in the team, students can follow the team on Facebook at University of Kentucky Rodeo Team or on Instagram at UKrodeoteam. The team will have an informational meeting the first few weeks of school for students to come learn more about the team and join. You can also check out our website https://www.ukyrodeoteam.com.
Though the season got cut short, at the last rodeo the team had one of its members, current Vice President Kylie Jo Daugherty, win the short go round and the average at the rodeo in breakaway roping. The team can't wait for this upcoming year and its competitors as they are improving each rodeo. The team volunteers at all the rodeos the Kentucky Horse Park offers and is a big part of Cowboy Up for a Cure Rodeo. You do not have to have a horse to join the team. The team has many students that learn to ground rope with its members and attend rodeos as a group.
UK Saddle Seat Team
UK Saddle Seat is a club sports team that competes in saddle seat style riding competitions with surrounding Kentucky colleges and universities.
Typically, the team practices once per week and competes five times throughout the school year.
The team loves to have team dinners, tack-cleaning parties and other get-togethers to promote a close-knit team feel. No previous saddle seat experience is required, and everyone is encouraged to join this fun-loving, friendly, and competitive team.
Wingswept Farm is the team’s home base, coached by Stephanie Brannon. The farm provides lesson horses to ride and tack to use, meaning that students don’t need their own to participate.
Not only will participants grow as riders and get to compete at the collegiate level, but they will also make some new friends in the process! The team takes a lot of pride in being very inclusive and encourages everyone interested to take a lesson and try it out. The team has a range of members, from those who have never ridden before to those who have won world championship titles. Even with the season getting cut short, the team is pleased to announce that the team was the 2019-2020 Season ISSRA Overall Team Champion.
The team hosts an informational meeting at the beginning of the year explaining everything about the team, and anyone interested is invited to come learn more about what being a part of the team is all about. No riding experience or try-outs are required to join. If you have more questions, feel free to DM the team on social media or email members at uksaddleseatteam@gmail.com.
The team hosts two horse shows per season, one in the fall and one in the spring. These events are super fun and feature a silent auction and a concession stand. Families and friends are all encouraged to come watch and enjoy the show.
