About Us
Mission Statement
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The UC Davis Western Equestrian Club is committed to creating a safe, fun, and competitive environment for UC Davis students who share a love of horses. With a first-class trainer and top-of-the-line facilities, the program strives to enable riders of all backgrounds to develop their horse knowledge while gaining confidence and leadership skills. Founded upon teamwork, horsemanship, and sportsmanship, the team works to provide a rewarding experience and lifelong friendships for all of its members.
The Team
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The Western Equestrian Club at the University of California, Davis is a sports club team that offers both Riding and Social memberships. Social members participate in our club socials, events, and fundraisers. Riding members do the same while also training at our coach Kris's Property in Dunnigan, CA.
The riding team consists of 20-30 regular members who participate in 5 lessons/quarter to enhance their horsemanship and riding skills. We welcome beginners to advanced riders, and recommend that those new to horses have a basic understanding of horse handling and tacking up before partaking in lessons. The UCD Equestrian Center offers a variety of programs that help develop this. Horse ownership is not a prerequisite for joining - our riders use our kindly coach-provided horses and supplies. ​​​​
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Membership Fees
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We aim to sustain low membership fees for our riders while remaining flexible and considerate. Payment plans can be arranged for those who are unable to pay at the beginning of the quarter. We rely on our membership fees and donations to keep this accessibility. Our fees may vary quarterly; however, our Handbook (distributed via email) will have the most updated rates.
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Social Membership: $50/quarter
Riding Membership: $175/quarter or $500/year​
+ 5 Lessons: $400 paid upfront to Kris.
IHSA Showing membership: $45/year
Fusion Sports Insurance: $20/year
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Competition
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We encourage participation from riders of many levels, as we hope to maintain a diverse team with a wide range of skill sets. Although not required, many of our members will compete through IHSA:
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Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA)​
We compete in catch-riding classes ranging from Horsemanship, Ranch Riding, and Reining in the Zone 8, Region 1 IHSA Western Division. We go head-to-head against schools such as Stanford University, Sonoma State University, Cal Poly SLO, and others.
Riders are initially positioned in specific class levels based on their riding background and show experience in the IHSA Placement Exam. Competing members have the opportunity to "point up" - moving up in class levels through a points-based system.
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When a rider earns enough points or points up, they are eligible to compete in Regionals at the beginning of Winter Quarter. From there, they can compete in the Semi-finals and Nationals, which take place at the end of the show season in Spring Quarter.
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