Recruitment has already started for the 2015-2016 season. If you are a 2014-2015 incoming Freeman get your act together, because prospective athletes have already set up official visits for this fall.
[QUOTE=Chaila;7109737]
Do the NCAA teams have multiple levels like the IHSA teams? Don’t they need walk trot riders, walk trot canter riders, etc, or is it one big open division?[/QUOTE]
No, NCAA only has one level for flat and over fences for hunt seat equitation riders. Same with reining and horsemanship for western riders.
Question about the video’s…my dd has been doing the BigEq for 2 years, she’s 14 now and going into her sophmore year. When we make her video should we include 3’6" equitation rounds from 2 years ago and forward, she won her fair share at that time.
My dd is a year ahead at school and may have an opportunity to graduate early, would a school be any more or less interested if she spent her final semester showing/working for a BNT? I’m guessing it wouldn’t matter beyond honing her riding skills.
Also, how could recruiting begin for 2015-2016 (as mentioned above) if coaches are not allowed to contact those riders yet? Is it simply a list of riders they are actively watching?
[QUOTE=Lexus;7110036]
Also, how could recruiting begin for 2015-2016 (as mentioned above) if coaches are not allowed to contact those riders yet? Is it simply a list of riders they are actively watching?[/QUOTE]
yep 
ncaa
[QUOTE=Lexus;7110036]
Question about the video’s…my dd has been doing the BigEq for 2 years, she’s 14 now and going into her sophmore year. When we make her video should we include 3’6" equitation rounds from 2 years ago and forward, she won her fair share at that time.
My dd is a year ahead at school and may have an opportunity to graduate early, would a school be any more or less interested if she spent her final semester showing/working for a BNT? I’m guessing it wouldn’t matter beyond honing her riding skills.
Also, how could recruiting begin for 2015-2016 (as mentioned above) if coaches are not allowed to contact those riders yet? Is it simply a list of riders they are actively watching?[/QUOTE]
For the most competitive NCAA schools, she would need to continue riding and showing with the biggest BNT possible and win as much as possible. If you go to the web sites of the teams, you can see who riders trained with and what their accomplishments are and you can infer from that how much they have shown. It is very eye opening. Some of these schools offer camps and clinics. They also attend finals and recruit there. They are networked at many levels with trainers, families, etc.
Good luck!
[QUOTE=Lexus;7110036]
Also, how could recruiting begin for 2015-2016 (as mentioned above) if coaches are not allowed to contact those riders yet? Is it simply a list of riders they are actively watching?[/QUOTE]
Coaches can’t contact the rider but they certainly can call the trainer and have the rider call them as many times as they need to (and they are only going to take the calls early from the ones they want to talk to). As I mentioned earlier, verbal commitments aren’t binding but they are usually always followed through on. As someone else said, look at the bios of current team members to get an idea of the experience and winning record that is now required of college equestrian athletes. The 3’ only rider will rarely be looked at.
Also keep in mind that there are 15 scholarships available for a fully funded program which can be divided, so some may get a full ride, some may only get book money and some don’t get a dime. Only those that get some money ( no matter how large or small the amount) will sign a NLI, but all must register with the NCAA clearinghouse.
NCAA is 3’6" only
[QUOTE=Chaila;7109737]
Do the NCAA teams have multiple levels like the IHSA teams? Don’t they need walk trot riders, walk trot canter riders, etc, or is it one big open division?[/QUOTE]
NCAA only has 3’6" jumping. Most of the kids who are showing on an NCAA team have extensive show ring experience in the big eqs and the jumpers.
They also offer a flat phase as well. It is judged like hunter eq on the flat but they ride it like a dressage test, where you are the only one in the ring. It is a set pattern and scored.
Depending on the school and the facilities and available horses, some schools have many walk ons. So, if you were a decent rider without a lot of show experience you could still make the team as a walk on but would probably not show on the team.
For meets, there are four riders over fences and four riders on the flat. Often times there are riders who double up on both areas. So, many times a school is only sending six riders to a meet out of a maximum of eight judged rides. This is just for the English portion. The Western side has their own events.
Agree with this. You may also want to look at how many riders on the team ride at the meets. The most competitive teams have a small group of riders that does the majority of the competing. Other riders may get to compete once or twice a year and you have to be ok with that role. And keep your grades up;it can make you more desirable to the team.
Going to give this specific info packed thread a bump back to page 1.
One from my barn got a full ride from USC (the one in South Carolina). Kind of fun watching her through Ponies to the Medal Finals and Junior Jumpers. Believe she took her Junior Jumper to school with her. Went on to pursue a Masters and right into a nice paying job.
Bumping because it is July 1, which means the recruiting year has begun!
Rising Seniors - now is the time to start getting stuff together.
Good luck!
[QUOTE=Chaila;7109737]
Do the NCAA teams have multiple levels like the IHSA teams? Don’t they need walk trot riders, walk trot canter riders, etc, or is it one big open division?[/QUOTE]
Hi Chaila,
No the NCAA teams do not have multiple levels. They do have riders that specialize in eq on the flat or in eq over fences but both types of riders have many miles logged in the 3’6" equitation divisions at rated shows. They do not have the lower levels that IHSA teams have.
