Gifts to USAFA Equestrian Team contribute to...
About Us
The U.S. Air Force Academy Equestrian Team provides cadets with the opportunity to participate in collegiate equestrian sports while developing horsemanship, leadership, teamwork, discipline, confidence, and sportsmanship. The club brings together cadets with a range of equestrian experience and provides opportunities to train, practice, and compete in events including English and Western equitation, hunt seat, hunter jumper, dressage, gymkhana, barrel racing, mounted shooting, and others. The team participates in the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) and competes for opportunities to advance through regional competition to nationals in both English and Western disciplines.
Our Mission and Activities
The mission of the USAFA Equestrian Team is to develop cadets through horsemanship while reinforcing the leadership, teamwork, responsibility, discipline, and perseverance expected of future Air Force and Space Force officers.
Club activities include regular practices and training, collegiate and local equestrian competitions, horsemanship development, team-building activities, and responsible care of horses. Competition provides cadets with opportunities to set goals, perform under pressure, learn from both success and failure, and represent the United States Air Force Academy in collegiate competition.
The club's participation in IHSA connects USAFA cadets with collegiate equestrian athletes from across the country and provides a pathway toward regional and national competition.
How Donated Funds Will Be Used
Donated funds will support the USAFA Equestrian Team's ability to train, compete, and provide meaningful development opportunities for cadets. Funds may be used, consistent with applicable Academy and Association & Foundation guidelines, for:
- Purchasing or leasing horses for use by the USAFA Equestrian Team
- Horse care, feed, veterinary services, farrier services, transportation, and other equine expenses
- Show entry and competition expenses
- Travel, lodging, and transportation associated with competitions
- Tack, ropes, saddles, safety equipment, and other training supplies
- Arena, practice, and training expenses
- Horse and rider training and instruction
- Team development and educational activities
- Regional and national collegiate competition expenses, including opportunities associated with qualifying for and participating in IHSA
Your Gift at Work!
$50 — Helps a cadet dress for success! Provides a cadet an item of competition clothing (breeches, show shirts, button ups).
$100 — Keeps a horse fueled! Provides a one-month supply of grain for one horse.
$250 — Keeps our horses healthy! Helps cover a veterinary bill for seasonal maintenance and care.
$350 — Opens the door to Nationals! Covers one cadet's IHSA competition fees for the region and provides the opportunity to compete for a chance to qualify for Nationals.
$1,000 — Invests in the Future of USAFA Equestrian Team! Helps us purchase or secure a lease for a team horse, building the foundation for continued training, competition, and opportunity for generations of USAFA cadet athletes.
$10,000 — A horse of course! Covers the cost of purchasing one team horse.
Building and maintaining an appropriate horse inventory is particularly important to the team because access to suitable, trained horses allows more cadets to participate in practices and collegiate competition. Donor support can help the team acquire or lease horses appropriate for equestrian events while also supporting the ongoing costs required to responsibly care for those animals. Historically, the Equestrian Team has relied on the generosity of the community for lease agreements to the team, but horses that are properly trained for competition require more expensive leases or purchase through qualified horse trainers.
Through donor support, the USAFA Equestrian Team can provide cadets with greater access to horses, training, and competition opportunities while developing leadership, teamwork, discipline, horsemanship, sportsmanship, and responsibility.