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The latest NCEA coaches poll was released today. SMU has moved up to number 8 in the country!

1. Auburn (58)
2. Texas A&M (50)
3. Georgia (47)
4. Baylor (38)
5. South Carolina (35)
6. Oklahoma State (31)
7. Kansas State (29)
8. SMU (11)
T-9. New Mexico State (9)
T-9. Texas Christian (9)
10. Tennessee-Martin (7)

Others Receiving votes – Fresno State (2), Delaware State (2)

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I do not believe the Big East sponsors equestrian. Will we be independent or join another conference?

mustangbill67 wrote:I do not believe the Big East sponsors equestrian. Will we be independent or join another conference?

Actually no conference technically sponsors equestrian so it won't really matter. All of the administration of the sport comes from the national association.

The SEC and Big XII have "conference championship" tournaments but even then they only feature about three or four teams since so few schools are competing in equestrian. Those two conferences are the only ones that have more than a team or two so far. I'm not even sure if they count them as true conference champions.

If you know, I am curious about how equestrian works at the college level. Are there scholarships and if so how many each year? Do the girls provide their own horses, trailers, stabling and transportation to meets? In other words, what is the schools investment in the program?

mustangbill67 wrote:If you know, I am curious about how equestrian works at the college level. Are there scholarships and if so how many each year? Do the girls provide their own horses, trailers, stabling and transportation to meets? In other words, what is the schools investment in the program?

They get 15 scholarships.

I am under the impression a lot of the infrastructure like horses and stables comes largely through donations - but I'm sure it is different at each school.

All of the travel comes from the university just like any other sport.

Each meet uses the horses of the host school, so they don't have to travel horses.

Good question though - because it certainly has to be an expensive sport without some outside help. I know SMU has some sort of gift horse program. I have no idea who pays for the stables and facilities at BuckBranch.

Thanks, one of my daughter-in-laws does equestrian. My granddaughter so far has not shown an interest in her Mother's horse. I keep telling her SMU scholarship opportunity in 15 years. Of course, they live in Atlanta and Georgia looks good also. Who knows what the SMU sports landscape will look like then.