NCAA declares equestrian emerging sport

Riding Freeway Eddy during a Bulldog basketball halftime last month, Women's Equestrian Team member Brenn Burtch led her 85-member team onto center court, to announce the NCAA proclamation.

Horses and riders parading onto the court at halftime of the Fresno State vs. BYU basketball game last month might have looked out of place - until they were introduced as the Women's Equestrian Team representing an official NCAA "emerging sport."

In January the Division I Board of Directors approved adding equestrian as an emerging sport. The vote will take place on Aug. 1, according to the NCAA News, unless it is overridden by member schools in the next month.

"Emerging sport" status provides additional opportunities to female student athletes. According to the NCAA News, the concept of emerging sports was born out of the intent to assist member institutions in achieving gender equity. When an NCAA championship event is organized for the sport, it is no longer classified as "emerging."

Regardless of the sport's status, the Fresno State Equestrian Team has been too busy to stand by idly, waiting for a decree. Already, the team is leading Zone 8, Region I in both English and Western team competition.

With only a few shows left in March before the regional finals, individual members are securing their share of titles.

Last year equestrian team member Elissa Lane was only the second woman in Fresno State history to win a national title - the American Quarter Horse Association Trophy. Lane and team member Jennifer Jones are neck-and-neck in a points race to qualify for advancement to the International Horse Show Association National Finals to compete for the title again this year.

Team member Dina Bernardi finished eighth last year in the Cacchione Cup Competition. The trophy is given to the best English intercollegiate rider in the country each season. After last month's intercollegiate horse show at Fresno State, Bernardi earned herself a spot to compete for the national title again this year.

Team member Keri Pilgrim recently became only the second student-athlete to receive the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Award. The McNair Program, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, aims to motivate and prepare promising undergraduate students for graduate study.

Though her team has numerous awards and titles to its credit in the show arena, head coach Megan McGee said she is extremely proud of last semester's academic achievements. "I had 17 equestrian team members on the Dean's List last semester. Eight team members earned a 4.0," she said.