WWU Hosts Equestrian Legends during EQS Academic Showcase
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
FULTON, MO—William Woods University’s annual Equestrian Studies Academic Showcase will take place Nov. 4-5 and will feature a clinic with World Champion instructor Lynda Freseth.
It will also include a speech by Alan Balch, American Saddlebred Horse Association executive secretary, along with barn and campus tours and equestrian-related presentations.
The showcase is aimed at prospective students interested in studying for a career in the equestrian industry.
Freseth, the main clinician, is a well-known saddle seat instructor and has owned and run Hollow Haven Farms in Oconomowoc, Wis., together with husband Andy, since 1990.
Together the pair has turned out multiple World Champions, including WCC CH Blackberry Delight, WGC CH Callaway’s Forecaster, WCC CH Callaway’s Pretty Penny, CH Absolutely Exquisite, CH A Magic Spell and many more.
The clinic with Freseth will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the UPHA Indoor Arena on both Saturday and Sunday, and is a great opportunity to see WWU horses and riders in action.
Another highlight of the event will be the speech by Balch, who is a former United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) president. This will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday in Cutlip Auditorium.
Also scheduled are multiple presentations on the equestrian studies division, equine scholarship opportunities and more. Current WWU equestrian students will model appropriate lesson and show riding attire and answer questions about their studies. Barn and campus tours are also planned.
Saturday lunch and dinner will both be provided, as well as Sunday breakfast.
William Woods University, in 1972, was the first school in the country to offer a bachelor’s degree in equestrian science. A degree in equine administration was added in 1992.
The university has a reputation for providing one of the finest equestrian studies programs in the country—filling a national, regional and local demand for graduates holding a four-year equestrian science degree.
This demand is heightened by a thriving equine industry that contributes about $112 billion to the U.S. Gross Domestic Product each year.
The university’s equestrian facilities encompass a city block, with 150 large box stalls in four stables, two heated indoor arenas, a lighted outdoor ring and a 40-acre cross-country riding course.
The equestrian studies program is the most popular at William Woods, with 180 students majoring in equestrian science or equine administration. The placement rate for WWU equestrian graduates is nearly 100 percent.
Breeds represented in the William Woods stable include American Saddlebreds, Appaloosas, Arabians, Morgans, National Show Horses, Quarter Horses, Thoroughbreds, Friesians and Warmbloods. The university provides instruction in saddle seat, hunt seat, dressage and western.
Students interested in attending the equestrian academic showcase should contact the WWU Office of Admissions at (573) 592-4221 or admissions@williamwoods.edu.
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