Changes on the Horizon for OSU's Horse Barn
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CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Oregon State University's Intercollegiate Horse Show Association team, or I.H.S.A, is facing big changes for the 2012-13 school year. Team captains gathered early Monday morning with their coach, Dawn Ross, for what was described as an important meeting.
"She told us that she wasn't going to be with us anymore. She said this Fall term is the last term it's going to be offered through the school and she's really sad," said team member Iris Godfrey.
I.H.S.A won their first national championship title in Raleigh, North Carolina this year. Coming off that victory, Godfrey said that her and her teammates left Monday's meeting in complete shock. The I.H.S.A. team had spent a majority of the summer preparing, hoping to win another championship.
"Pretty much she told us that she doesn't have a job. They're cutting the riding program, and she teaches classes here at the barn through OSU, so if they cut that, she doesn't have a job because that's what she does here," said one of the captains, Zoe Heald.
OSU
Heald added that one of the primary reasons she chose OSU was because of the horse program.
Vice President of University Relations and Marketing, Steve Clark, said changes at the OSU barn are on the horizon. He said these changes are all part of an expansion of the program that will actually serve more OSU students in the future.
"Presently, what we see is eight to twelve students who are participating in our nationally renowned equestrian team," said Clark. "We're going to enter a partnership with a campus program to continue this program. What it'll do is expand the offering to hundreds of more students."
Clark said that part of his decision is based on the decreased level of funding at the state level. OSU has seen about a 30% for agricultural experiment station programs.
"What we'll be able to do is continue to run this program and expand the use of the horse barn with many more students and continue the academic and research mission," said Clark.
Clark said that the new barn program will expand to serve additional OSU students.
"It'll begin in January and expand the use of the horse barn to hundreds more students while continuing the high quality, renowned equestrian program we have now," said Clark.
This does not make any sense to me, especially concerning OSU IHSA's record. One would think the university would be seeking to preserve a team that earns them national recognition. As a UO IHSA alumnus, I know I appreciated the level of professionalism in OSU run competitions, due in large part to their well-run facility and bevy of horses on hand used to multiple riders. Of course, if they now have to compete as a largely unfunded Rec Sports team... welcome to the club.
Note to all: Just to clear up some rumors the OSU horse center is not closing completely it will still be around. The program is going to more academic focus and a new management structure. Due to severe budget cuts, many extracurricular activity funds are no longer available. This includes IHSA but it is not the only one. IHSA is still a member of Rec Sports and will continue to be so. It is unclear at this time as to where the team will call home in this new academic focused program. We appreciate your concerns but not all the details are worked out yet. This statement has been cleared by Coach Dawn Ross unlike some things that have been spread that are misleading. So please before you say âCoach said thisâ¦â make sure you have all your facts straight. I know everyone means well but remember we want to help not hinder our program and what she has contributed to this program. Thank you for reading this and we appreciate your concern/support so please continue the support just make sure your statements are "from you" and don't become a rumor mill. Â
Nothing about this decision makes any sense!! How can OSU say that they are planning an expansion of the horse program if they are planning on selling the majority of the horses?Â
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Dawn Ross has done an outstanding job with the OSU IHSA team - so it is very unfortunate for the 40-50 students who participate on the team.
My daughter was considering going to OSU specifically for the horse program. If the program isn't there, we will have to send her somewhere else.
Mr. Clark needs to get his facts straight.
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As a proud parent of a OSU IHSA Team member, I watched up to 50 young men and women thrive in this program. Dawn Ross and all of the team members deserve much more that this poor explanation! Do a better job convincing me and others how firing the coach and taking away the barn and horses will expand the program? No animals to ride and no place to practice? No support for the Defending National Champions! Does not bode well for marketing OSU as an AG school or bringing in the next generations of riders to OSU!Â
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It appears that Mr. Clark and others have made their decisions sitting behind a desk (elsewhere) and not even stepping foot out at the horse barn or watching to see what happens with the program. Â Shame on you Mr. Clark!Â
Steve Clark is an idiot and needs to get his information straight. I was on the team the past 4 years and there was at minimum 25 girls my freshman year and 40 for the last 3. How is cutting the team going to benefit more students when the majority of the students now have no place to ride?
What will be happening to the horses?
 @Mel Roberts they plan on selling majority of them, which is sad because many of those horses have been there their entire lives and deserve to stay there.
@BLVCharity @Mel Roberts If they try to sell the horses in the current horse market, they will not make nuch money....