Youth Opportunities
There are several ways that youth and adults can be involved in the equine industry, and you don’t even need to own your own horse. There are educational opportunities as well as career opportunities in the equine world. The days of folks thinking they have to own a farm to be relevant are over. There are many resources and professionals that can offer guidance!
Helpful links:
4-H Clubs
The Hampshire County 4-H Cavalry Horse Club was founded in Chesterfield in 1954. It is one of the oldest clubs in Massachusetts and its members range from 3 years old to 18 years old. This club focuses on equine events and education, but they also complete many community service projects during the year. Many of the members live on farms and have other project animals as well. The Cavalry welcomes all ages and families.
IHSA Team
As the head western coach at Mount Holyoke College since 2010, Kelli has the background and knowledge to help a student decide what path they may want to take in their collegiate riding career. Kelli has been involved with the IHSA since 2010 and was elected as the Zone One Area Ten Western Coordinator every year since 2012. She was also elected as an IHSA Director At Large in 2022. These roles involve travel to several horse shows acting as show steward, show manager and point keeper during the regular season all the way up to the IHSA National Horse Show.
There are endless opportunities from elementary school all the way up to graduate school and beyond if you like to compete and ride. Mount Holyoke College prides itself on the outstanding education each student receives while also allowing the students to pursue athletic excellence. The coaches have the ability to provide insight into different college programs and how they may be the right fit for a particular student with very specific goals, or the student that is still exploring their world and future. The Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association offers the opportunity to ride and compete during college. There are many scholarships available at the end of each season. The IHSA western team was founded in 2008 and is extremely competitive and successful, sending riders to the IHSA Nationals every year. The team maintains on average 35 members per semester and is very active on campus as well. Students find that they are able to build a very impressive resume while on the team and credit the team for their success after college. The coaches are fully invested in each and every student, no matter the level of riding experience.
