The current team

Right from the get-go, financing the equestrian club was a struggle, and it still is. Team founder Heather Layton ’02 had to search for months to find a stable and a coach that the team could afford. Unlike many of the fully funded equestrian teams it competes against, the Ithaca College Equestrian Team does not have varsity status and therefore is minimally subsidized ($1,500–$2,500 per year) by the College. The team members pay the balance of the $25,000 budget --- which is what is needed for lessons, entry fees, gas, food, expenses, and so forth --- out of their own pockets, for a total of $580 per semester per rider.

"[Coach Duddy] is cognizant of the fact that the girls are self-supporting," says Sally Espinosa, assistant to the dean of graduate studies and the team’s adviser. Duddy charges less than she could, and she allows the girls to come and ride the horses without instruction and at no charge whenever they like. Nevertheless, the team was obliged to miss several shows last year because of lack of funds. And although they have stepped up their fund-raising efforts this year, it looks as if they may lose some newer members who cannot afford the dues.

Meantime, at least once a week the team members make the trek out to Settlement Stables, a half-hour drive from campus, for a lesson with Duddy. The ring is on the small side, and some of the stable’s 13 horses --- many of which were adopted or rescued --- are still green and unpredictable. However, the team considers this an advantage: practicing in a smaller ring teaches them to maneuver tight turns, and riding a challenging horse prepares them to handle unfamiliar horses in competition. "Take Paco, for instance," says Autumn Greenberg, pointing to a large chestnut horse. "He likes to duck out before a fence. But if you can get Paco to jump, you can get any horse to jump."

The women also feel that Duddy’s firm but patient instruction suits the team perfectly. "Collette’s style of training is to help you without tearing you down," says Cathy Cunningham ’03, a transfer student who used to ride on the varsity equestrian team at another college. "Before, when I got into a show ring, I just froze. Now I can’t wait to compete."