Skidmore Riding Team to Become Coed Program This Fall
The Skidmore College riding team poses with their ribbons after winning a season-opener Stable Game competition last month at the Van Lennep Riding Center in Saratoga Springs. Photo by Super Source Media.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Skidmore College’s highly decorated riding team will officially transition to a coed program beginning this fall.
The change aligns Skidmore’s program with the broader equestrian community, where men and women compete together in most formats, including the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) and the Olympics.
“The equestrian sport community at large operates as a coed discipline, with men and women competing equally at the highest levels,” said Skidmore College Athletic Director Gail Cummings-Danson in a statement. “Aligning Skidmore’s program with this standard enhances its reputation and prepares students for broader competition while also creating an athletic environment that values talent, dedication, teamwork, and belonging.”
“We are very excited to welcome men to the Skidmore riding team as we transition to coed,” said head coach Belinda Colgan. “Allowing the opportunity for both men and women to compete together equally is unique in collegiate sports, and we are excited for this next chapter of Skidmore Riding.”
The College said that the move to coed will contribute to an even stronger and more dynamic team.
Skidmore’s riding program has earned nine IHSA national team titles since 1990, most recently in 2023. No other team has won more national championships.