NORTHAMPTON, Mass. - The Smith College Department of Athletics and Recreation has announced a decision to transition the equestrian team to a club sport beginning in the fall 2017. 

Once officially chartered as a club sport by Smith, the team will be funded by the Student Government Association (SGA) and will be able to maintain its existing competitive schedule -- riding against the same teams in the same shows. During the transition, the athletic department will provide funding for the team until the club is chartered. 

The move away from varsity competition puts Smith at an equal level with many of its peer schools - including Amherst College, Williams College and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst - which offer equestrian as a club sport. It also allows Smith to focus its athletic resources on NCAA varsity sports. (Equestrian has been the only NCAA-unsanctioned varsity sport in which Smith competed.)

In addition, as a club sport the equestrian team will have the opportunity to self-govern and will continue to receive coaching.

"This was a difficult decision," said Kristin Hughes, director of athletics, "but we believe it is in the best interest of Smith's athletics program, which aims to be a leader in NCAA-sanctioned sports competition at the national level. Equestrian competition at the club level wil allow our riders to maintain the same competition schedule while increasing student leadership and involvement in the sport. We will begin to coordinate the logistics involved with developing a club program in January with significant input from our student-athletes."

Equestrian FAQ