A Season to Remember for Taylor's Equestrian Team

Hannah Beidelman ’26 came to Taylor University driven by her love for horses and competition and the opportunity to continue riding at the collegiate level. This past year, she earned Reserve Champion honors with a second-place finish during the fall season and helped lead her team to Reserve Champion finishes in both the fall and spring seasons.

Not bad for a club sport some refer to as "the best kept secret of Taylor University."

The Taylor Equestrian Team has been competing in the hunt seat division of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) since 1983, making it one of Taylor’s longest-standing club sports. In fall 2024, the team expanded to include a western division. IHSA is the nation's largest and longest-running collegiate horse-showing association. This season, Taylor's western riders not only held their own against other programs across the region, including Indiana University and Purdue, but they also experienced momentous growth. The western team earned Reserve Champion finishes in both semesters. Four of the team's 10 riders qualified for regionals, and one advanced to the semifinals in Murray, Kentucky.

What makes those results notable is what riders are working with, or rather, what they are not. There are no team-owned horses, no private barns, and no requirement to have ever sat in a saddle before joining. At each show, competitors are assigned a horse at random and expected to perform. The format demands feel and adaptability, not familiarity.

Developing Riders

"My time over the last four years riding, competing, and helping lead the Taylor Equestrian team has been a pivotal part in developing my confidence as a rider," said Beidelman. "Having the opportunity to ride unknown horses pushes you to become a better and more confident rider, and for that I am very thankful. Riding for the team this year has been a joy and privilege!"

The team trains at Rope This Ranch, a stable less than two miles from campus, owned and operated by Jenny Norton Schamber, who coaches the team and also serves as assistant director of Taylor's Counseling Center. Schamber brings more than 20 years of professional training experience to a program that prides itself on meeting riders where they are.

"The most rewarding part is seeing riders discover what they're capable of," Schamber said. "When they can look back and see the difference between where they started and where they are now, their confidence grows tremendously."

Faith in Competition

That growth happens on and off the horse. Taylor is the only consistently participating Christian school in the IHSA, and the team carries that ambassadorial identity into competition. Scripture often adorns team apparel. Prayer is part of how riders gather. In these ways, the team lives out their goal to "exemplify Jesus Christ in our words, attitudes, and hard work."

For Beidelman, the team shaped more than her horsemanship. It gave her leadership experience and an opportunity to lean into her faith. It also inspired a career path. She plans to pursue a doctorate in occupational therapy at Kettering College near Dayton, Ohio, with an eye toward equine-assisted therapy.

"Being a part of the Taylor equestrian team has been such a joy, and while I’m going to miss it a lot, I am forever thankful for the deep friendships that I have been able to build throughout my time on the team. The Lord has been so kind, and I’m forever grateful for this community that I have had the privilege of being a part of while at Taylor. As I move forward, I hope to continue to combine my passion for horses into my future career as an occupational therapist."

Open to All Students

Team advisor Amanda Wilson knows that kind of trajectory well. Wilson rode for Taylor from 1998 to 2002 and then spent a decade away following graduation. Now back in Upland serving in the Advancement Office, she has given 15 years of her time advising her former team. She firmly believes that the equestrian team instills valuable lessons and forms lifelong friendships. She has watched teammates from her own riding days stay close, even taking a trail riding vacation with them.

"Intercollegiate riding is exponentially less expensive than any other riding opportunities," Wilson said. "What we offer through the equestrian team is a reasonably priced opportunity to learn how to ride and to be a part of a team that competes." 

At $1,200 to $1,500 per year, riders pay for lessons and IHSA show registration, while Taylor covers the IHSA membership, travel, meals, and coaching. The door is open to any full-time student. No experience required, just some humility and true grit.