Hazelwild Farm will continue to be home base for the UMW varsity equestrian program. (Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography)
The UMW varsity equestrian program will stay at Hazelwild Farm after all.
Hazelwild, the riding program’s longtime home in Spotsylvania County, had earlier told UMW it could not accommodate the program after the spring 2017 semester. But that situation changed, to the delight of team members and UMW’s Director of Athletics Ken Tyler.
“We appreciate our longstanding partnership with Hazelwild, as well as their cooperation in working together with us for a viable solution,” Tyler said. “We’re really happy for our student-athletes.”
UMW is the only public institution in the commonwealth that offers riding at the varsity level, according to Tyler. The 25-member team participates in eight shows each year, in addition to regional, zone, and national competitions. In 14 of the past 17 years, UMW has sent at least one rider to the national championships.