Most universities have a riding club so even if you're not studying equine you can meet like-minded horsey individuals and carry on riding. Rebecca Sweetman, Secretary of the University of Oxford Riding Club, outlines the club activities and introduces the committee members...

The Oxford University Riding Club (OURC) provides many different opportunities for riders - from team competitions and regular riding lessons to a community project teaching disabled kids to ride - and of course we also have regular socials! 
Last year, all the effort put into training by the twelve team riders at the Oxford Riding School proved successful. One of our first team members, Maeve O'Leary- Barrett, got through the local and regional rounds of the British Universities Sports Association (BUSA) Championship and competed in the National Competition where she won the show jumping! Our other teams also had a successful season with both the second and third teams coming top of their groups in the Friendly League. As we want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to compete we will be increasing the number of teams this year from three to four. The first team will compete in the BUSA
Championships, the second and third teams in the BUSA Shield League and the fourth team in the Friendly League.
We also arrange friendly competitions for our members each term. In November last year we held a combined training competition to give team members a chance to bond before the season started.
Then in February, two teams from Oxford University formed by non-team members competed against two teams from Oxford Brookes University, which gave those involved the opportunity to experience the different style of the university competitions. Riding Cuppers, the annual competition among Oxford University college teams, concluded the year.
For those who don't want to compete, the OURC also organises weekly riding lessons for all levels. These take place at Oxford Riding School which has a wide range of horses to suit all levels and holds its own regular competitions. This year we will also be providing an opportunity to take part in a community outreach scheme, teaching riding to local children.
Like many university riding clubs our male:female ratio is unbalanced, with only one man in the teams last year. However, our new committee is nearly equal with a ratio of 4:3! Our Social Secretary, Benoit, has many exciting plans for next year including trips to local and international competitions, forum-cocktail evenings, parties and joint dinners with other sports teams.

Tica Pichulik

Position: President
Course: Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry
Year of Study: 4
Horseography: I started riding like many other little girls at a nearby stable in Germany when I was five years old.  However, having been to many local competitions and gathering good (and not quite so good) experiences, I decided to try something new. I was thirteen years old when a friend told me about Icelandic ponies and their unusual gaits and decided to try riding them. I was immediately captivated by the powerful yet smooth movements of the lateral four beat gait and was hooked from that day on. I spent three summer holidays in Iceland working on a farm breaking in and training young horses and I also qualified for the German National Championships when I was 16. Since Icelandic horses are unfortunately rather rare in Germany, I was forced to get back into the 'normal' way of riding soon after and found my way into classical dressage, which is still my favourite discipline. As I am constantly travelling between home (Germany) and Oxford, I was unable to keep my horse and found that OURC is a great way to maintain a basic level of horseyness! Last year I was a member of the first team and competed not only in the BUSA league but also in the varsity match.
Likes: Horses with character (the wilder the better!), travelling, Marmite.
Dislikes: Cats and everything that is slow (I have to work on my patience) 


Benoit Pujol

Position: Social secretary
Course: Post-doctoral Evolutionary Ecology
Year of Study: 1
Horseography: I started riding when I was five years old and began competing in affiliated eventing horse-trials when I was fourteen. I rode in the Pre-Novice and Novice classes at the French Championship twice and I am hoping to find a horse who will bring me up to the Intermediate Championship level. Since I arrived in England I started riding at an eventing dealer yard managed by Niki Ryan (Picnic Party Eventing team), where I enjoy riding a range of horses from newly broken-in, to advanced as well as attending the most famous eventing picnics in the UK.
Likes: Cross-country - the bigger, the faster, the better (I've got a good body armour!)
Dislikes: Show jumpers who believe cross-country is for mad chaps even if it's true.

Emma Link

Position: Treasurer
Course: DPhil (PhD) in Medical Statistics (Genetics of Heart Disease)
Year of Study: 3
Horseography: I grew up in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, and my love of horses began with a present for my fourthbirthday: Melba, a little black Shetland. This interest led to seventeen years at Cannibal Creek Pony Club, gradually progressing by riding larger ponies and horses in dressage, games, one-day events and show jumping competitions. Ranger, my 17.2hh Thoroughbred show jumper and I represented the West Gippsland Zone in the Victorian State Championships at B and A Grade Show Jumping. He is currently awaiting patiently my return to Australia in twelve month's time (in the meantime is ridden carefully by my Mum!). I also enjoy competing in EFA (Equestrian Federation of Australia) show jumping competitions. Last year, in the UK, I was on the third team and I really enjoy the style of the university competitions as international students can compete without their own horse.
Likes: Australia, Rambo rugs, trail riding, watching Matt Williams (son of my riding instructor in Australia) excel in
Europe - winning 6-bar at the Royal Windsor Horse Show 2006, backpacking around the world.
Dislikes: Peas, bucking horses, the fact England is a 24 hour flight from Australia!

Tobias Witting

Position: Health & Safety Officer and IT Officer
Course: DPhil (PhD) in Atomic & Laser Physics
Yearof Study: 1
Horseography: I started the 'girly sport' (!!! - ED) of riding unintentionally, because my sister wanted to do it and was looking into riding schools around our home town in 'horseland', Westfalia, in North-Western Germany. It wasn't easy to find one as we had nearly ten schools to choose from... After two years on school horses we managed to persuade our parents to buy us a pony and later a horse. In the end I spent fourteen years riding. A big chunk of my time was taken up with weekly competitions, which were mainly show jumping. Over the years I learned lots from my trainer Frank Kutscher, the brother of Marco, who can be seen on television sometimes. After a five year break from riding, while I was studying for my first degree, I joined the OURC and started again.
Likes: Lasers, open-minded people, sports - rowing, riding, racket sports and fencing
Dislikes: Narrow-minded people.

Rebecca Sweetman

Position: Secretary
Course: Economics and Management
Year of Study: 2
Horseography: I've ridden at many stables since I started riding regularly when I was nine years old, and I love getting the opportunity to ride lots of different horses. I also enjoy trying different things on horseback such as barrel racing, which I tried and really enjoyed when I was riding Western style in America. However, I much prefer
English style there's just too much leather between you and the horse in Western! Last year I was captain of the third team. I think that having probably ridden close to 200 different horses has given me an advantage in the competitions as there is such a limited time to get to know the horse before competing in the dressage and show jumping phases.
Likes: Training young horses, riding on the beach, traveling, juggling - yes it is possible to ride and juggle at the same time!
Dislikes: Riding is very expensive 

The Oxford University Riding Club is currently looking for sponsorship to fund the training for the four teams. Please contact the OURC Secretary, Rebecca Sweetman, for further information. Email:
rebecca.sweetman@merton.ox.ac.uk 

If you would like to submit a profile of your University Riding Club, please email us at info@nationalequinestudent.co.uk