February 7, 2026
Ms. Janet Reilly, Chair of the Board
Mr. James Miliken, President
University of California Board of Regents
University of California
1111 Franklin Street, 12th Floor
Oakland, CA 94607
VIA EMAIL: regentsoffice@ucop.edu
VIA EMAIL: president@ucop.edu
Dear Chairperson Reilly and President Miliken:
Since 1942, the California State Horsemen’s Association (CSHA) has been the heartbeat of California’s legacy as horse country. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we champion all breeds of horses and every form of horsemanship statewide. With 18 regions, 630+ members, and 30 clubs, CSHA is working tirelessly to support today’s equestrians and inspire the next generation.
CSHA is deeply concerned by Chancellor May’s decision to downgrade the Women’s Equestrian Team from Division I to Club status, a move made without transparency or input from key stakeholders. In addition to the many concerns surrounding this demotion, the UC Davis Women’s Equestrian Team represents the State’s hope in addressing the critical equine vet shortage. It can take 2-3 hours for an equine vet to respond to emergencies – a dire situation that demands action. Notably, half of the team, of 33 women, are Animal Science majors (the pre-requisite major for entering the Veterinary Program), and last year’s graduating class of 12 equine vets were all women. It is our understanding that most of the Animal Science majors on the team chose UC Davis specifically for the chance to compete with their Division I team, not only the Veterinary Program.
CSHA has filed a California Public Records Request to review the documents justifying this decision. Parents, students, coaches, sponsors, and equestrian organizations were not consulted in the decision-making process, nor were they given the opportunity to fundraise to cover any budget gaps. Furthermore, when compared to other sports like football, what are the true per-athlete costs, especially since the team’s horses also serve UC Davis’s top-ranked Veterinary Program? .
UC Davis is a 120-year-old land-grant institution renowned for its agricultural and animal science programs and boasts over $900 million in its Foundation (2024 990 filing). This should be more than enough to support the Women’s Equestrian Team if budget shortfalls exist. The team incurs minimal costs to maintain the horses, with its physical on-campus barn location and built-in vet care and has been highly successful in competition. They don’t incur travel costs above what any other team does, as the horses don’t travel, only the women (collegiate equestrian teams ride the horses of the host team when traveling). The women don’t even have a locker room, like all of the men’s sports teams do. The horses are all donations, and their care is directly integrated into the Veterinary program, which relies on them in order for Veterinary students to gain critical hand-on experience.
As one of only two Division I equestrian programs on the West Coast, UC Davis offers a rare and vital opportunity for women athletes. The Women’s Equestrian Team supports top-tier riders who compete at a professional level, and their Division I status allows those who might otherwise not be able to attend college to access athletic scholarships. Many of these graduates go on to become professional equestrians, an ever-growing industry which contributes $11.6 billion to California’s economy annually, supporting over 134,000 jobs. And though its NCAA status may designate it as an “emerging sport,” California is horse country, with more than one in four households either having equestrians in them or keeping horses.
We urge UC Davis to reconsider this misguided decision and reinstate the Women’s Equestrian Team to Division I status. The future of equine veterinary care—and the next generation of women leaders in this field—depends on it.
Sincerely,
Laura Shultz
LAURA SHULTZ, PRESIDENT
CC: Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, COS: Marika.Nell@asm.ca.gov