The Team

 
 The American University Equestrian Team rides with Lakeside Stables at WindCrest Farm in Clarksburg, Md. The team rides under the training of Jeff Becker. We compete in Zone 4 Region 1 of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) in only the Hunt seat competitions. Students do not have to compete in order to be part of the team. There are no tryouts for the AUET, if you want to ride you are in!

The AUET is a recognized club sport at American University open for all students currently attending, both undergraduate and graduate.  ISHA competitions are open to all undergraduate members or any graduate students who rode in the IHSA as undergraduates.

 
 
The Program 
 
 
The team offers a once a week lesson package for $500 per semester. Jeff also offers additional private lessons for $60 each.

Unfortunately the barn is not metro accessible. The riders take AUTO buses, which they must to be certified to drive, and/or personal cars to the barn. For more information on WindCrest, please visit The Barn section of the web site.

The barn provides helmets, saddles and other tack. However, the riders must supply their own boots (proper riding boots that include a heel), and chaps or half chaps and breeches. Proper attire is explained in the WindCrest and American University Guidelines. Information to be provided.

 
 

How To Join


 
To join the American University Equestrian Team, you must attend an information meeting (one held in fall semester, or one held during spring semester) on campus, fill out and hand in all the appropriate paperwork plus a copy of your health insurance card, and select and pay for your riding plan. Files and Links 

For more information and questions , please email the team at: aueqteam@gmail.com

 
 

The Coach
The American University Equestrian Team is coached by Jeff Becker.

Jeff Becker has been involved in the Maryland horse industry since the age of 12. During this time, Jeff has trained numerous horses and students to compete successfully in local and rated company. He has also competed extensively himself.

Over the years, Jeff has trained with such notable horseman as George Morris, Bob Crandall, Kim Stewart, Klaus Trawneczek and the late Denny Brown, among others.

Jeff has a strong work ethic and great respect and love for his horses. He strives to tailor a program to bring out the best in each individual horse. The ultimate goal is to produce an athletic, happy, and obedient partner. He believes in bringing horses along slowly with a great emphasis on flat work and balance.

Favorite quote: “The fastest way to train a horse is to take your time”

With respect to students, the emphasis is on developing a true horseman not just a rider. In addition to enhancing riding skills and techniques, lessons address grooming and handling for the novice; equine psychology, riding theory, and veterinary care for the more advanced student. Jeff believes that the most successful riders are those who understand and appreciate their horses not those who simply ride well.

Taken from the "About Our Trainer" section of the Lakeside Stable web site.

 
 
 Team Accomplishments


 

2006

Riders went to Regionals, Zones, and Nationals! Congrats to the team for a great season. This is the first time that the team sent riders to all three final levels: Regional finals, Zone finals, and National finals, in both hunt seat and stock seat.

  • Lana Ciaramella received enough points to compete in the Open Flat and placed 4th at Hunt Seat Regionals.
  • Lauren Barredo received enough points to compete Novice Rail and placed 4th at Stock Seat Regionals.
  • Kirstin Dillingham was the High Point rider of the region, sending her to both Zones to compete for High Point Rider of Zone 4 and to Nationals in PA for being the Regional High Point Rider.

2005
(L) Lauren Baredo, (C) Kirstin Dillingham, (R) Lana Ciaramella

AU Recognition at IHSA Nationals.

  • Kirstin Dillingham represented American University at IHSA Nationals held May 5th through May 8th. She was the first American University student to walk in the IHSA Nationals Parade. Kirstin placed 7th in her Novice Horsemanship class of approximately 20 riders; a noteworthy accomplishment.
  • Lana Ciaramella, team co-founder, was awarded the $1000 IHSA Scholarship during the Awards Ceremony on May 8th during the Nationals competition.
  • Kirstin Dillingham was the first American University rider to move on from Regionals to Nationals! She placed first at the Western Regionals hosted at Clay Hill Stables ; making it her ninth consecutive blue ribbon in western IHSA competitions since starting as a freshman this past fall. She will travel to the University of Findlay for the National competition on April 30th. 
  • Freshman Kirstin Dillingham placed 4th in her Novice over fences class at the College of William and Mary Horse Show  giving the one point she needed to qualify for Intermediate over fences. She will traveled to Goucher College for Zone 4 Region 1 English Regionals. She was the first AU regional qualifier.
  • Two riders from the team qualified for Zone 4 Region 1 Western Regionals. Freshman Kirstin Dillingham won five consecutive first place ribbons since the start of the season. At the Hood College horse show on Feb. 27th, she placed out of Novice Western Horsemanship into Advanced Western Horsemanship. Sophomore Lana Ciaramella placed out of the same division at the western show hosted by George Washington University on March 6th. The two competed in Regionals on April 2nd at Clay Hill Stables. The top two riders went onto Nationals in Ohio in May. They were the first two AU riders to qualify for western regional finals.
 

Team History

 
 
The American University Equestrian Team was co-founded in the Fall of 2003 by Jessie Loutoo (’06) and Lana Ciaramella (’07).  It started with a group of about ten girls, of which only about three consistently competed. Come the spring semester, enrollment on the team increased and the competing body doubled in size.  The talent of the team comes from the diversity of experience within it. Some have trained in dressage, some in eventing and one girl was a state champion in sidesaddle. Though the majority of our riders have hunter/jumper backgrounds, we welcome riders from all disicplines.
 
The capabilities of the members range from beginner to advanced. Though the team started out quite small, they persevered in shows, always coming out with ribbons. From the team’s first horse show, hearing the first ribbon being awarded to an American University rider, questions arose from the crowd “Are they in the right region?  American University has a team?”  In it’s second season, the team sent two riders to regionals and had one rider who qualified and competed at Nationals. The team has made its name for itself and has proven itself in the Zone 4 Region 1 community as well as nationwide and plans to continue making a name for itself in the years to come.

The AU Eq team first started off in ClayHill in Springdale, MD, training with the University of Maryland team and teams from other schools in the DC area. In the Fall of 2007 the team moved to its new stable called Lakeside Stables at WindCrest Stables in Clarksburg, Maryland under the training of Jeff Becker.