Student Athletes
Jada Davis ’20 and Mackenzie Raucher ’19 spend hundreds of hours during the school year at Cornell’s Oxley Equestrian Center, a mile from campus, as members of the Cornell University Equestrian Team.
Coached by Joanna Novakovic, HumEc ’03, the team regularly wins the Ivy League Championship and sends riders to the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association National Championship.
Davis and Raucher recently took time to reflect on their experiences as team members:
What is the routine like?
JD: When we are in season, my schedule is generally pretty hectic, but you get used to it once you are in a routine. We usually ride around three times a week – two practices with our coach. One is in the morning before class and one is in the afternoon, and then an independent ride where we are assigned a horse and we ride on our own. In addition, we are required to complete at least two workouts a week in the varsity gym in the Friedman’s Strength and Conditioning Center to fulfill our lift requirement.
We also have barn chores at least once a week, where we are assigned shifts with partners to handle the daily care of the horses. This includes everything from feeding, watering, haying, turning out, blanketing and mucking stalls. This is certainly not my favorite part of being on the team, but I do think that experience in the barn is definitely important for being a well-rounded athlete in this sport, and for teaching responsibility – especially for underclassmen.
Because we have so many responsibilities, we try to finalize our schedules in the beginning of every semester to make sure we don’t have any conflicts with classes or other extracurricular responsibilities, but there is generally a lot of flexibility in case of last-minute conflicts-- which there are no shortage of as student-athletes.
MR: Throughout the season, I ride two to three times per week. At the beginning of each semester, we have early morning practices, one per week, as we prepare for upcoming shows. Throughout the entire semester, one ride is a small group practice with my coach and a few other teammates at similar levels. My other rides are independent. In my independent rides, I am assigned a horse and take the exercises my coach recommends for me to work on my specific weaknesses. I also complete a weightlifting requirement twice per week and have one chore time per week, which usually takes about two hours.
How many hours a week do you devote to the team?
JD: Around 10 hours per week, both in and out of the saddle.
MR: The amount varies throughout the season, but it is usually no less than 10 hours. Leading up to major shows, those of us competing take on extra rides throughout the week. For example, leading up to the zone finals, I was riding five days per week instead of two.
What types of classes do you compete in at shows?
JD: I compete in novice fences/flat. This means I am judged based on the way I ride a course of jumps, and then on how I perform at the walk, trot and canter both directions on the flat.
MR: I compete in advanced walk, trot, canter. This is a lower-level flat class – no jumping.
What are your most memorable moments of the season?
JD: The Ivies show at Dartmouth was definitely one of the most memorable shows. Ivies is the only competition where every member of our team gets the chance to compete on the same day, and it was fun spending time with some people I don’t really see as much on the team. It was certainly a long day, but I’m glad we were able to bring home the Ivy League Championship title for the second year in a row.
MR: My most memorable moment was the first horse show I participated in as a member of the Cornell University Equestrian Team. It took place in Rochester and was my first weekend away with the team, which is a great bonding experience, especially as a rookie. It provides the opportunity to watch every teammate compete. The shows we host are often so busy we cannot watch as many teammates ride as we would like. Also, my parents have always been really involved in my riding and it was very exciting to have them watch me compete after not having seen my practice for months.
What have been the most demanding aspects of the season?
JD: One of the most demanding aspects of our season is certainly its length. Although we are technically classified as a winter sport, we are actively riding and practicing from the end of August to the last week of classes in May, with few breaks in between. This means that a huge part of our sport is staying healthy and motivated, in order to make it through the season.
MR: The most demanding aspect of the season was my preparation for the Zone 2 Finals that were held the second weekend of Spring Break. Though I increased my rides and my weightlifting during one of the busiest parts of the semester, the experience was exciting and rewarding. Despite being demanding, it is really motivating to represent the team and the university when competing across the entire zone.
How do you balance time with the team and with your course load?
JD: Being on the team certainly comes with its challenges, especially balancing a heavy course load and my involvement in various organizations on campus, but it is definitely worth it. As a student athlete, I think one of the most important things to remember is that you are here to be a student first, and this means that you learn time-management much earlier than most students. For me, staying organized is an important aspect of making sure I don’t miss any of my responsibilities, and knowing that there is an entire team full of people who are going through the same experience is certainly helpful for motivating each other through study groups, study guides, trips to the library and moral support.
MR: It is challenging to balance academics, but I think that is one of the most important parts of college as it helps you do develop skills you will use forever. I have learned how important it is to plan ahead and get an early start on my work. Having a well regimented routine is also essential to ensure I stay on top of everything. Overall, being busy helps to keep me motivated in all aspects of my life.
Your takeaways from this past season?
JD: There is a lot of stress involved in my life as a student athlete, and a lot of sacrifices we have to make to be on the team, but there are great parts about it, as well. We are all on the team because we love our sport, and I genuinely cannot imagine my life at Cornell without it.
MR: I transferred into Cornell my second semester of sophomore year, and since there are only tryouts in the fall, I had to wait until this year to join the team. Overall, I was extremely nervous to join as a junior since I expected most of my teammates had been together since they were freshmen. However, transfers are well represented on the team and everyone immediately worked to include me as if I had known them all along.
I am extremely thankful for the experience this team has given me as it has completely changed my experience at Cornell. Despite the intense time commitment, I never feel overwhelmed as my team always keeps me laughing. We have great horses and a great bond that makes every early morning, long day or tough competition more than worth it.