RU Adds Competitive Hobby Horsing to Athletics Lineup
Monday, April 1, 2024
In an effort to continue adding competitive options to its growing slate of athletics offerings, Rockhurst University announced today that it will add a competitive hobby horse team, with the team’s inaugural season starting April 1, 2025.
"When we surveyed current students about the athletic programs they would like to see us add, hobby horsing emerged time and again as the top choice,” said Kristy Bayer, Rockhurst director of athletics. “Not only is this one of the fastest-emerging sports in the world today, but we believe it will provide a truly unique gameday experience for our fans, as well.”
Having emerged in Finland, hobby horsing has since spread around the globe, with competitors judged on speed, style and the appearance of their horse, of course. Home meets will take place on Bourke Field.
Rockhurst University’s student-athletes are recognized not only for their on-field performance, but their high academic marks, as well. Rockhurst is one of only eight institutions in all of NCAA Division II to have earned the Presidents’ Award for Academic Excellence every year since it was first awarded 13 years ago. In the 2022-23 academic year, student-athletes posted an overall GPA of 3.53, with 309 total academic all-conference honorees.
“Rockhurst has a proven track record of athletic excellence on and off the field,” Bayer said. “We are happy to be able to welcome these almost-equestrians into the fold and continue our proud tradition of excellence.”
All right, you got us… if you’ve made it this far, you probably realize this is an April Fool’s joke. But Rockhurst University has added seven new athletics programs since 2022, including men’s and women’s swim and dive, indoor and outdoor track and field and competitive cheer and dance have already started, and men’s volleyball is scheduled to begin play in fall 2024.
