by Aubrey Simpson

Southern States is giving it the old – well, make that the new – college try by proudly welcoming Centenary College as the latest addition to our Special Horse Organization Winner (SHOW) program. Through our SHOW program, funded entirely by donations made by sending in your proof-of-purchase seals from your Southern States feed bags, you can help pay for a college education for some lucky young horse lover at Centenary College. To give our readers and potential donors a better understanding of what makes Centenary College so special, EquuSSource spoke with the chair of the college's Equine Studies, the manager of the Equine Center, and a student who is the Senior Captain of the school's intercollegiate competitive riding team. We think you will be impressed by what they all had to say.

A Degree of Success

Centenary College is located in Hackettstown, in the heart of New Jersey's celebrated horse country, and has earned recognition as one of the finest liberal arts colleges with an outstanding Equine Studies program. EquuSSource spoke with Kelly Martin Munz, the Chair of Equine Studies, about what distinguishes Centenary from other colleges. She responded, "It's really the broad scope of what we offer, once the students have the fundamentals of Equine Study they can choose the field of specialty that appeals to them. The choices include riding techniques in Hunt Seat Equitation, Hunters, Jumpers and Dressage. Within our four-year Bachelor of Science Degree we offer students concentrations in Riding Instruction and Training, Communications for the Equine Industry, Equine Business Management and Equine Science. We combine this broad scope with the highest caliber horses, the very best professional professors and benchmark facilities. The combination of all these elements attracts top-notch students from across the United States and from other countries."

Making the Grade

Grabbing a few minutes from a day that normally starts at six in the morning and ends at seven-thirty every evening, Centenary Equestrian Center Manager, Becky Huestis gave EquuSSource the scoop on the horses and the facilities. "I love my job," she says, adding, "right now we are boarding 106 horses. Ten of them belong to students, six are owned by faculty, and 90 belong to the college. We have many different breeds, everything from Quarter Horses to Thoroughbreds to Warm Bloods. All of the college's horses are donated by top level, stellar barns, so the caliber of our horses is unbeatable. The donor's generosity and passion for this program is instrumental in making our program successful." A 2003 graduate of Centenary College, Becky knows the program, the horses and the facilities from first hand experience. "The facilities here are state-of-the-art. We have two indoor riding arenas, one attached to a classroom area and offices. Plus, we have an outdoor arena, and numerous barns. The facility is on 64 acres about eight miles from the main campus. We have a shuttle that runs from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., so the students have access pretty much any time during the day. We facilitate small classes so the students get lots of first-hand training from our qualified, professional professors. Plus, we compete four or five times every semester in Intercollegiate Horse Shows, as well as at numerous local shows. Every spring we compete at the Garden State Horse Show which is a USEF "AA" competition and one of the largest horse shows in the state of New Jersey. We're looking forward to hosting the Intercollegiate Zone 2 Finals here this spring. It's always busy and exciting, and the opportunities for students are limitless."

Senior Leadership

Intercollegiate competitions are unique in their approach. College and university riders travel to different locations to ride and compete. The horses are selected through a random drawing. The new horse-rider partners are not allowed to warm-up, they only adjust their saddles and then mount-up to compete. "It's exciting and challenging," according to Jessica Anselmo, the Senior Captain of the Centenary College Team. EquuSSource spoke with Jessica between events at an intercollegiate competition on the Centenary campus. Asked how the competition was going, Jessica beamed, "It's going really well. Right now we have placed either first, second and third in every class." From Gardiner, New York, Jessica learned about the program at Centenary from her trainer. "My trainer told me it was a really great program, one of the best on the East Coast. So, I came to check it out. They definitely have the best horses! Plus, all the professors are professionals; some are USEF judges, stewards or veterinarians. I've learned a lot working with them. And the college helps you find a job in your field. This summer I worked as an intern at Cloud 9 Farm, rehabbing horses that had been injured and need to be conditioned to re-enter the show ring. The experience has been great, I would highly recommend it, and I know it will help me when I start working as a Hunter/Jumper trainer after I graduate."

College Care Package

Centenary College's success is undeniable. Michael Tickner, the college's feed specialist at Tickner's Inc., the local Southern States dealer, in Hackettstown said, "Centenary College is really doing a lot, they're expanding and growing. And, more importantly, they're doing everything right. The quality of the faculty, the outstanding caliber of the horses and the college's excellent equestrian center are top notch, the best of the best." According to Becky Huestis, the feeling is mutual. "With the help of Southern States Feed Rep Michelle Roman, we recently switched all our horses to either Triple Crown® Complete, Triple Crown 30% Supplement or Legends® Grow & Perform pellets. I love it. It has cut our grain use by a quarter and the horses look great. They are healthy, holding their weight and performing well. The quality of the feed meets the needs of Centenary College's top quality Equine Studies program." Southern States – the educated choice in feeds.