By Ryan Leon, April 29, 2025
The Horsemanship Club at Cal Poly Pomona prepares students and gives them the experience they need for a career in animal science and participating in the Sunday Show — a 100-year-old tradition — grooming and riding horses are all perks of being a member in the club.
Located at the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center, the Horsemanship Club meets every Tuesday, and topics for club meetings vary. The themes are all meant to educate individuals about appropriate horsemanship, according to animal health science student Kathryn Kugel, the current president of the club.
There are occasionally activities students can take part in during club meetings. These range from spending time with the breeding coordinator, watching the student activities coordinator tack up a horse — where a person prepares a horse for riding with all necessary equipment before mounting — and watching the farrier do horseshoe work, according to Kugel.
As president of the Horsemanship Club, Kugel is in charge of managing the roster, checking paperwork and communicating with the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center staff, including E-board members, to make sure everything goes smoothly.
“I also help run the Sunday Show by delegating volunteers to do certain tasks, making sure they’re signing in, making sure they’re being safe around the horses,” Kugel said.
The Sunday Show is the biggest event for the club, according to pre-veterinary animal science student Carli Forsythe, the secretary and scheduler of the club. Participating in an event such as the Sunday Show can’t happen without proper training and experience, something the Horsemanship Club ensures for its members.
Forsythe said she enjoyed working with others as a unit this year and collaborating on the Sunday Shows. Forsythe wanted to make sure everything ran as smoothly as it possibly could because she loves the shows and wants to see them continue.
“I was a member of the club last year, and I really loved it,” Forsythe said. “I came to almost every meeting, did a lot of volunteering. I got some riding lessons, and I just fell in love with the center and with the club.”
Animal science student Johana Luna, the 2025-2026 president of the club, had never even been around horses before the Horsemanship Club. Luna said she joined the club to get more involved and see horses for the first time.
With a passion for veterinary science, Luna said the Horsemanship Club helped solidify her career aspirations.
“Being exposed to the Horsemanship Club and the center, I’ve gotten more experience and a bigger appreciation for large animals,” Luna said. “So, I feel like that’s also helped pave my foundation for what I really want to do once I graduate.”
The Horsemanship Club is unique in the sense it’s only based on learning about horses and volunteering, according to Luna. Students are able to go at their own pace, making the experience of the club truly their own.
Club members must go through an orientation once they’ve turned in their volunteer paperwork. The orientation goes over basic horse handling, grooming and tacking. Once orientation is completed, members start with basic tasks the center needs, such as raking, weeding and general cleaning, before they’re ready for hands-on experience with horses.
“I think the Horsemanship Club is a great way to get people interested in the horse center on campus,” Forsythe said. “Overall, it’s just a nice community and a nice introduction to horses in general.”
Feature image courtesy of Ryan Leon
