This is the official petition to retain the Brown Women’s Equestrian Team’s varsity status. On May 28, 2020, Brown announced that it would cut 11 successful varsity teams made up of over 150 dedicated athletes as part of their new “Excellence in Brown Athletics Initiative.” Neither students nor coaches were made aware of the decision prior to a 5-minute Zoom call.

The administration has made clear that this is not a budget-related cut but rather an effort to reallocate funds from certain teams to “enhance the quality of the student experience in athletics.” Our team is heartbroken by this decision and by the University’s disregard for all that we have contributed to our program and to the larger Brown community. Our team was standing in 1st out of the 11 schools in our region at the end of our Fall 2019 season before the competition year was cut short. We have ranked in the top 3 schools in our region every year since 2014 and most recently won the 2017-2018 Regional Championship. We consistently finish among the top schools at Ivies and send athletes to the national championships. On campus, we embody everything it means to be a student-athlete. We are bright, hard-working, and compassionate students who are committed to excellence both inside and outside of the classroom.

The varsity status of Brown’s Equestrian team has provided so many people in the Brown community with a point of access into a sport which is incredibly inaccessible both at other schools and in the non-collegiate world. Varsity funding helped break down significant barriers associated with the costs of owning a horse, taking lessons, and competing. Our competition guidelines require that athletes on the team have a large range of riding experience. And our team provides an opportunity for students with physical disabilities to compete at the D1 level, a priority that reflects Brown’s unique and strong commitment to inclusion. As a varsity sport, the Equestrian team was demonstrating Brown's commitment to combating ableism and classism in athletics.

In addition to providing funding for competitions and instruction from our incredible coach of 25 years, our varsity status offered us access to strength training and to care for sports-related injuries. These resources are not only critical to our success but are also essential for the prevention, detection, and treatment of injuries sustained in the sport.

This program has been such an impactful part of our college experiences, and we are determined to advocate for an inclusive and accessible future for BEQ. The announcement made on May 28th does not reflect the respect and transparency that Brown’s dedicated athletes and coaching staff deserve, and we call on the administration to reconsider this unilateral decision. Please join current and prospective athletes, alumni, friends, and supporters of Brown Equestrian in the effort to reinstate our program by signing this petition. We appreciate your help!