Nebraska Equine Sports Complex

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is committed to providing students interested in equine sports and careers with an exceptional educational experience and to serving Nebraska’s equine industry.

In Nebraska, more than 180,000 horses are used for leisure, competition and agricultural work. Within this diverse and expansive equine industry, the demand for trained equine professionals is growing. Each year more students participate in equine programs, and 4-H youth equine programs are expanding across the state. Now is the time to develop the facilities needed to serve this increased interest and need.

The Nebraska Equine Sports Complex will be built north of the Nebraska Veterinary Diagnostic Center. It will include an equine stall barn, large and small arenas, exercise round pen, classrooms, offices, wash bay area, tack lockers and outdoor runs.

To meet this growing need and encourage more students to pursue careers in Nebraska’s equine fields, UNL has embarked on an exciting project to provide students with a $4.5 million state-of-the-art equine sports complex. Spearheaded by a lead gift of $1 million from the Kimmel Foundation, the complex will provide:

• an upgraded practice facility;
• space for College of Agriculture Sciences and Natural Resources students to receive more experiential learning opportunities;
• opportunities to increase extension equine programming for youth and adults; and
• students on the rodeo team a place to board their horses on campus.

The addition of the Equine Sports Complex to East Campus will help UNL attract students from across the state and nation. Most importantly, it will help retain Nebraska students interested in equine sports who might have otherwise left the state for more robust programs.

The Equine Sports Complex will provide the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources space for additional equine science classes which could include colt breaking, equine reproduction and genetics. Students participating in classes through both the Department of Animal Science and the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences will have the opportunity to benefit from a new facility. These students will help fill needed jobs in the equine field statewide.

At present, CASNR’s need for arena and stable space limits the university’s ability to offer programming to external audiences. Once completed, the Equine Sports Complex will provide ample space to conduct equine programming for interested stakeholders. Jumping camps and clinics, youth camps and specialized clinics, such as roping and speed events, will be hosted in the new complex.