UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The 22nd annual Penn State Equine Science Showcase and Quarter Horse Sale kicks off April 27 in the Snider Agricultural Arena at the University Park campus.
Potential buyers are invited to a full-day showcase to see demonstrations of the horses under saddle, meet students from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and learn more about the University’s equine science program.
Bidding for the online auction, run by Professional Horse Services LLC, starts April 27 and runs through April 30. This year, 14 two- and three-year-old horses are available for purchase.
“What makes this equine program special is the quality of our horses,” said Reilly Ronan, a fifth-year elementary education major. “We strive for excellence, and I think that’s been evident in the horses we’ve acquired and produced.”
Ronan, of Warriors Mark, is minoring in equine science and business.
The showcase is the equine program’s most prominent public event. During the spring semester, more than 60 students in Animal Science 117: Equine Marketing are involved in the preparation. Students acquire sponsorships, create advertisements and train the young horses under saddle.
“I take immense pride in the progress I’ve seen over my years in the program,” said animal science major Madison Jurcik, of Anaheim, California. “It’s not just the animals’ strides in training that impresses me, but also the growth exhibited by the students throughout the semester.”
Ronan and Jurcik are this year’s student sale managers. Their assistant managers are Makaley Swam, of Gettysburg, and Chloe Davis, of Curwensville. Both Swam and Davis are majoring in animal science and minoring in equine science.
The showcase also will include a free lunch, information about ongoing equine research and a silent auction to benefit the Ward Studebaker Horse Farm Endowment. All of Penn State’s equestrian clubs will be represented, and some of the sale’s sponsors will have booths. The public can access a live-stream video feed of the riding demonstrations.
The horse barn, which is located across Park Avenue from Penn State’s Beaver Stadium, typically is not open to the public. However, tours will be offered during the showcase, allowing potential buyers to see where the sale horses were raised and to meet their sires, dams and siblings.
Buyers will bid on the offspring of several new mares. This year also marks the last foal crop by the late stallion, PSU He Rox The Nite, who was by the National Reining Horse Association $6 million sire, Gunners Special Nite.
“I am super excited to see how the horses come along and develop during the semester,” Ronan said. “I attended this sale for years before coming to college. Being a sale manager now has been an honor and blessing.”
The College of Agricultural Sciences’ equine science minor offers students the tools they need to succeed in a wide range of careers in the equine industry. Classes focus on nutrition, physiology, reproduction, genetics, growth, behavior and management of horses.
“My journey through the equine science program shaped not only my academic pursuits but also solidified my passion for veterinary medicine,” said Jurcik, who is minoring in equine science.
Jurcik explained that the program provides students with invaluable hands-on experiences, such as observing advanced reproductive techniques and participating in research.
“The privilege of observing the complete cycle, from foaling out the mares to seeing the eventual sale of the two-year-olds, is an inspiring experience,” she said.
Ronan added that the staff within the equine program are phenomenal. “Our program allows students to learn from some of the best people in the industry,” she said.
Brian Egan, assistant teaching professor of equine science and horse farm coordinator, noted that the students come together each year and work hard to make the sale a success.
“Many good horses have gone through our program, but the most memorable part has been the almost 700 students who have taken the equine marketing class,” he said. “Without everyone doing their part, we wouldn’t be where we are today.”
Visit the website or follow Penn State Quarter Horses on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates. For more information about bidding in the sale, contact Egan at began@psu.edu or 814-863-0569.