Two women in riding attire and helmets standing with their horses inside an indoor equestrian arena, smiling at each other.
Group of young female equestrians in blue jackets and riding helmets, posing with a chestnut horse inside an indoor riding arena. One rider is on the horse, leaning over to smile at the camera. The environment is well-lit, with the logo of UBC Thunde

UBC Thunderbirds Equestrian Sport Club

Proudly Hosted By Riverside Equestrian Centre

2023-2024 Season Highlights

  • 3 High Point Team Winners 

  • 3 Reserve High Point Team Winners 

  • Completing the season in a close Reserve High Point Team Championship for Zone 8 Region 4. Congrats UW for the win! 

Individual Regional Championships Winners

  • Danielle Porritt wins Limit Flat 

  • Anina Backman-Choo wins Intermediate Flat and Fences 

  • Justine Rapier finishes third in Intermediate Flat 

  • Madison Weber wins Open Flat, Open Fences, and Regional Open High Point Rider 

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Two young equestrians wearing riding helmets and riding jackets pose in front of a map of the United States, which is divided into color-coded zones. They are holding ribbons and pointing towards the northwestern corner of the map. The map marks the U.S. states and regions, with a sticker celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association.

UBC competes in the IHSA (Intercollegiate Horse Show Association) league, predominantly in the USA. With a focus on making equestrian sport available to university students, IHSA competitions are entirely ‘catch riding’ - riders compete on borrowed horses with no warm-up time! There are 8 levels of competitors, from Walk-Trot beginners, all the way to Open Jumping.  

UBC is part of IHSA Zone 8 Region 4, along with Western Washington University, University of Washington, Central Washington University, Washington State University, University of Oregon, and Oregon State University.  

History of the Equestrian Team at UBC

Two riders on horseback inside an indoor equestrian riding arena, with several people standing in the background. The arena has a dark dirt floor, metal fencing, and a ceiling with hanging lights. The logo 'UBC Thunderbirds Sport Clubs' is visible in the bottom right corner.
Group of seven women in blue jackets and white caps smiling, holding red and yellow award ribbons, standing outside a building with windows.
Two equestrians in riding attire, wearing black helmets, black jackets, and beige riding pants, holding award rosettes with ribbons, standing on a grassy field with a hedge and an IHSA sign in the background.

A Winning Record

2015-16 Season: 

  • Regional Open High Point Rider: Natalie Nahirney 

  • National Reserve Champion Intermediate Flat: Claire Anderson 

2016-17 Season: 

  • Regional Open High Point Rider: Natalie Nahirney 

  • Zone 8 Champion Open Flat: Natalie Nahirney 

  • Zone 8 Reserve Champion Intermediate Fences: Claire Anderson 

  • National Open Flat: Natalie Nahirney 9th place  

  • National Intermediate Fences: Claire Anderson 7th place 

2017-18 Season: 

  • Regional Open High Point Rider: Claire Anderson 

  • Zone 8 Champion Open Flat: Natalie Nahirney 

  • Zone 8 Champion Open Fences: Claire Anderson 

  • National Open Flat: Natalie Nahirney 4th place 

2018-19 Season: 

  • Regional Champion Intermediate Flat: Katie Donohoe 

**COVID Break** 

2022-23 Season: 

  • Regional Open High Point Rider: Madison Weber 

  • Regional Champion Open Flat: Madison Weber 

  • Regional Champion Open Fences: Madison Weber 

  • Regional Champion Intermediate Fences: Jasmine Taylor 

2022-23 Season: 

  • Regional Open High Point Rider: Madison Weber 

  • Regional Champion Open Flat: Madison Weber 

  • Regional Champion Open Fences: Madison Weber 

  • Regional Champion Intermediate Fences: Jasmine Taylor

Inspired to create a formal riding team at UBC, they applied to the newly founded UBC Thunderbird Sport Club Program, a sub-varsity, student run sports organization.  

For the 2016-2017 season, we hosted tryouts for the first time, building a team of 20 riders! Bringing a full roster to competitions for the first time, we were thrilled to finish second place in the region as a team.  

In 2017, we found our home at Riverside. 

After her final competitive season in 2018, Nat began coaching the team.

Group of women riding horses holding a banner for the Thunderbirds Sport Clubs while displaying numerous award ribbons, outdoors in a rural setting with cloudy sky in the background.
Three people standing together at a horse show awards ceremony, with two women in riding attire and a man in a suit, holding ribbons and standing in front of a white fence decorated with flowers and banners celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association.
Group of young women in equestrian attire standing in front of a red barn with an Old McDonald's Farm sign.
A female equestrian rider performing dressage on a dark brown horse in an indoor arena with empty spectator seats.
Two female equestrians in riding helmets holding award rosettes and showing big smiles after a competition.

In 2015, Nat Nahirney and Claire Anderson joined the UBC AMS Equestrian Club with a small group of competitive riders. Against the odds, they qualified for Zone 8 Finals at Stanford, and subsequently National Finals in Lexington, Kentucky.  

Group of women and girls in equestrian riding attire standing in a line, holding a sign with a horse graphic and the initials "UBC" in purple and yellow, indoors with a metal wall background.
A young girl in riding attire with a black helmet, black jacket, white shirt, and gloves standing next to a brown horse inside a stable with blue stalls. The girl is holding the horse’s bridle. The stable has wooden beams and storage bags hanging on
Group of seven young women in equestrian attire, wearing blue jackets, riding helmets, and riding boots, standing outside in front of a building with window and green shutters. Two women are holding blue ribbons.
A young female equestrian riding a chestnut horse over an indoor jumping obstacle, wearing a black helmet and riding attire, with a blurred indoor riding arena in the background
Six women dressed in equestrian attire, holding a banner that reads 'UBC Thunderbirds Sport Clubs,' with ribbons and rosettes attached, standing outdoors in front of a building with windows and shutters.
A young rider in a riding helmet and formal riding attire jumping a red and white obstacle on a brown horse inside an indoor equestrian arena. There are flower decorations at the base of the jump and a logo in the bottom right corner reading "UBC Thu
Two women wearing riding helmets and riding boots, smiling and holding a blue banner with 'UBC Thunderbirds Sport Clubs' on it, outdoors near a building and a fence in a rural area.
A woman wearing a riding helmet and a dark suit stands next to a light brown horse with a white stripe on its face inside an indoor riding arena. The woman is smiling and holding the horse's halter.
Two women in riding attire holding ribbons in front of an IHSA Nationals backdrop.
Indoor horse stable with blue stalls and people in riding attire. Some are grooming horses, others are standing or talking. Horses are partially visible, and there is a backlit open entrance at the end of the corridor. The UBC Thunderbirds Sport Club
A team of nine young women wearing riding helmets and blue jackets holding a banner that reads 'UBC Thunderbirds Sport Clubs' inside an indoor riding arena, with colorful ribbons hung on the banner.
Group of young women in blue jackets holding a large UBC Thunderbirds Sport Clubs banner with colorful rosettes ribbon awards hanging in front of them, inside a large indoor sports facility.