Welcome to September’s edition of the UWRF EquiUpdate Newsletter. Each issue will provide a comprehensive update from our equine department, including briefings from our faculty, highlight student internships, feature news from campus organizations and competitive teams, and recognize the achievements of our alumni. Together, these stories reflect the continued growth and excellence of our beloved equine community
Notes from Faculty & Staff
Dr. Jen Weinert-Nelson
Assistant Professor Equine Program Director
Welcome, everyone, to the beginning of what promises to be an exceptional Fall Semester at UWRF! The Campus Farm was bustling with activity throughout the summer, and I am deeply proud of the dedication shown by our interim manager, Levi Dulmes, and the student farm crew. Thanks to their hard work, we are wellprepared as we enter this new academic year.
We are eagerly anticipating the Falcon Frontier Days Rodeo this coming weekend, as well as shows organized by the IHSA Western and Hunt Seat Teams later in the semester. Several external groups will also host events at UWRF:
♦ Northern Lights Ranch Versatility Association fall show and clinic (September 12-14)
♦ Falcon Ag Challenge FFA judging contests (October 10)
This year is particularly special as it marks the 50th Anniversary of the Colts-In-Training Program. We are looking forward to honoring and celebrating this major milestone during the Spring Semester of 2026. I am grateful for the chance to share in this with all of you –the students, staff, and alumni as well as our university and community partners who all contribute to make our Equine Program so special.
Finally, I want to thank Eli Boe for his enthusiasm and vision in helping take on the Equi-Update newsletter project. We are excited to see what this little project can become – please feel free to reach out if you have suggestions! Excited to see you all back on campus in the coming days!
Nathan O’Connor
Instructional Administrator –Equine Management, Western Riding, and Colts-In-Training Program
This summer was both busy and rewarding.
Professionally, I traveled to several NRHA Reining competitions, attended horse sales, and presented at a western riding and colt starting clinic. These events not only allowed me to stay connected with the industry but also provided valuable insights and experiences to bring back to the classroom this fall.
On the family side, our summer was equally full. My wife, Brenna, and daughter, Kendra, successfully competed in NRHA Reining Horse and Ranch Riding competitions. Kendra also showed a couple of market lambs, and my son, Andrew, exhibited a market steer at jackpot shows and the county fair. They had a very successful show season—Kendra exhibited the champion market lamb at our county fair, and Andrew exhibited the champion market steer. Andrew and I
were also fortunate to take a one-week fly-in fishing trip to Canada, creating memories I will not soon forget. Balancing professional activities with family time made this summer especially meaningful.
Now, as we turn the page to fall, I want to welcome everyone back to campus for a great semester at UWRF. If this is your first semester here, welcome to our community. I wish each of you success in your courses and look forward to seeing you in class, in the barn, and around campus.
Rachael Walker
Lecturer – Equine Evaluation, Hunt Seat Riding
IHSA Hunt Seat Team Coach
I have been a part of UWRF as an undergraduate student (way back in the early 2000’s!), as an IHSA coach and instructor. I currently teach the English riding classes and equine evaluation classes at UWRF. I also serve as the head coach of IHSA, the coach of the hunt seat team, and the regional president of IHSA Zone 7 Region 3.
I am also a horse trainer and instructor through my own business, DoubleShot Equestrian, and I own two off track thoroughbreds and a quarter horse. I ride and work with a variety of breeds from Icelandic horses to draft horses, and pretty much everything in between. My passion is in training off-track thoroughbreds.
This past spring I bought my first house, so I have been spending time moving in, organizing, and gathering way more plants than I should probably have in my living room! This summer I showed my young thoroughbred in the Red Pine shows locally and spent time schooling cross country and trail riding for fun. And, of course, I spent a ton of time with my right-hand man, my cattle dog Archie.
Levi Dulmes Interim Barn Manager
My name is Levi Dulmes (middle in picture right), and I am a recent graduate of UW–River Falls with an Animal Science–Equine Management degree and an Agricultural Business minor. I grew up on a farm in Sheboygan, WI, raising primarily horses and Boer goats. During my time as a student at UWRF, I was a member of the IHSA Hunt Seat Team and Ranch Horse Club. I also completed many of the equine classes, including the Colts in Training and Racehorse Retraining programs.
I am very excited to be staying at UWRF as the interim Equine Barn Manager, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute to a program I care deeply about! I would like to give a shoutout to students Pyper Schultz and Mckenna Edgar for all of their hard work on the farm this summer. We have been busy caring for the school horses, maintaining the property, and making improvements to the farm! This summer, we also hosted four large ranch horse shows, so we’ve been busy! I am excited for everyone to return to classes, and if we haven’t met, please introduce yourself!
Campus Connections & Team Updates
UWRF RODEO CLUB
Hello everyone! The UWRF Rodeo Club is excited to start another great rodeo season! If you enjoy the sport
of college rodeo and preserving the western way of life, then the UWRF Rodeo Club and Team is the place to be The Rodeo Team welcomes all levels of riders who are interested in competing in college rodeo. Rodeo Team members compete across the Great Plains Region in events that include team roping , breakaway roping , tie down roping, barrel racing, goat tying, steer wrestling, and bull and bronc riding.
Club and team members also have the opportunity to engage with the community through volunteer outreach and university events. One event hosted by the Rodeo Club is the annual fall Falcon Frontier Days Rodeo. This rodeo showcases the skills of collegiate rodeo athletes from across the Midwest over three performances. The rodeo club also hosts a National Finals Rodeo watch party, spring Rodeo Roundup, and day trips to local equine events and performances.
We hope you can join us at he Falcon Frontier Days Rodeo this coming weekend: Friday, Sept. 5th at 7:00 PM and Saturday, Sept. 6th at 1:30 PM and 7:00 PM. Tickets are available on the Rodeo Club website: https://www.uwrfrodeo.com/
With the Rodeo fast-approachin g,we already held our first meeting of the semester on Tuesday, Sept. 2nd , but there are still many
ways to get involved. If you want to learn about the sport of college rodeo and how to become more involved in the River Falls community, contact our President, Jake Brosig: jake.brosig@my.uwrf.edu
WESTERN IHSA SHOW TEAM
Hey everyone! The UWRF Western IHSA Team is back on campus and ready to kick off another incredible season! Whether you been riding for years or never stepped foot in the saddle, IHSA has a place for you. We compete in Western Horsemanship—both on the rail and pattern work—as well as Ranch Riding and Reining, giving riders of all levels the chance to sharpen their skills on world-class horses with top show experience. This is your opportunity to ride at the collegiate level and be part of a team that’s making waves.
Our team is riding high after an outstanding Nationals performance last spring! Incoming junior Cady N. placed 8th in the nation in Individual Level 2 Western Horsemanship, and Kylie B. earned 8th in Individual Beginner Western Horsemanship—an amazing accomplishment for our program!
Want to learn more? You can also join us for our informational meeting with the Hunt Seat Team on Thursday, September 4th, from 6–8 PM in Ag Sci 200. Come meet the team, explore what IHSA is all about, and find out how you can be part of our success. Questions? Contact our coach, Elizabeth Olander, at elizabeth.olander@uwrf.edu
HUNT SEAT IHSA SHOW TEAM
Hello everyone! After the Hunt Seat Team rocked last season by qualifying as a team for our national competition, we’re ready to get back to campus and invite you all to come say hi! Join us for our informational meeting on Thursday, Sept. 4, from 6–8 PM. We’ll explain all the ins and outs of the team and our upcoming season.
For a quick preview of what you’ll learn at the informational meeting on the 4th—what is IHSA, and what do we do on the Hunt Seat Team?
The Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) gives college students the chance to strengthen their riding ability and show experience without needing to own a horse. You’ll ride our school horses in preparation to ride other schools ’horses at shows—so no need to worry about a personal horse! Another great aspect of IHSA is that you can join the team even if tryouts are your first time on a horse—no previous riding experience required.
Speaking of riding experience, the Hunt Seat Team competes in English equitation on the flat and over fences, with classes ranging from beginner walk/trot to open flat and over fences divisions. Come to our informational meeting to learn about practice times, competition dates, equipment and attire requirements, and to fill out our info sheet to see where you’ll fit division-wise!
Feel free to contact our coach, Rachael Walker, at rachael.walker@uwrf.edu with any questions.
EPTA
The Equine Physical Therapy Association (EPTA) is dedicated to educating members on a wide range of therapeutic techniques designed to enhance the health and quality of life of equine partners. Members gain valuable hands-on experience with cutting-edge equipment such as Magnawave, RevitaVet, Theraplate, Ice Vibe, and Equirelease. We hold weekly sessions using our school horses, with a primary focus on the Equirelease and Magnawave systems.
Beyond hands-on practice, our meetings include educational games, activities, and guest speakers who cover topics like equine chiropractic care, massage therapy, blanketing strategies, and nutrition. One of our most popular and engaging activities involves painting the skeletal and muscular systems directly onto the horses, allowing members to visually connect anatomy with movement and function.
If you want to learn more, our first meeting is September 10th at 5 PM at the Campus Lab Farm. We will be having a pizza party and demonstrating our equipment! If you have any questions, feel free to email us at equine.pta@uwrf.edu
Hey everyone, my name is Brooke Beardsley, and this summer I interned with Wisconsin Farm Bureau (WFBF) as their Leadership and Programs Intern! I’m from Baraboo, WI, where I help my dad care for over 120 Hereford cattle and 400 acres of cropland. This background sparked my love for agriculture and education!
During my 13-week internship, I worked closely with the Wisconsin Association of FFA and WFBF’s Young Farmers and Agriculturists Program, assisting with development and member relations. My projects included creating “About Me” posters, producing an informational Discussion Meet video, designing promotional items, and helping at the 96th Wisconsin FFA Convention. I also facilitated trainings and workshops, began planning WFBF’s Farm Forum Conference, and developed the 2026 WI FFA Discussion Meet topics.
Outside of work, I stayed busy showing my two Appaloosa horses, Missy and Louie! On campus, I ride for the IHSA Western Show Team in the Open Horsemanship and Ranch Riding, and I’m majoring in Animal Science – Equine Management and Agricultural Marketing Communications. Last spring, I also completed my first year in the Colts in Training Program!
It was an exciting and rewarding summer that I wouldn’t trade for the world!
UWRF Alumni Spotlight
Dr. Lauren Hughes - 2012 Graduate
Dr. Lauren Hughes is a Wisconsin native and 2012 graduate of UWRF. Lauren majored in Animal Science – Equine and during her time as student at UWRF was involved in numerous extracurricular activities including the Rodeo Club.
Dr. Hughes obtained her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University in 2016 and followed this with a one-year rotating internship at New England Equine Medical & Surgical Center in Dover, New Hampshire. Lauren then completed a large animal internal medicine residency at the University of
Minnesota (UMN). Realizing how much she loved the research side of things, Lauren joined the Equine Genetics and Genomics Laboratory at UMN where she is currently completing her PhD. Lauren’s achievements including leading a project to sequence the genome of Przewalski’s horse. Her current work focuses on genetic and epigenetic risk factors associated with Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (commonly referred to as Cushing’s) in horses. Dr. Hughes has been selected as a recipient for the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine advanced research training fellowship, the Foundation for the Horse Research fellowship, the Nancy C. Kelly Career Development Award through the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and was an NIH T32 Comparative Medicine & Pathology trainee.
Special Thanks
We’d like to give a huge thank-you to Marcus Linquist — and all the local farriers—who took time out of their Labor Day weekend and donated their services to trim and shoe our school horses. Their dedication and
support ensure our herd stays sound and ready to support the hands-on education we value so highly. Proper hoof care is essential, and this generous contribution helps us kick off the semester on the right foot—literally!
Meet the Editor
Hey everyone! My name is Eli Boe, and I am a senior here at UW–River Falls. I’m double majoring in Communication Studies and Marketing Communications, with a minor in Equine Science — hence where I fall into this newsletter. Dr. Weinert-Nelson and I hope that, with the publication of this online monthly newsletter, students and faculty can see what is going on in all corners of the equine program here at UWRF.
Here's a little bit about me! I am from a small town in northeastern Minnesota called Eveleth, which is closer to Canada than to campus. I have been riding for the Western IHSA Show Team for two years now, going on my third this fall. Last semester, I qualified for Semi-Finals in Amarillo, TX, along with three of my teammates, and we had a terrific postseason! I also took the Colts in Training class for the first time last spring, where I was paired with a university-bred colt and had an amazing time breaking him out while learning from Nathan O’Connor. Personally, I own three horses— Cash, Slash, and Rookie—which I show in WSCA games and Ranch Versatility classes.
I am excited for the future of this newsletter and foresee it becoming a great medium for clubs, associations, teams, and other organizations to keep our equine students well-rounded. I wish everyone the best this year, and I’ll see you around!
