Annual Penn State Equine Science Showcase and Quarter Horse Sale Returns April 27th

From Pennsylvania State University Equine Science Program:

The 22^nd annual Penn State Equine Science Showcase and Quarter Horse Sale will begin on Saturday, April 27 at the Snider Agricultural Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania. 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.

(Click on individual photos to enlarge.)

Bidding for the online auction, run by Professional Horse Services LLC, will begin April 27 and run through Tuesday, April 30. This year, fourteen 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, one of the student sale managers and an elementary education major at the university. “We strive for excellence, and I think that’s been evident in the horses we’ve acquired and produced.”

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.

The showcase will also include a free lunch, information about the 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 there will be booths from some of the sale’s sponsors. The public can also access a live-stream video feed of the riding demonstrations.

The Horse Barn, which sits across the street from Penn State’s Beaver Stadium, is not typically open to the general public. However, tours will be offered during the showcase allowing potential buyers to see where the sale horses were raised and meet their sires, dams, and siblings.

“I take immense pride in the progress I’ve seen over my years in the program,” said student sale manager and animal science major Madison Jurcik. “It’s not just the animals’ strides in training that impresses me, but also the growth exhibited by the students throughout the semester.”

Buyers will be bidding 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 six million-dollar sire Gunners Special Nite.

“I am super excited to see how the horses come along and develop during the semester,” Ronan added. “I attended this sale for years before coming to college. Being a sale manager now has been an honor and blessing.”

Equine Science at Penn State

The Penn State University Horse Barn was established in 1929, and the farm has been home to a variety of breeds including Percherons, Belgians, Morgans and Arabians. American Quarter Horses came to Penn State in 1955 and have been the ideal breed for teaching and research.

The College of Agricultural Science’s 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,” Jurcik said.

She explained the program provides students with invaluable hands-on experiences, such as observing advanced reproductive techniques and participating in research opportunities. Jurcik added, “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.”

Currently, the herd totals about 70 horses, including four stallions, mares, and young horses. The facilities are comprised of two barns, an indoor arena, a horse exerciser, and various paddocks and pastures.

Ronan added, “The staff within our equine program are phenomenal. Our program allows students to learn from some of the best people in the industry.”

In 2011, Penn State was recognized by the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) with its Legacy Award. The Legacy Award honors breeders who have registered at least one foal for fifty consecutive years.

 

Penn State’s Stallion Lineup

A new era began at the farm in 2018 with the arrival of One Hot Krymsun, AQHA leading sire and National Snaffle Bit Association (NSBA) Hall of Fame inductee. “Jet,” as he is known at the barn, is owned by Becky and Craig Bailey of Bailey Farms LLC, in Batavia, Ohio. The 1999 brown stallion is sired by Invitation Only and out of the mare Krymsun Jet Set.

Jet is the first horse to win all three open AQHA Western Pleasure World Champion titles. In 2001, he was the open two-year-old Snaffle Bit Champion, and the following year, he was the AQHA Open Junior Western Pleasure World Champion. Jet made history in 2005 when he was the Open Senior Western Pleasure World Champion. He is also a three-time Congress champion and a four-time Congress reserve champion.

Red White N Good, “Irish,” was donated to Penn State by the Baileys in 2018. The 2009 red roan stallion has produced NSBA world champions and AQHA high-point winners. He is a half-brother to Jet, by Zippos Mr Good Bar and out of Krymsun Jet Set.

One N Only, “Uno,” is a 2007 brown stallion by Invitation Only and out of Weretalkinradical. He was donated to Penn State by the Curiale family. Uno has produced Congress Champion and World Champion offspring. In 2009, he was in the Top 5 in two-year-old Western Pleasure at the AQHA World Show and Reserve Champion at Reichert Celebration in two-year-old Western Pleasure.

The newest addition to the Penn State’s stallions is CC Hezashiningstar. “Sirius,” as he is known around the farm, is 2020 reining-bred stallion by Colonels Shining Gun out of Sheza Bonita Whiz. Spring 2024 will be his first breeding season.

 

Visit their website or follow Penn State Quarter Horses on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates. For more information about bidding in the sale, contact Brian Egan at began@psu.edu or 814-863-0569.