WACO, Texas – The National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) is preparing for the 2026 NCEA National Championship which returns to the World Equestrian Center – Ocala (WEC) in Florida, marking the third consecutive year the nation’s premier collegiate equestrian event will be hosted at the world-class venue.

The Championship will take place April 15-18, 2026, beginning with Opening Ceremonies and fan engagement activities on Wednesday, April 15, followed by three days of head-to-head national competition April 16-18. Marion County will once again serve as the presenting sponsor of the Championship. Full brackets will be announced March 31 during the USEF Network Selection Show, powered by ClipMyHorse.TV.

HOW IT HAPPENS
The Championship action will begin on April 16 with the full schedule available here. Full brackets will be released on March 31 with the selection show from USEF Network powered by ClipMyHorse.tv with the field made up of the top-eight Dual Discipline and top-four Single Discipline teams in the country. Both disciplines will engage in a single-elimination tournament to earn the trophy.

The NCEA National Championship is a celebration of the best female collegiate equestrians in the NCAA. Along with these skilled and outstanding student-athletes, the Championship also showcases over 100 of NCEA equine athletes on a national stage. With the head-to-head competition format for riders, you get to view the best riders on outstanding horses from all different programs. It is a true test of both the skill of our riders along with how well trained and disciplined the horses are.

Arena 6 will be the site for both single and dual discipline Jumping Seat Competition and Arena 5 will be the site for the dual discipline Western competition. There is no charge for admission to the events and parking is free on site. More information on WEC can be found here.

THE ACTION
The NCEA teams have been working hard all season with their eyes on a trophy come April. Helping the NCEA showcase those athletes and the road to a title is the USEF Network powered by ClipMyHorse.TV; USEF Network is the Official Host Broadcast Partner of the NCEA Championship. Daily broadcasts will be available on ClipMyHorse.TV as well as streamed on ESPN+. A post-show will be available on ESPNU, with the replays available on ESPN News.

Patterns per event per day will be available on the Championship Central page, along with live scoring links.

SURROUNDING THE CHAMPIONSHIP
There are many exciting events and happenings going on around the championship that can also be found on the NCEA’s Championship Central page.

To kick off the week, on Wednesday, April 15, the annual NCEA Golf Classic at Golden Ocala powered by the Ohio Quarter Horse Association will take place. Spots are still available, so sign up soon!

The Opening Ceremony presented by OQHA will take place later that day at 6:30 p.m. in Arena 5, celebrating our participants, Riders of the Year, and our Distinguished Alumni, followed by the kickoff social from 7-9 p.m. in between Arenas 5 and 6.

A multitude of vendors will be set up inside and out of the arenas for championship patrons to enjoy as Vendor Alley. Shoppers, make sure to check out the options in our completely online Silent Auction and bid on your favorite items starting April 5; all winners will have their items mailed to them!

On Saturday around 11:20 a.m., the Single Discipline National Champion will be crowned in Arena 6. Following the Dual Discipline action, a National Champion will be crowned at approximately 3:15 p.m., also in Arena 6. The Most Outstanding Performers per event will be announced at that time as well.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE CHAMPIONSHIP - INVEST IN OUR RIDERS
The Championship is fully funded by the NCEA and its member institutions. If you would like to invest in these outstanding student-athletes and help them have an outstanding Championship experience, please join us by participating in the following activities:

• Become a Horse Wrangler! The schools must haul over 100 horses to the Championship. You can monetarily help support their transport by donating $750 for the transportation of one horse. Become a Horse Wrangler and help get our equine athletes on the #RoadToOcala here.
• Shop all week on our Online Silent Auction powered by the Ohio Quarter Horse Association (OQHA). We will have a variety of great gifts from jewelry, tack, specialty clothing, and experiences open to bidding on April 5 here. Join us as a bidder or donate items that we can add to the auction! Donations are being accepted through the second week of April to Nikki Shultz.
• Help us kick off Championship Week by participating in our annual NCEA Golf Classic at Golden Ocala Club on April 15. An outing with friends and business associates on a beautiful exclusive golf course – friends, food, and golf! You can also contribute to this outing by purchasing a hole sign to advertise your support of our student-athletes. Check it all out here.
• Volunteer! At the National Championship, it's all hands on deck. If you live in the Ocala area, we'd love you to lend your time and talent to help make our event a success! Fill out this form to let us know your interest.

 
About the NCEA
A non-profit corporation, the NCEA is a governing body to advance the sport of equestrian. The NCEA is responsible for the development and administration of equestrian rules and guidelines. Equestrian is subject to all NCAA policies and procedures in the same manner as other sports. In 1998, Equestrian was identified and adopted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Committee on Women's Athletics (CWA) as an emerging sport for women at the Division I and II levels. 
 
NCEA competitions are in a head-to-head format, and schools may choose to compete as a single or dual discipline team (Jumping Seat and Western). Each discipline has two events: in Jumping Seat, Fences and Flat, and in Western, Horsemanship and Reining. Teams can have five riders per event, with horses assigned by random draw at the start of the competition. Riders from opposing teams compete on the same horse, and whichever rider receives the higher score earns one point for her team. The level of difficulty is demonstrated by the accuracy of the pattern and how the competitor uses the horse to the best of her ability.
 
To stay up to date all year long on all things NCEA Equestrian, follow the organization on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @NCEA_Equestrian and @ncea_eq.
   
About World Equestrian Center
World Equestrian Center features two premier equestrian and multidisciplinary venues in Ocala, Florida, and Wilmington, Ohio. 
These exclusive facilities comprise state-of-the-art arenas, expansive stadiums, versatile outdoor space, sporting fields and well-appointed exposition centers. An abundance of lodging options and luxury accommodations are conveniently located on-site, along with shopping and dining throughout each property.
 
Dedicated to offering great sport and good fun in a family-friendly environment, World Equestrian Center promises an unparalleled experience for exhibitors, spectators, vendors, sponsors and retailers built on three core values: Quality. Class. Distinction.
Learn more at wec.net.

Media Contact: 
Justin Garner 
justin.garner@wec.net