American Horse Council Marketing Alliance Announces New Team Challenge
Contact: Julie Broadway
American Horse Council
Phone: 202-296-4031
Email: jbroadway@horsecouncil.org
For Immediate Release
The American Horse Council’s (AHC) Marketing Alliance invites teams of college and university students across the United States to participate in the AHC Marketing Alliance Team Challenge.
Selected teams of 5–10 students will be eligible to receive grant funding of up to $15,000 to develop and implement innovative initiatives that expand engagement in the equine industry.
According to the American Horse Council’s most recent Economic Impact Study, the U.S. equine industry contributes $177 billion annually to the economy and supports 2.2 million jobs nationwide. With approximately 6.6 million horses, the industry spans recreation, sport, agriculture, tourism, and healthcare—yet there remains significant opportunity to bring more people into hands-on participation.
This is a student’s opportunity to make a real impact—your ideas, creativity, and perspective as emerging leaders can help shape the future of the equine industry.
This challenge is intentionally designed with limited guidelines to encourage creativity, innovation, and bold thinking—participants are encouraged to “think outside the barn.”
The primary goal of this challenge is to support initiatives that:
- Introduce new audiences to horses and the equine industry
- Encourage individuals with observational interest (fans, spectators, casual followers) to become active participants
- Increase hands-on engagement, including:
- Riding or equine activities
- Horse ownership or leasing
- Participation in equine sport, recreation, or care
- Achieve wide reach and meaningful impact, engaging as many people as possible to enjoy time with horses
Proposals should demonstrate clear strategies for growing participation, expanding audience reach, and deepening engagement with horses.
To learn more about the challenge eligibility, funding requirements, evaluation criteria, and logistics to apply, please see the attached Request for Proposal. Proposals are due by November 1, 2026.
Julie Broadway, AHC President and Chair of the Marketing Alliance, stated, “Students in animal science programs fuel leadership roles in animal health, biotech, veterinary medicine, livestock and equine industries, agricultural education, and rural community life. Being engaged with horses also matters because of what it teaches, including students who did not grow up around farms or horses. Working with a 1,200‑pound animal demands clear communication, risk assessment, and calm decision-making under pressure. Participating in these types of “challenge” initiatives builds skills in logistics, budgeting, leadership, and collaborative problem-solving that serve the equine industry in every profession.”
About the American Horse Council
The American Horse Council is the trusted voice of the equine industry in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to advocate for the health and welfare of the horse, as well as the economic and legislative interests of the equine industry.