Keiser University has purchased an equestrian center in Loxahatchee Groves, Fla., located at 2650 A Road, which will become the new home of the University’s equestrian club team and allow for expansion of its equine studies programs.
The existing facility, formerly owned by Jaybird Leasing Corporation, is a gated 9-acre property that includes two riding arenas, nine paddocks, and a 20-stall barn. The 7,982 square foot barn includes a tack room & large feed/storage room with roll down door and four wash racks. The facility is approximately 13 miles from Keiser University’s Flagship campus located at 2600 North Military Trail in West Palm Beach.
“Equine studies is a very specialized field and we’re very pleased to be able to provide this facility to our students pursuing business and biomedical science degrees,” said Arthur Keiser, Ph.D., Chancellor of Keiser University. “The equestrian center will add to Keiser University’s positive footprint in Palm Beach County and offer our equine students a dedicated and unique learning facility close to our Flagship campus.”
The facility was purchased by Keiser University to support the University’s equine studies degree programs in Biomedical Science and Business Administration. Keiser’s Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences Equine Studies concentration is a pre-veterinary program offering graduates a well-rounded educational opportunity which prepares them to specialize in the equine industry. The Bachelor of Arts in Business with a concentration in Equine Studies offers students an in-depth study of the functional areas of the equine business industry.
In addition to its academic use, the new facility will provide a home for the Seahawks’ equestrian club team which is a member of the American Saddlebred Horse Association and the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA). The new site will allow Keiser University to host competitions with both organizations. “This new facility will not only provide a modern, state-of-the-art learning center for equestrian studies, but also provide our Seahawks Equestrian team with a home base for competition and a quality practice location,” said Keiser.
Keiser University’s equestrian team has been competing since 2019. Last season, the team took part in five competitions and qualified six riders to compete in IHSA Regionals. The team finished eighth place overall in the region.
Like many collegiate equestrian teams, Keiser University previously rented its equestrian space from Wall Street Farm in Lake Worth, Fla. With the purchase of the new equestrian center, Keiser University will become the only college or university in Florida to own its own competitive equestrian center.
The equestrian business is one of Palm Beach County’s targeted industries and has a long history of providing economic impact to the area. According to the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County, the area hosts the highest concentration of sport horses in the world during the polo and equestrian season. The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Fla., is the home of annual Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), the largest and longest-running circuit in horse sport. The 2021 WEF contributed $279 million and 2,880 jobs to the Palm Beach economy, resulting in labor earnings of $83.9 million.
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