BUCS

USEC has 3 BUCS teams (A, B, and C), with 1 friendly team (D) and 1 reserve team (R). A’s, B’s, C’s, and D’s all compete in 3 competitions a year, the reserve riders are also likely to participate in at least one competition as well.

The BUCS teams compete with other universities in their leagues (championship or trophy), with the opportunity to go to regionals, then nationals!

There are weekly lessons for all BUCS team members, alternating between flat and jump lessons.

If this seems like something you’re interested in, then please keep an eye out on our Instagram, or come and talk to us at the Freshers’ Fair, where we will be advertising our try-out timings soon!

Social Riding

Social riding is a more relaxed approach to riding in the club, offering flat lessons, jumping lessons (for those who are skilled enough), hacking, and the occasional gymkhana games!

Lessons are split down into 4 different ability groups:

  • Beginners – for those learning how to walk and trot
  • Novice – for those confident in walk and trot and learning how to canter
  • Intermediate – for those confident in walk, trot and canter and learning how to jump
  • Advanced- for those who are confident in walk, trot, canter and jump

Playsport

PlaySport is our beginner’s access course for learning how to ride!

It is a 6-week programme of weekly lessons, learning how to walk, stop, turn, and trot. By the end of the 6 weeks, if you would like to continue with lessons, you will be able to move into our beginner Social Riding lessons!

It is a great way to get into learning how to ride without paying for a USEC membership and with heavily discounted lessons!

Varsity

Varsity is the annual sporting competition between Team Surrey and Royal Holloway in what is always an eventful day of sporting battle! Over 1500 students play and spectate in a series of fixtures across the day, with this culminating in a huge finale in the main arena as we find out who will take the local bragging rights and be crowned Varsity Champions. Each year, USEC takes 8 people to participate in varsity, with alternating host locations between the 2 universities each year (Surrey 24/25, RH 25/26).