The History of the Equine College
Our story is a part of the history of Finnish equestrian sports.
In these stables, sport horses have been bred, and we have trained coaches, riding instructors, and farriers. Competitions have been held on these fields for years, as they were in the past and continue to be now. We aim to educate the best professionals in the equine industry and provide the tools needed for success in equestrian sports. We are proud of our history, and that is why we want to highlight a few key moments from it.
From State Horse Breeding to Agricultural College
The State Horse Breeding Farm was established in Ypäjä on March 18, 1937, with the mission of promoting horse breeding in Finland and training professionals in the field. The committee that advocated for the establishment of the breeding farm thoroughly considered the best possible location for it. The pastures of the manor were inspected and deemed excellent for horse breeding. In the 1930s, stables for the horse depot and riding school were built, now known as Stables I and II, along with an indoor riding arena, the 'Old Arena.'
The Defense Forces' horse care school began operations in 1934, and the State Horse Breeding Farm and its associated horse care school in 1937. A farriery school was added to the breeding farm in 1946, and the first farriery courses started in 1948, at which point the school’s name was changed to the Agricultural Blacksmith School.
In 1955, the breeding farm operations gained more space when the Defense Forces unit relocated to Niinisalo. The name of the breeding farm was changed in 1957 to the State Horse Breeding Institute, with its primary mission focusing on horse breeding as well as experimental and research activities related to horse breeding and equine economics. In 1961, the schools were united under the name Ypäjä Agricultural Institutions, and later in 1969, the name was shortened to Ypäjä Agricultural College. At the institution, it was possible to study equine management, and farriery training and short courses were also offered. Starting in the 1970s, riding instructor and teacher courses were organized in cooperation with the Finnish Riding Institute. By the 1980s, the college operated three separate study programs: horse care, agricultural machinery maintenance, and horse training programs.
The horse care training primarily used Finnish horses, but in 1986, warmblood trotting and riding horses were acquired for the school. In 1989, the name of the institution was changed to Ypäjä Equine Economy Institute, reflecting a shift towards a stronger focus on equine management education.
A racetrack had already existed on the breeding farm’s sports grounds as early as the 1800s.
The first riding arenas were built by the military in the 1930s. The Derby Field was established in 1947 and resurfaced in the early 1990s. The first international equestrian competition held on the Derby Field took place in 1973, marking the inaugural Finnderby.
From the Finnish Riding Institute to the Equine College
The Finnish Riding Institute (SRO) began operations in Ypäjä in 1972. The Support Association of the Finnish Equestrian Federation (SRL) acquired the property known as Varsanoja School, including its buildings, from the municipality of Ypäjä for this purpose. Actual construction work began in 1972, and the institute was also inaugurated that year. Various courses were organized at the institute, including judge, official, and para-equestrian courses sanctioned by the SRL, course designer seminars, training camps, youth leader training events, and various riding-related courses. Riding instructors began to be trained in 1974.
After the completion of the Ypäjä Hall in 1986, the Finnish Equestrian Federation centralized all training activities for all disciplines in Ypäjä.
Training camps and educational events were organized by top coaches, including Kyra Kyrklund, Silja Pursiainen, Jos Lansink, and Eric Lette. In 1993, both the Ypäjä Equine Economy Institute and the Finnish Riding Institute were closed, and a limited liability company named Ypäjä Equine College was established in their place.
The current form of Equine College not only provides professional education in the equine sector but also organizes competitions and events, offers accommodation and catering services, provides training, and hosts meeting and experiential services, as well as a riding school. In the spring of 2017, Hevosopisto was designated by the Ministry of Education and Culture as the official national training center for equestrian sports. The work for the benefit of equestrian sports and horses continues with great passion.
Visit:
Visit the Finnish Equestrian Sports Museum in Ypäjä.
