The University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, with leadership from UK Ag Equine Programs and the Department of Animal and Food Sciences, recently partnered with France’s UniLaSalle — inviting a group of their students pursuing an Executive Master’s degree in Equine Science and Business (MESB) for a unique study abroad experience. 

For 15 days, students engaged with more than 30 groups — ranging from industry groups and nonprofits to horse farms and academic and research units across UK’s campus, along with the broader equine community in Central Kentucky.  

The goal was to showcase Kentucky’s horse industry and UK’s land-grant mission, providing the international students valuable lectures, site visits and hands-on learning experiences while visiting the Commonwealth for the first time. Some of the site visits included the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, Keeneland and the Kentucky Derby. 

“The master’s students from UniLaSalle brought great enthusiasm and curiosity, while the Kentucky horse community warmly welcomed them and excelled in creating insightful, engaging educational experiences,” said Meghan Wulster-Radcliffe, director of strategy for equine initiatives at Martin-Gatton CAFE and lead program organizer. “Providing training for international students allows us to highlight the strengths of Kentucky’s horse industry while fostering global connections and academic collaborations that will support equine agriculture’s long-term growth and success.”

This year’s initiative marked this program’s return, which was originally developed and led by Laurie Lawrence, professor in the UK Ag Equine Programs and Department of Animal and Food Sciences at Martin-Gatton CAFE, prior to being placed on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“UK was selected this year as our host partner due to its strong leadership in equine research, education and extension, and the unparalleled breadth of the Lexington horse community,” said Camille Eslan, MESB educational coordinator at UniLaSalle. 

Under the leadership of Wulster-Radcliffe and Eslan, relaunching this year’s program welcomed seven master's students, two professors and an innovation development engineer from UniLaSalle. Organizers are planning to expand participation in 2026 and are exploring adding UK student participation starting in 2027. 

Partners, organizations and farms  

Additional participants included Alltech, James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits, Bennie Sargent Quarter Horses, Blue Diamond Stud at Stonereath Farm, Defender Kentucky Three Day Event, Fayette Alliance, Godolphin at Jonabell Farm, Gluck Equine Research Center, Grey Ridge Farm, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Hallway Feeds, Jacobi Insurance, Keeneland, Kentucky Horse Park, Lakeside Arena, Maine Chance Farm, Maplecrest Farm, Mill Ridge Farm, Olive Hill Sport Horses, Racing Surface Testing Laboratory, Sports Medicine Research Institute, Spy Coast Farm, Stable Recovery, Three Chimneys Farm, The Jockey Club, UK College of Health Sciences/SMRI, UK Department of Agricultural Economics, UK Forage Extension Program, UK Department of Veterinary Science, United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and World Equestrian Brands.  

Learn more about UK Ag Equine Programs at https://equine.ca.uky.edu and the Department of Animal and Food Sciences at https://afs.ca.uky.edu. 

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Writer: Christopher Carney, Christopher.Carney@uky.edu   

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