The UC Davis Audit Is Out—and Equestrian Supporters Are Furious

UC Davis cut its championship-winning women’s equestrian team—but now the university’s own audit has revealed serious problems with the financial process surrounding that decision. Did the UC Davis audit clear the university? The short answer is that the audit found no evidence that officials intentionally manipulated the internal budget. However, it also found inadequate NCAA financial-reporting procedures, insufficient documentation and validation, problems with fundraising oversight, and an outside consultant that relied on financial data not designed for campus-specific budget decisions. UC Davis Athletics transitioned its Division I equestrian program to club status on July 1, 2026. The decision affected approximately 35 female student-athletes, despite the team winning three conference championships and completing an undefeated final conference season. In this video, we examine: What the UC Davis audit actually found Why NCAA records listed approximately $1.9 million in equestrian expenses How $690,000 in donated horses and other in-kind support affected the reporting Why UC Davis’ internal budget estimated approximately $1.1 million instead Problems identified in the NCAA financial-reporting process Why Collegiate Consulting used data inappropriate for campus budgeting Unanswered questions involving fundraising and Title IX Why supporters are still fighting to reinstate UC Davis equestrian The audit did not find evidence of deliberate financial manipulation, but it warned that inadequate documentation, validation, and supervisory oversight increased the risk of incomplete or inaccurate NCAA reporting. UC Davis Athletics has now been directed to strengthen these procedures. Do these findings clear UC Davis, or do they make the decision to cut its equestrian team even more questionable? Share your opinion respectfully in the comments. Chapters 00:00 UC Davis’ own audit is released 01:05 Why UC Davis cut the equestrian team 03:30 Problems with UC Davis’ NCAA financial reporting 06:05 Why the outside consultant’s analysis raises questions 05:23 Fundraising concerns remain unresolved Sources: UC Davis Equestrian Program Audit The Sacramento Bee UC Davis statement on the audit Subscribe to Scholarly Equestrian for continuing coverage of the UC Davis equestrian controversy, collegiate horse sports, equine welfare, and important news affecting horses and riders. #UCDavis #CollegeEquestrian #NCAAEquestrian #EquestrianNews #WomensSports This video is for educational purposes and constitutes Fair Use under Section 107 of the US Copyright Act of 1976. Allowance is made for “Fair Use” for purposes of education, research, criticism, comment, and news reporting. This video is fully transformative and created in accordance with YouTube’s Content Reuse Policy under the Content Reuse Act. It includes original narration, commentary, educational context, visual edits, and added value through storytelling and analysis. No content is simply re-uploaded. #horse #horses #horsecare #horsenews #equestrian