Elsa Gunnison Appleton Riding Hall renovation project is underway.
Home to the six-time IHSA national champion St. Lawrence riding team, the Elsa Gunnison Appleton Riding Hall, located on the edge of the St. Lawrence University campus past the Avenue of the Elms, is quietly upgrading to take its rightful place as a world-class venue. A state-of-the-art riding facility complete with 54 stalls and a heated 220-by-200-foot indoor arena with Euro Felt footing, the facility also consists of 30 acres of grass turnout, available for University-owned horses and student boarders, along with multiple smaller all-weather paddocks.
Constructed in the 1960s with support from the Appleton Family, the original structure was ahead of its time, elevating the stature of the Saints riding team that had been found four decades earlier in 1925. Along with six national titles, St. Lawrence riders have won 28 individual national championships, and more recently, the Saints have qualified for the IHSA Championships winning the last 11 regional titles, but the facility has not kept pace with the team’s achievements.
Through the generosity of several Laurentian families, however, three phases of renovations have been completed, and phase four has begun with six stalls scheduled for upgrades this spring. The stalls originally designed for smaller-sized animals typical of the 1960s and ’70s have been refurbished to comfortably accommodate horses today, with new features and improved insulation.
The renovation initiative is critical to modernizing the facility to meet the needs of 21st-century competitive riding programs. Additional resources are needed to complete the final phases and provide the Saints’ nationally recognized riding team an arena fit for champions.
Contact Andy Whittier, director of Athletic Development, at 315-229-5511 or awhittier@stlawu.edu, for more information about supporting the project.
