Jill Stowe, PhD, has been named director of University of Kentucky (UK) Ag Equine Programs and Dickson Professor of Equine Science and Management beginning Aug. 1.  

Stowe returns to the role a decade after leading the program from 2013 to 2016. Since that time she has continued to help guide the growth and development of the multidisciplinary program through leadership, instruction, and research.   

“I have been a part of Ag Equine Programs since arriving at UK in 2008, and it has been instrumental in my career trajectory as an agricultural economist,” Stowe said. “I am excited to be in a position where I am able to give back to the program through service.”  

The program is home to one of the college’s largest undergraduate majors and connects the equine work being done across UK’s land-grant pillars of teaching, research, and Extension.   

Stowe recently served as director of undergraduate studies for both the equine science and management and the agricultural economics undergraduate degree programs, a role that enabled her to help shape the curriculum for both programs. Additionally, she teaches undergraduate and graduate students and conducts research.   

Stowe led the 2012 and 2022 Kentucky Equine Surveys, with the 2012 survey being the first comprehensive equine industry study done in Kentucky since 1977. Other recent and notable research she has conducted includes demand considerations for equine veterinary services, including estimating how sensitive horse owners are to changes in prices for equine veterinary services. She has also studied demand for wild horses, demand for equine insurance policies, the profitability of producing Thoroughbred yearlings, and the non–market value of horse farms in Central Kentucky.    

“UK Ag Equine Programs is a hallmark of our college’‘s land-grant mission, bringing together teaching, research and Extension to serve Kentucky’s signature industry,” said Laura Stephenson, PhD, vice president for land-grant engagement and dean of Martin-Gatton CAFE. “Dr. Stowe has been an integral part of the program for many years, and her collaborative approach, academic leadership, and deep knowledge of the equine industry make her the ideal person to lead its next chapter.”

Prior to joining UK, Stowe was an assistant professor in The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. She earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics, summa cum laude, from Texas Tech University, and her doctorate in economics from Texas A&M University. Her research areas of interest include equine markets, incentives in individual decision making, decision making under risk and ambiguity, and sports economics.   

“Because of the breadth and depth of equine-related expertise at the University of Kentucky, I feel that UK Ag Equine Programs is uniquely positioned to be a leader in the opportunities and challenges facing the future of equine agriculture,” Stowe said. “My primary objective is to actively facilitate teaching, Extension, and research activities that will contribute to the future sustainability and growth of equine agriculture locally, nationally, and globally.”  

Stowe succeeds Jamie Macleod, VMD, PhD, who has served as director since October 2019.  

Visit the UK Ag Equine Programs at equine.mgcafe.uky.edu to learn more.