Cleveland Heights, Ohio, March 30, 2011–More than 500 of the nation’s leading middle school and high school equestrians will converge on The Show Place Arena/Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, Maryland April 28-May 1, 2011 for the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) National Finals. The finalists represent over 200 teams from seven zones throughout the United States that competed in numerous horse shows during the 2010-2011 school year. Individuals and teams that accumulated the highest number of points within each zone qualify for the IEA National Championship competition.

Riders will compete in Western Horsemanship and Reining classes, Hunter Seat Equitation Over Fences classes and Equitation on-the-flat classes throughout the weekend. The IEA format requires that riders compete in unfamiliar tack on unfamiliar mounts; therefore, they draw their horses the day of competition and enter the arena after a brief, if any, warm-up. The sponsors of the IEA National Finals are Dover Saddlery and Smith Bros.

Shows run throughout the day Thursday through Sunday, culminating with awards ceremonies on Sunday, May 1.

Nationals schedule:

Wednesday-Course set 7:30 AM; Hunt Seat Schooling of horses in arena 9:00 AM-3:00 PM; Competitor Check-in Noon-5:00 PM

Thursday-Horse Draw 7:45 AM; Competition begins 8:30 AM

Friday-Schooling 5:00 AM; Horse Draw 6:30 AM; Hunt Seat Competition begins 7:30 AM

Saturday-Schooling 6:00 AM; Western Competition 8:00 AM; PARADE OF TEAMS 1:30 PM; Hunt Seat competition 2:30 PM

Sunday-Schooling 6:00 AM.; Hunt Seat Draw 7:00 AM; Hunt Seat Competition 8:00 AM; Western Competition Noon; AWARDS CEREMONIES immediately following the competition

IEA National Finals awards will be presented in the following categories:

·     Champion Hunt Seat Rider (Sponsored by Equine Journal)

·     Champion Hunt Seat Middle School Team

·     Champion Hunt Seat Upper School Team

·     Champion Western Rider

·     Champion Western Middle School Team

·     Champion Western Upper School Team

Additionally, one student-rider will receive the IEA National Sportsmanship Award-sponsored by IHSA. The 2011 presentation will be the inauguration of an annual recognition of a student-rider who exhibits strong ethics, high-spirit and behaves in an exemplary manner.

IEA will, for the fourth year, present the IEA Tim Boone Achievement Award to an adult who has enriched equestrian programs for student-riders over many years. The award is named for one of the IEA co-founders. Boone is scheduled to present the award during the Parade of Teams on Saturday afternoon.

In addition to the skilled amateur student-riders competitions, professional riders Tom and Jennifer Hoyt of the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) will perform reining exhibitions during the weekend. In conjunction with this special appearance, the top four riders in the IEA Varsity Open Individual Reining Class will be invited to join in the “Catch Ride” competition at the NRHA Derby in Oklahoma City later this year. The NRHA is the National Western Sponsor of the IEA.

Founded in 2002, The IEA was organized to promote and improve the quality of equestrian competition and instruction available to middle and secondary school students. Its purpose is to set minimum standards for competition, provide information concerning the creation and development of school associated equestrian sport programs, and to generally promote the common interests of safe riding instruction and competition and education on matters related to equestrian competition at the middle and secondary school levels.