Twelve teams from colleges throughout the US gathered at the Canterbury Equestrian Showplace in Newberry, Florida to compete in the ninth annual Intercollegiate Dressage Association National Championship.  These 12 teams and numerous individual riders earned more total points than the other 48 college teams currently in the IDA to qualify to ride at nationals. 

The event proved to be one of many firsts since the IDA first began holding the national competition.  This was the first IDA hosted by a college team that did not own the show facility or their own horses.  The first national championship that was run by a single coach not employed full-time by a college and with just student helpers.  It was also the first IDA championship that used no school owned horses.  They relied solely on horses loaned by private owners.  It was also one of the most evenly matched championships to date. 

The competition began with Team Day on Saturday.  Each team of four riders had to earn their slot by competing in numerous shows throughout the academic year within their respective region.  The points earned by each rider are added to the team total with the team earning the most combined points in IDA’s four divisions, Intro, Lower Training, Upper Training and First Level winning the championship.

After a day of fierce competition, Lake Erie College was the clear winner with 38 points overall, the next three teams were tied at 30 overall points, followed by another two teams that were tied at 29 points each, all requiring scorers to use percentage points to finally declare, 2^nd through 6^th place standings. When all of the ties were finally broken the team standings were Champion, Lake Erie College, Reserve Champions, Delaware Valley, Otterbein was third and Johnson & Wales University was fourth.

The second day of competition on Sunday was devoted to individuals beginning with First Level.  Champion was Caroline Fenkel of Delaware Valley with an overall score of 67.903%.  Emily Henderson of Averett was 2^nd with 67.420%. Third place went to Mackenzie Cameron of Mount Holyoke with 66.290%.  College of Central Florida’s Elliott Blackman was 4^th with 65.323%. Upper Training Level Champion was Julia McNellis of Johnson and Wales University with 67.2%.  Reserve Champion went to Lizz Blaum of the University of Finlay with 66.6 % followed by Margo Thomas from Virginia Intermont College in third with 65.4%. Rounding out the top four was Katie Moran of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with 65%.

After a brief lunch break the competition resumed with Lower Training and Kathryn Byrd of the University of Findlay as Champion with 66.042%. Reserve champion went to  Amanda Ross of Mount Holyoke with 65%. Katie Kashner from Delaware Valleywas third with 63.125% and Averi Fredericksen from Virginia Intermont with 63.125% in fourth place.  The day ended with Sara Edmundson of the University of Florida winning champion of Intro with a combined score of 72.5%. Reserve Champion went to MaryBeth Lee from Mount Holyoke with 70.313%. Third place was Kate McManis of Virginia Intermont College with 69.688%. Brittany Penny from the University of Findlay was fourth with 69.375%.

All first place winners were awarded Thornhill dressage saddles and leather halters from Perris Leather.  Additional sponsors included the US Equestrian Federation, EQ Equisense Systems and Jane Savoy, Dressage Today, English Riding Supply, Techniche, NoZone Sun Protective Wear, Heritage Gloves,  Kerrits, SmartPak, the USDF, Seminole Feed, Chronicle of the Horse and Absorbine.

Hosts for the show were the University of Florida’s Dressage Team Arielle Smith, Emily Smith, Caroline Johansen, Micah Di Salvo, Sara Edmundson, Elisabeth D’Agosto, Emma Morse, Christina Notts, Stephanie Trappenberger and their coach Bridgette Boland.