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Interscholastic Equestrian Association HasSuccessful 2017 Hunt Seat National

 
  Interscholastic Equestrian Association HasSuccessful 2017 Hunt Seat National 
 
April 24, 2017, Lexington, VA - Nearly 400 of the nation's leading middle and high school equestrians competed in the Waldron Arena within the Anderson Coliseum at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Virginia on April 21-23.  The finalists represented 82 teams from a total of 11,167 eligible hunt seat student-riders from nine zones throughout the country.  Individuals and teams participated in multiple competitions during regular season shows, regional finals and zone finals to qualify for the National Finals competition.  
During the three-day weekend, riders competed in Hunt Seat Equitation Over Fences and Equitation.  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.
In the individual competition, Abigail Whitmer, grade 10, who rides for Tuscaloosa Equestrian Team in Tuscaloosa, Alabama (Zone 4) was named the 2017 Leading Hunt Seat Rider, winning the Varsity Open Championship class.  Whitmer is coached by Reid Rickett.
The Champion of the Upper School Hunt Seat Team Competition was Grazing Fields Farm from Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts (Zone 1) and coached by Jennifer Sullivan and Nicole Melanson.  The Middle School Hunt Seat Team Champion was Movado Farms Equestrian Team from Durham, Connecticut (Zone 1) and coached by Tricia Carlton and Louisa Fedora.  The Team Spirit Award went to Chatham Hall from Chatham, Virginia (Zone 3).
The IEA holds the trait of good sportsmanship in the highest regard - both for riders and coaches.  Lauren Britton-Kamber from Fortitude Farm in Milton, Georgia (Zone 4) took home the 3rd Annual Coach Sportsmanship Award.  Carly Stirewalt from Lucky C Stables in New Paltz, New York (Zone 2) was awarded the Victor Hugo-Vidal Sportsmanship Award.
Each year at IEA National Finals, the United States Pony Clubs, Inc. (USPC) presents a non-riding competition in the form of a test - A Holy Innocents' Horsemanship Test for the Hunt Seat riders.  Anna Bihuniak from Rising Star Equestrian Team in Medway, Massachusetts (Zone 1) was the overall winner.
Since its creation, the IEA has relied on the support from its many volunteers to assist in the success of the organization.  Three Volunteer of the Show Awards, sponsored by Braveheart Farm at North Gate in Sudbury, Massachusetts were awarded to Alex Prymek, grade 12, from Shreveport, LA (Zone 7), Madison Rheinheimer, grade 10 from Cleveland Heights, Ohio (Zone 5) and Hannah Keough, grade 10 from Burton, Ohio (Zone 5), for their hard work at this year's National Finals.
The 10th Annual Timothy J. Boone Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to K. Simon Towns.  Towns is the former trainer at Falcon Ridge Stable in Woodstock, Georgia (Zone 4) and is the current IEA Zone Administrator Captain and the Zone 4 Administrator.  She also sits on the IEA Rules & Ethics Committee, Education Committee, and the IEA Board of Directors.
The IEA is committed to the wellness of the horses in all competitions.  To recognize the quality of the horses donated for the three-day event, "Gypsy" (provided by Memory's Hill Farm) was named Champion Outstanding IEA Hunt Seat Horse and "Gem"  (also provided by Memory's Hill Farm) was named Reserve Champion Outstanding IEA Hunt Seat Horse.
The outstanding quality of the horses brought to this show by our horse providers are among the best we have ever seen at any IEA Nationals," said Roxane Durant, IEA Co-Founder and Executive Director.  "We know that our kids appreciated the opportunity to ride such quality horses in such a competitive and beautiful environment."
Celebrating its 15th season, the IEA has more than 13,500 middle and high school student-riders across the United States.  The IEA was organized to promote and improve the quality of equestrian competition and instruction available to middle and secondary school students and is open to public and private schools and barn teams. Its purpose is to set minimum standards for competition, provide information concerning the creation and development of school associated equestrian sport programs, 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. No rider needs to own a horse because the IEA provides a mount and tack for each equestrian at every event. For more information, please view the IEA website at: www.rideiea.org.
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Editors Note:
  • Photos included.  Additional high-resolution photos available upon request.
  • All photo credits:  Ron Schwane Photography
  • Complete list of riders/teams final standings is available on the IEA website: www.rideiea.org
  • This event was live streamed on www.eqsports.net and will be archived for viewing by April 27
 
Timothy J. Boone Lifetime Achievement Award presented to K. Simon Towns
Pictured L to R:  Myron Leff, IEA Founder and Chief Operating Officer; Wayne Ackerer, Founding Board Member; K. Simon Towns, Award Recipient; Nancy Arledge, IEA Coach (Zone 5) and immediate past winner of the Timothy J. Boone Lifetime Achievement Award; Roxane Durant, IEA Executive Director
 
2017 Leading Hunt Seat Rider - Abigail Whitmer (Tuscaloosa, AL - Zone 7)
Pictured L to R: Ringmaster Ed Nowak; Abigail Whitmer; Roxane Durant, IEA Executive Director; 
Myron Leff, IEA Chief Operating Officer
 
 2017 Coach Sportsman Award:  Lauren Britton-Kamber (Fortitude Farm, Zone 4)
Pictured Left to Right:  Roxane Durant, IEA Executive Director; Lauren Britton-Kamber; 
Myron Leff, IEA Chief Operating Officer
 
2017 Outstanding Hunt Seat Horse:  Gypsy (provided by Memory's Hill Farm)
Pictured Left to Right:  Myron Leff, IEA Chief Operating Officer; Roxane Durant, IEA Executive Director
 
2017 Victor Hugo-Vidal Sportsmanship Award Winner:  Carly Stirewalt from Lucky C Stables (Zone 2)
Pictured L to R:  Myron Leff, IEA Chief Operating Officer; Carly Stirewalt; 
Roxane Durant, IEA Executive Director
 
2017 Upper School Hunt Seat Team Champion: Grazing Fields Farm from Buzzards Bay, MA (Zone 1).  
Coached by Jennifer Sullivan and Nicole Melanson.  
L to R: Katie Billington, Nicole Lindquist, April Denholm, Sydney Letendre, Emily Hay, Jennifer Sullivan (coach)
 
2017 Middle School Hunt Seat Team Champion:  Movado Farms Equestrian Team from Durham, Connecticut (Zone 1).  Coached by: Tricia Carlton and Lousia Fedora.
L to R: Tricia Carlton (coach), Hanna Dolan, Caroline Haskins, Harper Sanford, Roxane