IEA Alumna Allison "Allie" Joyce of Medway, Massachusetts, earned top honors at the 2015 Capital Challenge Horse Show held in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, by winning the ARIAT Adult Medal Finals, the most prestigious adult medal finals offered in the United States.

 

Allie became a member of the IEA in 2004 when she entered 6th grade, attending her first IEA National Finals in 2006.  In 2009, she took first place in the Varsity Open Championship Class held at the IEA Hunt Seat National Finals being named the 2009 Leading Hunt Seat Rider.  In 2012, at the IEA 10th Anniversary Hunt Seat National Finals, Allie was invited back to compete in the Alumni Varsity Open Championship Class and took first place.

 

After graduating high school in 2011, Allie attended Oklahoma State University (OSU) earning a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing.  Allie competed all four years for OSU on their nationally ranked, National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) team, earning athletic scholarships for her participation on the team to help support her education.  Allie was the OSU equestrian team captain for the 2013-14 season and was named three times to the NCEA Academic All-American First Team.

 

Allie currently plans to compete with her horse, Loreta, this winter in Ocala, Florida, and is considering returning to school to earn her MBA.

 

 Founded in 2002, the IEA has more than 11,000 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. For more information, please view the IEA website at: www.rideiea.org.