Columbus, OH – March 4, 2022 – For twenty years, the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) has provided opportunities for tens of thousands of youth equestrians to be able to compete at local, regional and national levels without the expense of owning a horse. On April 28 – May 1, 2022, the culmination of those twenty years will take place in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center as IEA celebrates their 20th Anniversary with the largest IEA National Finals ever. The event takes place over four days of competition in two arenas simultaneously. Nearly 800 of the nation’s leading middle school and high school equestrian athletes will travel from across the United States and converge in Harrisburg to compete for top honors in Hunt Seat, Western and Dressage classes, championship titles and collegiate scholarships. Of the 1,458 IEA high school and middle school teams from eleven zones across the country, over 600 teams will be represented at this year’s celebratory event. Utilizing a unique draw-based competition format, riders in grades 4-12 will compete on unfamiliar horses in the following classes: Equitation over fences and on the flat, Western Horsemanship, Reining and Ranch Riding, Dressage Test and Dressage Seat Equitation. IEA riders must develop their catch-riding skills as very little to no warm-up practice is allowed before each class. All tack and horses are provided by IEA member teams and outside horse providers – allowing for a more level playing field of competition. Judges for the IEA National Finals competition are as follows: Hunt Seat Judges o Tricia Booker (R) from Charleston, SC o Julie Winkel (R) from Reno, NV Western Judges o Michael Damianos (NRHA, AQHA, NSBA) from Ojai, CA o Rhonda Replogle (AQHA, NSBA) from Dover, DE Dressage Judges o Scott Peterson (USDF – S) from Penn Yan, NY o Jennifer Roth (USDF – r) from Pataskala, OH Complete live streaming of the IEA 20th Anniversary National Finals will be available online and offered at no cost to viewers through the IEA Website at www.rideiea.org. Video production is provided by Clip My Horse with support from the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). Winslow Photographyis the official show photographer for all arenas. Major Sponsors/Partners for the 2022 IEA National Finals include: United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA); National Reining Horse Association (NRHA); United States Pony Clubs, Inc. (USPC); Bob’s Custom Saddles – The Official Western Saddle of the IEA; R.J. Classics – The Official Show Clothing of the IEA; Troxel Helmets – The Official Helmet of the IEA;Weaver Leather – The Official Tack and Equipment Supplier of the IEA; Alorian Saddlery, American Paint Horse Association (APHA); Athletic Equestrian;CE Wellness; Chatham Hall; CINCH; Cotton Candy’s; CWD Sellier; Delaware Valley University; Equestrian Buckle Belts; Equestrian Team Apparel;Equine Mastery Education System; Fountain Valley School; EQUUS Foundation; Garrison Forest School; The Grier School; The Healing Cowgirl;hippique; Hollins University; Hunt Club, LLC; Johnson & Wales University;Judy Goldthwait Equine Art; Keiser University; Kimes Ranch; Lake Erie College; LM Boots; M. Equestrian Solutions; Mount Holyoke College; The Muzzy Family/MZ Farms; Otterbein University; Pennsylvania National Horse Show; The Posh Pony Boutique; Pony Perfect Bows; RingSide Pro; Rod’s Western Palace; Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD); Schneider’s Saddlery; The Show Trunk II; Silly Sounds; St. Andrews University; Sterling Essentials; Sweet Briar College; Thoroughbred Incentive Program; Trafalgar Square Books; The University of Findlay and Veltri Sport. Interested vendors and sponsors may reach out to Megan Taylor for more information at megan@rideiea.org. The IEA 20th Anniversary National Finals is free and open to the public for spectators. Media/Press passes are available to publications and news sources interested in attending and are coordinated though Kimber Whanger at kimber@rideiea.org. For a complete listing of information including discipline specific prize lists, class schedules, and facility maps, visit the National Finals pages at www.rideiea.org. ###
About the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA): Now in its 20th year, the IEA has over 14,200 members across the United States participating in Hunt Seat, Western and Dressage disciplines. The non-profit 501(c)3 IEA was organized to promote and improve the quality of equestrian competition and instruction available to middle and secondary school students (grades 4-12) and is open to public and private schools and barn teams. There is no need for a rider to own a horse because the IEA supplies a mount and tack to each equestrian for competitions. 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. For more information, visit www.rideiea.org