Stone Bridge Farm’s Teams Qualify for Interscholastic Equestrian Team Association Finals

Coach Lilly de Sousa & Middle & Upper School Riders from S. Virginia to Compete for 2nd Year at Zone III Championships

LEXINGTON, VA – March 13, 2010 – For the second consecutive year, Stone Bridge Farm’s Interscholastic Equestrian Association Middle and Upper School teams have qualified for the Zone III National Finals.  Trainer Lilly de Sousa and stable owner Katrina Weinig will accompany the young riders, ages 11 to 19, from their different schools located around Southern Virginia to compete at the IEA year end qualifying finals. The goal is to once again ride for top honors against the leading IEA teams in the country at National Finals, held this year at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers, Georgia beginning April 22 through 25, 2010. Over 300 of the teams competed in the 2008 National Finals, which granted more than $125,000 of scholarship to IEA riders.

Under the guidance of coach de Sousa, last season Stone Bridge Farm’s Middle and High School IEA teams competed for the first time during last season.  They qualified for National Finals, winning the National Champion Varsity Open Flat, and Reserve National Champion Novice Flat. The teams have grown since the stable launched the program, and now include members from around Virginia, including Rockbridge, Bath and Bedford Counties, Roanoke, Salem, Lynchburg, Bedford, Botetourt, Fincastle and Lexington. The mission of the barn, and these young equestrians, is to achieve excellence in riding, horsemanship and showmanship; to demonstrate friendly, warm and sportsmanlike behavior at competitions; and to support each other as riders and individuals.

The unique aspect of IEA events, unlike other horse shows, is that none of the equestrians show their own horse or in ride in their own tack.  In fact, most of the participants do not even own or lease a horse. But thanks to this national program, they have the chance to participate within a national organization which offers year end points and championships.

The team stable that hosts the horse show competition supplies each rider with a mount and arranges for all equipment for the show.  All the team members need to do is be properly attired and ready to compete. Unlike local and USEF rated competitions where most train on their own horses on a regular basis, these riders are not familiar, nor have they ridden, the horse that they will compete on that day of the IEA competition.

Each team member chooses their mount from a random drawing. They then have the opportunity to take two jumps (if a refusal, it still counts) before entering the show ring to compete in front of the judges. They don’t get to interact with the horse, even little things like tightening the girth!  Each event includes six jumping classes (fences not exceeding three feet in height) and an equitation class (on the “flat”). Scores are based upon horsemanship, not the horse, making for an even playing field among the young equestrians.

Stone Bridge Farm has also established an IEA scholarship fund with money donated by AllTech, the sponsor of the World Equestrian Games in Lexington, KY this fall. The fund has been used to help riders with short term financial hardship such as one rider’s mother lost her job. Thanks to the scholarship program, the rider has been able to continue lessoning to prepare for competing as both individual and team rider at the Regional Championships.

Beginning in September through May, Stone Bridge Farm team members train twice per week, often switching horses in lessons to prepare them for that experience at IEA shows. The teams compete between October and March, with National Finals being held this year in April.

For the 2009-2010, Stone Bridge Farm’s IEA Teams include students from Amherst County, Bedford County, Rockbridge County, Roanoke County/City and Lexington, VA. The riders are Hanna Carter, 11th, Northcross; Tyler Bailey, 11th, Northcross; Lizzie Bailey, 7th, Northcross; Madison Macher, 8th, Northcross; Emily Perkins, 6th, Northcross; Elizabeth Campbell, 8th, Nelson Middle School; Katie Fisher, 9th, Amherst County High School; Sarah Rodes, 9th, Bedford County High School; Carly Williams, 9th, Rockbridge County High School; Alexis Cash, 11th, Rockbridge County High School; Olivia Fleming, 9th, Rockbridge County High School; Andrew Kalasky, 10th, Perry McClure High School; Rachel Paxton, 7th, Lylburn Downing Middle School; and Abbey Wegert, 9th, who is home schooled.

There are few opportunities for young riders to earn money and scholarships towards their college education. Launched in 2002, the IEA’s mission was to introduce students in both private and public middle and secondary schools to equestrian sports, provide organized competitive events, and offer additional equine educational opportunities. By the end of the 2008, IEA had over 1,600 members and more than 200 teams from across the country.

The current directors of IEA are Roxane Rheinheimer, Wayne Ackerer, Richard “Ollie” Griffith, Myron Leff, Timothy J. Boone, Sue Wentzel, Kathryn Quinlan, Emily Zientek, Jennifer Mitchell-Wuornos, MaryBeth Cornelius, Gwen Arrigon, Carol Sterrett, Elizabeth Mahoney, and Lorelei Cudney. Sue Wentzel is the National Steward.

Some of the objectives of IEA include:

·                     To introduce new riders among middle and secondary schools to equine sports promote the equestrian as an athlete and to provide students with organized competitive opportunities.

·                     To provide students with opportunities for further education in the equine sports and other equine-related matters.

·                     To provide information concerning the creation and development of school associated mounted and non-mounted equestrian programs.

·                     To generally promote the common interests of safe riding instruction and competition and education on matters related to the horse industry and all segments thereof.

The IEA is an affiliate of the United States Equestrian Federation, the United States Hunter Jumper Association, and the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (www.rideiea.com). Stone Bridge Farm is located at 1 Equus Circle, Natural Bridge, VA (www.stonebridgefarm.net).

For further information, photos, or to set up interviews with the members of Stone Bridge Farm’s IEA Teams or speak with Lilly de Sousa or Katrina Weinig, please contact Sydney Masters at (917) 584-8385 or email oncoursepr@yahoo.com.

Tags: equestrian community, equestrian competitions, equestrian disciplines, Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, Interscholastic Equestrian Association, Stone Bridge Farm

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