IEA October Newsletter

Dear IEA Members and Friends,

Can you believe we are already almost three months into our 2020-2021 IEA show season?

We are so thrilled so many IEA coaches, teams and riders have registered to join us again this (wacky) year. It is not too late to register your team or introduce a new team, coach or rider to IEA. 2020 has indeed has been a challenging year for all of us in so many ways and we are so appreciative of the support we continue to receive from our members.

We continue to be in awe of you all and how you have quickly adapted to all the extraordinary changes and challenges. IEA Members are the BEST!

Next month, we will welcome our FULL LIST of NEW TEAMS to the IEA Family.

This email is chock full of info and upcoming events - check it out.

We know this year has been pretty strange, a little difficult to navigate, and not what anyone expected….it has pretty much been Halloween all year round. Since October is known for surprises, we had to make sure this year's surprise was EXTRA-SPECIAL!

IEA is proud to introduce the ANRC/IEA AUTUMN TEAM CHALLENGE with the American National Riding Commission!!! IEA Upper School Hunt Seat riders in Open through Novice are eligible to compete.

This is a great opportunity to get another show in while riding your own choice of horse, at your own barn, with your coach filming and receive individual feedback from USEF rated judges!

Hurry because entries are limited to 20 teams total! Entries open October 12, 2020 and close at midnight on October 24, 2020. Coaches upload videos October 25 – 26, 2020 and judging begins on October 29, 2020.

For more information on rules and regulations, the experience, and how to enter, please visit: http://anrc.org/take-it-forward-iea/

QUESTIONS?: ANRC.takeitforward@gmail.com

Note: This is not an official IEA point show. This is an educational/virtual opportunity for IEA riders and teams.

IEA Western and Dressage riders…..keep your eyes open for something special NEXT MONTH!

SPOTS ARE FILLING UP. BE SURE TO REGISTER ASAP!

Join us for a FREE Zoom Webinar titled

"WESTERN JUDGES PERSPECTIVE FOR IEA COMPETITIONS"

on MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2020 at 5:30PM (EST).

This insightful webinar will feature western judges STEPHANIE LYNN, CARLA WENNBERG, and IEA Western Zone Administrator and Judge, TAMMY BRAHAM. Tune in to hear specifics on what judges are looking for in the Western IEA Show pen, what a great reining or horsemanship pattern should look like, and tips on making a great first impression.

We invite ALL WESTERN RIDERS, COACHES, and PARENTS to participate.

ABOUT OUR PANELISTS:

STEPHANIE LYNN

Stephanie Lynn is the Executive Director of the National Snaffle Bit Association (NSBA). A horse trainer for over 35 years, Stephanie was a judge for NSBA, AQHA and APHA before taking her position with NSBA. She is a renowned trainer, exhibitor, coach, judge and author. Stephanie continues to provide education for riders and judges as well as facilitating the education programs for NSBA.

CARLA WENNBERG

• St Andrews University Western IHSA Coach and Instructor

• 34 years AQHA and NSBA judge

• 28 years NRHA Judge

• 2008 Professional Horse Woman of the year AQHA

• 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award winner IHSA

• Bronze and Silver Medals in USDF

• 2016 and 2017 High Point Western Team at IHSA Nationals

TAMMY BRAHAM

As the IEA Western Zone Administrator, Tammy is responsible for developing and overseeing the teams and shows within the IEA Western discipline. She also acts as show manager for the IEA National Finals horse show and facilitates the IEA Regional Finals shows. Aside from IEA, Tammy owns and operates a large horse farm. She is a career horse professional and operates a large training business specializing in all-around events. Additionally, Tammy holds judges cards with AQHA, NSBA, IBHA, ABRA and PtHA and judges 15-20 shows per year. Up until her employment with IEA, Tammy coached an IEA team as well as several college IHSA teams and knows the draw based format from both sides of the arena. Throughout her career, Tammy has been dedicated to producing excellent riders who are able to communicate well with their horse and always strives to reward those riders when judging.

IEA Hunt Seat Juniors and Seniors, are you interested in riding in college?

The American National Riding Commission (ANRC) is hosting a VIRTUAL COLLEGE RECRUITMENT FAIR!

Submit up to two recruitment videos highlighting your equitation skills on the flat and over fences to SIXTEEN different colleges in this single event!

Don't miss out on this opportunity to highlight your skills and take your next step towards riding in college. Entries close October 20th, so be sure to sign up soon!

To sign up or to find out more, please visit: http://anrc.org/college-fair/

DID YOU KNOW IEA HAS AN ONLINE

HORSEMANSHIP PROGRAM?

LEARN MORE

Junior Contributing Members in Grades 4 – 12 are eligible to participate in the IEA's program that emphasizes horsemanship skills and knowledge.

The IEA Horsemanship Program is open to any youth member of the IEA. The program is $15 for Rider Members and FREE for Junior Contributing Members.

Participants in the program will complete online quizzes on a variety of topics from Colors and Breeds to Equine Nutrition. The quizzes are released throughout the season, from September through February.

Members who also participate in the riding program will find that the online quizzes will help prepare them for the Region, Zone and National Horsemanship Tests given in person at the competitions.

Weaver Leather is the Official Tack and Equipment Supplier of the IEA.

DID YOU CATCH OUR BOB'S CUSTOM SADDLES INTERVIEW WITH BOB AVILA ON IEA SOCIAL MEDIA?

Chris Weaver from Bob's Custom Saddles sits down with Bob Avila to talk about how to evaluate your draw before you get on and during warmup, help with what to practice at home to improve pattern performance at the show and some Bob Avila magic.

Bob Avila is one of the leading professional horsemen in the western equine industry. Not only is he a multiple AQHA World Champion @officialaqha, he is also a Futurity and Derby champion in both the NRHA @nrhareining and the NRCHA @thenrcha as well as a two-time World Greatest Horseman.

The IEA is proud to partner with Bob’s Custom Saddles to support riders in the IEA and across the industry. And thanks Bob for your great advice for our riders.

Official Western Saddle of the IEA

ONLY 2 WEEKS LEFT TO REGISTER YOUR TEAM FOR THE 2020-2021 IEA SEASON!

DEADLINE IS NOVEMBER 1

More than 1,200 teams have returned to show with us and we want you to JOIN THE FUN!

JOIN NOW

Need help? Contact Jennifer Eaton at

jenn@rideiea.org or 877-RIDE-IEA ext. 203

Welcome to the Dressage & Western

IEA Spooktacular Photo Challenge! #IEASpooktacular

While witches are away

(doing the online virtual horse show), ghosts and goblins come out to play!

Check out @rideieawestern and @ieadressage on INSTAGRAM for a Spooktacular surprise just for Western and Dressage teams!

We want to see YOUR best Halloween costume creations! Horses, riders, coaches, ghouls, and goblins, are all welcome to join in on the fun!

Each discipline will have three categories: Best Rider Spooktacular Photo, Best Coach Spooktacular Photo, and Best Team Spooktacular Photo! Be sure to post your (COVID appropriate) image(s) on your Instagram page with your name and your team name, tag your discipline (@rideieawestern or @ieadressage) and use #IEASpooktacular.

All submissions must be posted by MIDNIGHT on October 29th!

On October 30th , we will post all images from each category on our Facebook and Instagram Stories so that YOU GUYS can vote to determine each of the winners!

Winners will be announced on HALLOWEEN and will win a special seasonal surprise!

Everyone in IEA Western and IEA Dressage is encouraged to participate!

If you would like to participate but have a private account or if you have any questions,

please contact montana@rideiea.org.

Troxel is the Official Helmet of the IEA.

We LOVE seeing your IEA related photos online when you #rideIEA. It makes us so happy to see our members back in the show ring again.

However, photos showing non-COVID compliance at your 2020-2021 IEA shows (no masks, group shots without masks or social distancing, crowded areas, communal food tables, groups of spectators lining the ring, etc.) can raise red flags and draw negative attention to you, your team, your horse show, our organization and we are concerned.

First and foremost, we want you to be safe - both on the horse and on the ground. Secondly, we want to be able to continue providing the opportunity to compete during these unprecedented times and that means following the IEA COVID rules, guidelines, and best practices 100% of the time you are participating at an IEA show.

Thus, we respectfully ask that you remove all IEA show related postings on social media formats that do not align with our rules or special COVID-19 mandates.

And yes - please continue to share with us your fun photos of your teammates and awards while demonstrating proper guidelines by tagging #rideIEA.

Help us maintain safety by following the guidelines found on the IEA COVID-19 RESOURCE HUB at https://www.rideiea.org/iea-covid-19-resource-hub/

THANK YOU for doing your part to help make this a successful IEA season.

Best of Luck to all our teams.