Two of our equestrian team members are going to the Interscholastic Equestrian Association National Finals in April (read below). The team has been showing together since last Fall and one of the team's moms wrote of her good experience with the team....

 

"Bravo Bookmark Farms IEA team! 

What a great season and great experience. As the parent of a first time rider, I have to say, I was a bit concerned to have my daughter start a new sport – especially one involving a team with individual competition. Thank God my daughter decided to give it a try and join the team. She has had so much fun being part of such a supportive team. She has learned so much about herself, made new friends and gained tremendous confidence. This team has been wonderful! Under coach, Jenn Hunkins, the team, and overall show environment, has turned out to be everything we hoped. The families support one another with such enthusiasm and the riders’ support and respect for one another set the stage for a tremendously positive experience.

Ride On."

 

- Elizabeth Gleason, mom of Maggie Gleason

Bookmark Farms Sending Two Students to
Equestrian National Finals

The Bookmark Farms Equestrian Team has two individual members attending the 2013 Hunt Seat National Finals of the Interscholastic Equestrian Association. The competition takes place April 19-21 at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, NY.

The riders, Jordan Koenig, 12, a student at Gahanna Middle School West, and Maggie Gleason, 14, a student at Bishop Hartley High School, qualified for the IEA Nationals after competing at the IEA Zone 5 Finals in Wilmington, OH on March 16, 2013. At Zones, Gleason placed third in her division (Junior-Varsity Beginner), and Koenig was awarded Champion in her division (Future Beginner). Riders had to have placed third or better to compete at the IEA National Finals.

The Bookmark Farms Equestrian Team was formed in 2008 at Bookmark Farms, a hunt seat (English) riding academy located in Pataskala. The riding lesson barn has sent teen students to the IEA National Finals in all but one season since the team was formed.

The Interscholastic Equestrian Association was found in 2002 and has become a significant North American equestrian organization for children in middle and high school. According to the IEA web site (www.rideiea.org), the “Mission of IEA is to introduce students in private and public middle and secondary schools to equestrian sports and to promote and improve the quality of equestrian competition and instruction.”

Bookmark Farms Equestrian Team Coach Jenn Hunkins likes the organization because it opens opportunities for more teen equestrians to horse show.

“IEA gives everyone an equal chance to participate,” Hunkins says. “Kids can compete according to what they are capable of doing in the show ring. The cost of being involved in IEA is more manageable for families than other forms of showing. The IEA rules state a teen must have ridden in lessons for at least a year, and is able to walk, trot and canter on an unfamiliar horse.  That’s the beginner level, and it advances from there.”

Individuals and teams progress by earning point rankings determined by their placements in regular season shows, as well as regional and zone competitions. Riders choose horses at each show by randomly picking the horses’ names out of a hat before the show.

Hunkins says the other appeal of being in IEA is the team aspect of going to the shows.  “Equestrian sports are often about the individual. These kids compete first as a team, then individually.”

A third student, Taylor McGowan, of Galena, narrowly missed heading to the IEA Nationals by placing 4^th in her division. In a show of support, Taylor and her parents plan to attend the IEA Nationals in April as spectators for Koenig and Gleason.

For more information, contact Annie Promen at 740-964-2601