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