Upper Marlboro, Maryland-May 4, 2011-More than 500 of the nation’s leading middle school and high school equestrians competed at The Show Place Arena/Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, Maryland April 28-May 1, 2011 for the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) National Finals sponsored by Dover Saddlery and Smith Brothers. The finalists represented over 200 teams from seven zones throughout the United States. Individuals and teams participated in multiple competitions during the 2010-2011 regular season shows, regional and zone finals to qualify for the IEA National Finals competition.

Riders competed in Western Horsemanship and Reining classes, Hunter Seat Equitation Over Fences classes and Equitation on-the-flat classes throughout the weekend. The IEA format requires that riders compete in unfamiliar tack on unfamiliar mounts; therefore, they draw their horses the day of competition and enter the arena after a brief, if any, warm-up.

Ariana Mato, who rides for the Blue Water Farm of West Broward, FL, was named the IEA Leading Rider of the Year, winning the Varsity Open Championship class.  Cody McMillion from the Hammond School of Columbia, SC, became the Champion Western Rider.

The Hopkins Academy/Biscuit Hill Equestrian Team of Shelburne, Massachusetts, won the hunt seat upper school national championship. Dana Hall School of Wellesley, MA,earned the middle school championship title. The Stone Bridge Farm team of Natural Bridge, VA, became the reserve champion team in the hunt seat upper school competition. The Cranberry Equestrian team of Plympton, MA, finished as the reserve champion in the hunt seat middle school competition.

In the western competition, The Grier School, Tyrone, PA,took the title of upper school champion. The Autumn Rose Equestrian Team, Plain City, OH was named upper school reserve champion. The Autumn Rose team also won the championship for the middle school competition. The Hammond School was the reserve champion in the middle school division. Western teams and riders took home impressive trophies and awards from the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) to celebrate their accomplishments.

In conjunction with the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA), Benjamin Buckland was presented the inaugural IEA National Sportsmanship Award. Buckland is a senior at Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School Fitchburg, Massachusetts.

The Timothy J. Boone Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Wayne Ackerer, Columbus, OH-co-founder of the IEA-for his dedication to the equestrian industry and student-riders.  This is the fourth year in which this award has been presented.

Founded in 2002, the IEA was organized to promote and improve the quality of equestrian competition and instruction available to middle and secondary school students. Its purpose is to set minimum standards for competition, provide information concerning the creation and development of school associated equestrian sport programs, to generally promote the common interests of safe riding instruction and competition and education on matters related to equestrian competition at the middle and secondary school levels. For more information, please view the IEA website at: www.rideiea.org