May 09, 2003 – Consistent riding paid off for the members of Stoneleigh-Burnham School (Greenfield, MA). They captured the title of top Varsity Team in the inaugural Interscholastic Equestrian Association’s National Championship Competition held April 26 – 27 at The Andrews School. Olentangy Equestrian Team (Delaware, OH) showed their team spirit by capturing the National title in the Futures Division. More than170 riders from across the United States participated in the event.

Rider of the Year honors came down to the wire when judges put the final two riders through their paces head to head. Teammates Elizabeth Smith and Dianna Glenney of the Madeira School (McLean, VA) captured first and second place, respectively.
Cheers from all of the teams came when The Olentangy District Team was awarded the Team Spirit Award. The team had suffered a tremendous loss earlier in the week when their coach’s barn caught fire and four horses were lost.

Emily Kohn, a member of the The Andrews School Team (Willoughby, OH), was presented with the Sportsmanship Award.

This season marked the first National Finals for the Interscholastic Equestrian Association. Riders from across the country competed on horses and tack supplied by the IEA. The horses are drawn by participants the day of the event and ridden with minimum warm-up. Competition included both team and individual categories. Divisions include Varsity, Junior Varsity and Futures (Middle School).

The IEA was founded by Roxane Rheinheimer and Wayne Ackerer. Both have dedicated their lives and careers to the horse business. Rheinheimer, currently the Equestrian Director at The Andrews School in Willoughby, Ohio, has credits including the 1996 Olympics, The Winter Equestrian Festival and a variety of other prestigious shows. Ackerer, owner and operator of the Horse Center, Ltd. based in Delaware, Ohio, has ridden and trained five world champions in working hunter, over 60 year-end champions in AHSA competitions and over 40 Top Ten Finalist and 11 first place winners at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress.

View IEA Nationals Results – April 26-27 2003 at The Andrews School Equestrian Center