Intercollegiate Horse Show Association
|
The IHSA is the oldest and largest nationally competitive college riding program in the United States.
Founded in 1967, the IHSA was the first to make equestrian sports part of the college experience for male and
female students in a manner that is fun, affordable, educational and competitive.
Each year over 6,500 IHSA riders of all skill levels compete individually and as teams at regional, zone, and
national championship levels.
The IHSA offers opportunities for riders who are just beginning in the sport as well as for students with show
experience.
Eliminating the expense of shipping or even owning horses puts IHSA competitions within reach of many who
would otherwise miss the equestrian experience while in college.
Numerous Olympic riders, including Greg Best and Beezie Madden are alumni of IHSA.
What disciplines do the IHSA riders compete in?
|
There are classes designed on specific experience levels, from Beginner Walk-Trot to Open, in four disciplines
-- hunter equitation, equitation over fences, western horsemanship and reining. College horse shows are like
"meets", with all teams from the region invited to compete against each other simultaneously. The national
average region includes about eleven colleges, 225 total riders, and competes in 8.6 horse shows per year. Only
about two-thirds of the regions offer competition in western horsemanship. There are now 30 regions and 9
zones, encompassing 48 states, 7000+ riders and over 300 teams!
|
© 2001 Equestrian College Recruiter "L.L.C." All rights reserved.
All trademarks contained herein are owned by their respective companies or Equestrian College Recruiter 'L.L.C."
|
Specifications for Placement of New Hunter Seat Riders
1. Walk-Trot riders are those who have had no more than 24 weeks of instruction and who have not competed in a
mounted competition which required them to canter or lope. Walk-Trot riders have two years of eligibility starting with their
initial completion of the online individual membership form.
2. Walk-Trot-Canter riders eligible for class 2A are those who have had more than 24 weeks of instruction and who
have not competed in a mounted competition that required them to jump more than eighteen inches. Once the Beginning Walk-
Trot-Canter rider has accumulated 18 points, s/he must move to Walk-Trot-Canter Hunter Seat Equitation
(2B). Walk Trot Canter riders eligible for class 2B are those who have not competed in any over fences class higher than
three foot (3’) in any competition, nor have those 2B riders competed in any recognized competition.
3. Novice riders on the flat are those who have won no more than five Hunter Seat equitation classes on the flat in
recognized competitions. Novice riders over fences have won no more than six classes in any over fences class three feet
(3’) or higher in recognized competitions. To be eligible for Class 4, Novice Equitation over Fences, riders must have had at
least six months continuous professional instruction over fences within the past year.
4. Intermediate riders on the flat are those who have won six to ten Hunter Seat equitation classes on the flat in
recognized competitions. Intermediate riders over fences have won no more than six classes in any over fences class three
feet, six inches (3’6”) or higher in recognized competitions.
5. Open riders on the flat are those who have won more than ten Hunter Seat equitation classes on the flat in recognized
competitions. Open riders over fences are those who have won more than six classes in any over fences class three feet, six
inches (3’6”) or higher in recognized competitions.
6. Based on a rider’s credentials they may be initially assigned to the appropriate jumping division that is lower than their
flat division or to a flat division that is one level lower than their jumping division. Novice Hunter Seat Equitation over Fences
riders may not show below Novice Hunter Seat Equitation on the Flat.
Riders who canter/lope in one IHSA discipline may not start in the walk-trot division in the other discipline.
Riders may continue to compete in their divisions until their eligibility is up, even if they have qualified out of the
corresponding Hunter Seat or Western division.
History of the IHSA
• Began in 1967
• Founded by Bob Cacchione in his sophomore year at Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, New Jersey
• Original team of six riders: Carrie Wisenfeld, Sue Gauten, Carol Fenelli, Chris Fiogie, Barbara Streger, Bob
Cacchione
Competition Format:
• An all inclusive program open to riders of all skill levels and socio/economic backgrounds.
• Competition for beginning to advanced riders in Hunter Seat Equitation, Western Horsemanship and Reining. Eight
Levels of Hunter Seat Riding - Beginner through Medal Maclay. Six Levels of Western Riding - Beginner through
Open/Reining
• Approximately 70.5% of IHSA ride Hunter Seat (5842), 17% ride Western/Reining (1401), and 12.5% (1050)
do both.
• IHSA keeps riders competing while in college and introduces new riders to the sport.
• Team and individual competition in all divisions. When Riders compete as part of a team their points earned go
towards the team total and overall standing.
• Affordable - Riders do not have to own a horse.
• Host colleges provide horses and tack.
• Horses are chosen by random draw.
• Riders do not have the opportunity to warm up or test a horse over a jump before entering the show ring.
• Riders are judged in accordance to USEF/USHJA/AQHA/NRHA rules.
• Competitions are grouped by Regions with points earned accumulating for teams and individuals to determine year
end standing within the region.
• Teams and individuals that win their Regions go on to compete at Zones.
• Winners and Reserve Champions from each Zone advance to the National Championship.
• Team may be student run club teams or part of a college’s athletic program.
• Many colleges with degreed programs in equine-related fields have school supported IHSA teams and offer
athletic scholarships for riding.
• The IHSA allows and encourages alumni participation all the way to the national championship.
• Regional individual high point open riders in all disciplines are eligible to compete for national individual
championships. The USEF/Cacchione Cup is awarded to the National Individual Open Hunter Seat High Point Rider.
The AQHA Western Open Rider winner receives a Textan saddle and a scholarship. The National Reining Horse
Association (NRHA) awards a Morrison Bronze trophy to the winner of the Individual Open Reining Horsemanship
class winner.
• Winning National Hunter Seat Teams receive Collegiate saddles from Weatherbeeta.
National Sponsors include Weatherbeeta, Collegiate, Charles Owen
Overview of Collegiate Riding Organizations
Middle and High School Organizations that Follow the IHSA format
• Rider’s Interscholastic Federation of North America (RIFNA) – competition in Hunter Seat Equitation, Western
Horsemanship, and Dressage
• Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) – competition in Hunter Seat Equitation
Olympic Connection:
• Helmets, Ariat Boots, Equisure, Perri’s Leather, USEF, AQHA, NRHA, and many others.
• Beezie Patton Madden (1984) and Peter Wyle (1986) both won the Cacchione Cup while in college and went on
to win Olympic Gold Medals in Athens, Greece in 2004.
• Greg Best was Reserve Champion Cacchione Cup winner opposite Peter Wyle (1986) and went on to win the
Olympic Silver Medal in Show Jumping at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea.
• Mark Weissbecker won the Cacchione Cup in 1973. Mark was long-listed for the 1988 Olympic team and is
now on the selection committee for the 2008 Olympic Equestrian team.
• Marilyn Payne was a Cacchione Cup rider and is slated to be one of the judges at the 2008 Olympics in China.
Past Winners of the USEF/Cacchione Cup (Awarded to the National Individual Hunter Seat High Point Open Rider
Over Fences and On Flats qualifying through Regional competition.)
1972 Duncan Peters, University of Connecticut
1973 Mark Weissbecker, University of Massachusetts
1974 Marty Webster, Bennett College
1975 Jean Oberg, SUNY Stony Brook
1976 Susie Horrigan, Colby Sawyer College
1977 Pam Carson, Adelphi University
1978 Luanne Richards, Pennsylvania University
1979 Mary Buckley, Colby Sawyer College
1980 Ann Simpperly, SUNY Stony Brook
1981 CeCe Williamson, University of Virginia
1982 CeCe Williamson, University of Virginia
1983 CeCe Williamson, University of Virginia
1984 Beezie Patton, Southern Seminary College
1985 Heidi Bossow, Hollins College
1986 Peter Wylde, Tufts University
1987 Heidi Bossow, Hollins College
1988 Kelly Mullen, SUNY Stony Brook
1989 Charlotte Sprague, Hollins College
1990 Claudia Barth, Mount Holyoke College
1991 Kelly Mullen, SUNY Stony Brook
1992 Christine Kilpatrick, University of Virginia
1993 Parris Cozart, Hollins College
1994 Daniel Geitner, St. Andrews Presbyterian College
1995 Kim Peters, Lake Erie College
1996 Kara Treiber, University of Findlay
1997 Kelly Anne Taylor, Centenary College
1998 Jennie Chessis, Cazenovia College
1999 Lindsay Phibbs, Skidmore College
2000 Hally Phillips, Tufts University
2001 Amanda Forte, Brown University
2002 Laena Romond, Mount Holyoke College
2003 John Pigott, University of Vermont
2004 Tara Brothers, University of South Carolina
2005 Ashley Woodhouse, Skidmore College
2006 Sarah Willeman, Stanford University
2007 Whitney Roper, University of Virginia
The Western Program
• The American Quarter Horse Association has been a sponsor of the IHSA since 1979 and, along with the
NRHA, has played a vital role in shaping the Western Horsemanship and Reining divisions of IHSA.
• Quincy Cahill won four individual IHSA National Championships and has since gone on to win the AQHA
Congress and World. She is joined by many other outstanding Western riders of the IHSA who have gone on to
success in AQHA and NRHA as riders, coaches, trainers or judges.
AQHA Trophy (Awarded to the National High Point Open Western Rider; combined reining and rail phases qualifying
through Regional competition.)
1982 Katrina Jerger, Murray State University
1983 Janet Ross, Middle Tennessee State University
1984 Tom Walmsley, University of Illinois
1985 David Davis, Morehead State University
1986 Ellen Nagel, Penn State University
1987 Cathy Woosley, Midway College
1988 Meg Rothermich, Miami University of Ohio
1989 Christine Cognetti, St. Lawrence University
1990 Susan Pfansteil, Western Kentucky University
1991 Valerie Fites, Kent State University
1992 Patty Simon, Texas A & M University
1993 Rich Beidelschies, Ohio State University
1994 Molly Rinedollar, Colorado State University
1995 Tammy Jo Greeman, New Mexico State U.
1996 Jill Nicole Soronen, Ohio State University
1997 Stephanie Harrison, Cal Poly – Pomona
1998 Elissa Lane, Fresno State
1999 Laura Phillips, Ohio State University
2000 Quincy Cahill, Texas A & M University
2001 Quincy Cahill, Texas A & M University
2002 Quincy Cahill, Texas A & M University
2003 Sarah Elder, Middle Tennessee State University
2004 Kristin Dickerson, Oklahoma State University
2005 Jacob Bowman, University of Findlay
2006 Travis Womer, University of Findlay
2007 Trevor Dare, University of Findlay
NRHA Open Reining (Awarded to National High Point Open Reining Rider qualifying through Regional competition and
Semi-Finals.)
1993 Kelly Nissen, University of Findlay
1994 Jill Schaade, Ohio State University
1995 Jolene Badger, University of Findlay
1996 Matt Claypool, Ohio State University
1997 Jill Hosch, Texas A & M University
1998 Clint Ainsworth, Ohio State University
1999 Laura Phillips, Ohio State University
2000 Quincy Cahill, Texas A & M University
2001 Jared Leclair, University of Findlay
2002 Nicholas Baar, University of Findlay
2003 Natalie Litwiller, University of Findlay
2004 Kyle Johnson, Morrisville State College
2005 Jacob Bowman, University of Findlay
2006 Jamie Abel, Morrisville State College
2007 Travis Womer, University of Findlay
INTERCOLLEGIATE HORSE SHOW ASSOCIATION FACT SHEET
|
Organization
|
Year Founded
|
# of Colleges
2007-2008
|
# of Riders
2007-2008
|
Affiliated National
Riding Commission
(Competition
founded1979)
|
1947
|
>40
|
NA
|
Intercollegiate Horse
Show Association
|
1967
|
364
|
8,293
|
NCAA Equestrian Sport
(Emerging)
|
1998
|
23
|
NA
|
Intercollegiate Dressage
Association
|
2001
|
44
|
>550
|
|