Join the Thomas School IEA Team
A team of equestrian athletes you can grow with, from fourth grade to senior year.
The Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) gives students an accessible way to compete without owning a horse. The host venue provides every rider a horse they’ve never ridden before; riders catch ride it cold, then combine their individual scores into one team total.
For riders who stick with it, IEA can also open doors to college riding programs down the road.
What Is IEA?
A national network of school riding teams, without needing to own a horse or tack.
The Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) is a national organization that runs competitive riding for middle and high school students, structured much like any other school sport—teams, seasons, and regional competition—except no rider needs to own a single horse.
The one place IEA breaks from that familiar pattern is the horse itself. Nobody brings one, because the whole format was built around riding the horse assigned to you.
Two Classes, Four Ability Levels
Riders compete at the level that best suits them.
No one brings their own horse to an IEA show. Riders draw a horse they’ve never ridden that morning—true catch riding—then compete in one of two Hunt Seat class types, judged on position, communication with the horse, and overall performance.
Equitation on the Flat
Four ability levels—Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, and Open—so a rider’s first flat class looks nothing like their tenth.
Over Fences
Three ability levels—Novice, Intermediate, and Open—with courses starting at cross-rails and building up to 2'6" fences.
Every rider competes in helmets meeting ASTM/SEI safety standards, no exceptions.
Open to Grades 4 Through 12
Middle schoolers and high schoolers ride in the same program, each at their own level.
The Thomas School IEA team welcomes riders in grades 4 through 12, competing in both middle school and high school divisions. Because every rider competes on a drawn horse rather than one they bring themselves, there’s no horse to buy or lease to be part of the team.
Riders in fourth and fifth grades can even join as point riders on the middle school team, competing at whatever division level matches their skill—so a strong young rider isn’t held back just because of their grade.
Joining starts with a conversation with our coaches, who help place you at the right level and walk you through what the season genuinely involves, from practice expectations to what a typical competition weekend looks like.
There’s no need to have competed before; coaches meet each rider where they are and build from there.
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The Season Ahead
August through April, with every ride building toward Zone 2, Region 8 competition.
The IEA season runs from August through April, giving riders a full year to develop before the next round of shows.
Thomas School of Horsemanship competes as part of Zone 2, Region 8—a full slate of shows against other teams from across the region, each one a chance to move up a level or simply get more comfortable in the ring.
For riders who keep climbing the levels, that same season can open the door to Zone Finals and beyond—though plenty of riders compete season after season without ever needing to chase that far to love being on the team.
Meet Your IEA Coaches
Experienced guidance, on and off the horse.
The Thomas School IEA team is coached by Johanna Babinski, Juliana Daniels, and Sean Martens. All three rode and attended camp as children before they started coaching here.
That kind of history shows up in how the team is coached, and the supportive culture at TSH.
Ready to Join the Team?
Every rider starts with a conversation, not a tryout.
Whether your rider has competed before or is brand new to it, the best next step is talking with our coaches about where they’d fit. Reach out, and we’ll walk you through what a season on the IEA team looks like.