IEA Zone 4 Our Years of Change Looking

IEA Zone 4 Our Years of Change

Looking Back

The 2002 -2003 Season Just a hand full of teams with Keely Ryan as Zone Chair

St. Francis: one of 7 teams in 2004

2006 – 2007 National Finals Zone 4 had 22 teams and sent 3 to Nationals. The show that year was much smaller than in 2010!

2008 - 2009 By 2008 – 2009, Zone 4 had added 4 Western Teams. Mary Beth Cornelius, Zone Chair, helped Zone 4 grow from 34 to 57 teams with 483 members.

Zone 4 Doubled in 2009 and 2010! • Membership Grew From 483 to 841 in 2009 and to 1269 in 2010 • 42 new teams were added in 2009 and 65 in 2010 • New teams in Tennessee and Alabama were added • Eleven new western teams were added

Zone 4 is now the largest zone in the IEA

With Growth Comes Change

We Recruited More Leaders In 2009 -2010, Zone 4 added an Executive Board to help run the larger group. In 2010 -2011, Zone 4 added a Zone Ethics Board to assist the National Steward.

We Created A Juniors Group

We focused on our horses -Created the Best Turned Out Horse Award and the Most Valuable Horse Award -Experimented with lower numbers of rides -More shows with stalls and overnight stabling -Created a Master Horse Description to better understand our horses

We Focused on Giving -Just. World International Horseless Horse Show --Zone Finals Horsemanship Test Fees Went to just. World International --Zone 4 Juniors Assisted Evacuated Horses During the 2009 Flood

We Improved Communication -Zone 4 Website -Zone 4 Facebook Fan Page -Zone 4 Forums

We Worked Together -Six Regions and all Western Teams hosted Zone Finals in South Georgia -The entire Zone hosted a National Final horse show -60 New Coaches joined the Zone, receiving guidance and support from our current Trainers

Where Do We Go From Here?

Goals for 2010 -2011 Improve Show Planning Improve Horse Use Build Community Relationships Provide Financial Assistance to Selected Riders Improve Sportsmanship

Improve Show Planning -More Efficient Show Calendar -More Co-hosting with New Teams -Better Show Facilities and Use of Judges -Better Planning For Winter Weather -More Support From the Zone for New Teams

Improve Horse Use -Locate horses Better Suited to IEA Showing -Larger facilities for handling large groups of horses -Better system for providing horses; consider different Hoofprint rules for different regions

Be Better Neighbors -Improve relationships with local Show Managers and Trainers -Increase support from Schools and Horse Community -Create more interaction with IHSA teams -Offer more educational opportunities for members and community

Overall, Zone 4 IEA Is Here To. . . Train – Provide riding instruction and competition for middle and high school students Educate - Provide education about equestrian related topics Prepare – Provide education about and opportunities for college level riding Support – Provide support through zone wide philanthropic program

And Accomplishing All That Will Be A Job Well Done!