United States Eventing Association

The USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) was created in 2020 to provide a format for team competitions for 7^th through 12^th grade junior members of the USEA. The mission of the program is to foster team camaraderie, provide a supportive community through which students can continue to pursue their riding interests, and create a pathway to participation in the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Program. Teams are made up of junior eventers that share common bonds, such as attending the same school, being a part of the same Pony Club. or riding with the same trainer. For Full Moon Farm’s IEL team, the members’ shared bond is a family-owned and operated farm and lesson program in Carroll County, Maryland, that is spearheaded by the Fulton family.

Calling all USEA members in 7^th through 12^th grade! Now is the time to establish your teams and prepare to compete in the USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL). The 2023 IEL Team Challenge calendar is now available, and members are encouraged to start planning their competition seasons to participate!

The USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) is in its second year and continues to be extremely popular among junior members. This new program encourages team camaraderie and gives junior members a chance to compete in a team atmosphere. It also helps provide a pathway for those riders who seek to be part of a collegiate eventing program as they graduate high school.

The first year of the USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) has started off with a bang! In its first year of running, IEL has over 89 teams registered with the USEA, 479 IEL members, and 31 IEL team challenges that have already taken place. As the 2021 competition season is a little over halfway through the year, there are several teams that have stood out. See below for the latest records, wins, and overall IEL team participation.

Although eventing is a competition between individuals, it has always been a team sport. Any seasoned rider can attest that success is dependent on support - from trainers, vets, farriers, dentists, grooms, friends, family, and countless others. My own experiences as a four-star eventer and longtime trainer have proven how valuable it is to teach junior riders to embrace a team mindset, which is why the USEA’s Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) caught my attention when it began earlier this year.

Despite terribly wet conditions over the weekend - pouring rain for dressage and cross-country - the Fox River Valley Pony Club Horse Trials (FRVPC H.T.) of Area IV hosted a successful USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) Team Challenge on June 24-27, 2021. Seven IEL teams, including three scramble teams, and 27 riders competed for top honors at the beautiful Barrington Hills Riding Center in Barrington Hills, Illinois.

The new USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) is in its first year, and the 2021 calendar has an impressive total of 47 events hosting an IEL team challenge. With many IEL members aiming to compete in events that only host a team challenge, an organizer needs to be fully prepared for what to expect.