In its debut appearance, Maryland’s own Iron Bridge Hounds Pony Club (IBHPC) went to the US Eventing Association’s Interscholastic Eventing Championship this past weekend (May 2 – May 4) and posted an impressive and resounding win. According to USEA, IBHPC won by more than 16 points, which was a sufficiently large margin that they knew they had won before their last rider left the cross country start box. The IBHPC is based in Sandy Spring.
We are not surprised that a Maryland team won the championship becuase Maryland is the epicenter of US eventing. There are more international level eventing competitions in Maryland than anywhere else in North America. And there are more national competitions licensed by the US Equestrian Federation in Maryland (20 events) than any other state except California (21), which is, of course, much larger than Maryland. We have 50 licensed eventing barns and 31 pony clubs with eventing programs. Approximately three thousand Marylanders participate in the sport.
According to USEA the Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) was established in 2020 “to unite junior riders who are in the 5th—12th grade and provide a supportive community through which students can continue to pursue their riding interests. . . . [A]ny group of junior members in the 5th—12th grade who share a common bond, such as the same barn, school, Pony Club, or other connection” can register an IEL club.
The IBHPC team consisted of three Marylanders — two from Howard County and one from Montgomery County — and a Virginian.
Olive Dumais of Takoma Park rode her nine-year-old Paint mare Sweet Frijole in the Starter division. She finished on a dressage score of 24.0, the lowest score on the team.
Claire McMillan, of Alexandria, Virginia, rode the seven-year-old Westphalian gelding RVR Coldstone in the Beginner Novice Rider division. The pair had one rail in show jumping and a few time penalties on cross country. Coldstone is by the Selle-Francaise stallion Cabdula du Tillard out of the Washington-bred Thoroughbred mare Plum Naked (Matty G.).
Kendal Fansler of Clarksville rode Hedgerow Farm’s eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Dassett Evermore in the Open Training division. They went double clear and finished on a dressage score of 25.47. The mare is by the Belgian Sport Horse stallion Pollux de Muze Z out of the Irish Sport Horse mare Carneyhaugh Troubadour (Ars Vivendi).
Emma Whitaker, also of Clarksville, rode another Hedgerow Farm horse, the 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding HSH Golden Boy, in the Training Rider division. She also went double clear, and finished on a dressage score of 27.18. Golden Boy is by the Irish Draft stallion Eastern Hero out of the Irish Sport Horse mare Princess Boo (Master Imp).
We expect to see each of these horse and rider pairs at our plethora of events this summer. Maryland boasts a total of 49 international level competitions and 117 nationally sanctioned level competitions. We also have about a dozen non-sanctioned events. There is plenty to choose from.
If you want to event, you want to be in Maryland
Featured Image: Claire McMillan on RVR Coldstone.
Image below: Olive Dumais on Sweet Frijole.
Photos courtesy of USEA.
