Foxcroft Riders Qualify for IEA Regional

Foxcroft School's Riding Team qualified Sunday for the Interscholastic
Equestrian Association Zone 3, Regional 2 finals, to be held in Middleburg on Feb.5. Celebrating their fine performance at the Madeira School IEA qualifying meet are (back row, left to right): Annabelle Boendermaker, Miranda Gali, Tessa Paget-Brown, DeeDee Querolo, Hannah Galeone, Miranda Kinsella; (front row, l-r) Mary Shannon Snellings, Olivia Gotwald, Allie Dietz, Ridiing Director Kate Worsham, and Mckenzie Canard.

Middleburg, VA -- Foxcroft's Riding Team placed first among 12 schools at an Interscholastic Equitation Association Horse Show Sunday at the Madeira School to qualify as a team for the IEA Regional Finals. That show will be held on Sunday, February 5 at Foxcroft’s McConnell Stable. Sunny’s Corner Farm, a Middleburg equestrian center which fields an IEA team, will co-host the event. It was a banner weekend for Foxcroft riders. On Saturday (Jan. 14), a small contingent competed at an IEA Horse Show in Stone Bridge, VA., and collected three first-place ribbons, a second, and four thirds to place fifth among 11 teams. On Sunday (Jan 15), the team collected 11 ribbons, including four blue ribbons, en route to the team title on the McLean campus of Madeira.

In addition to the team qualification, six Foxcroft riders  have qualified to compete as individuals in the Regional show. Another five riders are very close to qualifying. They will have one more opportunity to qualify when the team goes to Garrision Forest School in Baltimore next weekend.

McKenzie Canard

Seniors Mckenzie Canard of Bluemont and Kim Kluwe of Seal Beach, CA, both qualified in the Open Division’s  flat and over fences classes Miranda Gali, a sophomore from Middleburg, qualified in the  Open over fences class, while Mary Shannon Snellings (freshman, Washington, DC), Ashleigh Dove ( (sophomore, Purcellville, VA) and Tess Paget-Brown (sophomore, Charlottesville) qualified in various Novice classes
 
The IEA is the largest interscholastic riding organization in the country with more than 200 teams and 3,000 riders. Every rider earns individual points and one rider in each class - designated by the coaches before the competition -- earns points for the team competition. This is only the second year that the Foxcroft Riding Team has competed in the IEA - and the first year under the direction of veteran trainer and rider Kate Worsham, who became Director of Foxcroft’s famed Riding Program in July 2011.

For more complete results, visit Foxcroft’s website at www.foxcroft.org
For more information about Foxcroft School and its Riding Program, call 540.687.4340.