2012 IHSA National Championships Welcomes New Sponsors and Return of Staunch Supporters

Press Release

Fairfield, CT—April 26, 2012—The Show and Sponsorship Committees of the 2012 IHSA National Championships, May 3-6, at the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, are honored to announce their new Intercollegiate Horse Show Association partnerships as well as renewed allegiance from an established family of supporters.

“We have been gaining new sponsors almost daily.  It’s been busy,” said Naomi Blumenthal, who serves as IHSA National Treasurer and on its Sponsorships Committee. IHSA partners with many of the leaders in the U.S. horse industry, including American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), National Reining Horse Association (NRHA), Professional Horsemen’s Association (PHA), U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF), and U.S. Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA).
New corporate partnerships IHSA has forged are with Arena Awards, LLC; Bain’s Custom Whips; Breyer Animal Creations®; Bridleplates.com; ECE Equestrian Company, LLC; Goode Rider; Parlanti USA; Phelps Media Group; and SmartPak.

Arena Awards (www.arenawards.com) is proud to sponsor IHSA with commemorative championship rings that allow riders to showcase accomplishments in and out of the arena. Michaella Gallina, owner of Arena Awards, notes IHSA was integral to her collegiate experience and career:  “Without IHSA, I could not have continued riding and training in college.” Gallina graduated with a BSBA and MA in Finance from University of Denver and rode on its hunter seat team. Visit Arena Awards at the IHSA National Championships and say hello: “IHSA was key to developing skills that led me to world championships over fences. Giving back to support future champions feels like the right thing to do.”

Bains Whips (www.bainswhips.com) is a new prize sponsor with the National Championships. “Our company,” said owner Jill Bain, “has been providing custom made, handcrafted whips to the A Circuit since 2008. Our whips can be custom designed in an array of colors, lengths and leather popper options, giving riders the ability to match collegiate team colors or personalize.” Bains offers two-letter monogramming to keep whips straight. “Our goal was to develop a product that can be stylish and useful, and allow for personal creativity. Tara Brothers (University of South Carolina), winner of the 2004 USEF/Cacchione Cup, is our customer. Good Luck to all exhibitors!”

Breyer Animal Creations® (www.breyerhorses.com) celebrates IHSA by providing 4”-high model horses from its Equestral Crystalworks collection. Created of fine, sparkling crystal and finished with hand-worked details, the pieces are made with Breyer’s trademark realism and make stunning collectibles.

Bridleplates.com has the largest selection of nameplates for equestrians on the Internet, using diamond-tipped needles for detailed lettering on quality brass and nickel.

On Course Clothing (www.oncourseclothing.com) is providing stylish breeches.  When it’s time to look like a winner, IHSA riders are on course with affordable shirts and jackets made with the attention to comfort, cut and fit that made its breeches popular.

ECE Equestrian Company (www.eceequestrian.com) was founded in 2010 by best riding friends Emily Thompson and Ellen Hart, who grew up wanting to create innovative, fashion-forward athletic attire for today’s equestrian. ECE (pronounced “S” as in old English for ‘eternity everlasting’) will provide lined, competitive show shirts.  Emily and Ellen rode IHSA and believe in its principles that any college student should participate in shows regardless of his or her financial status or riding level.

“By creating a show shirt for IHSA, it is fulfilling those initiatives,” said Emily Thompson, CEO, ECE Equestrian Co., LLC.  “Every competitive shirt purchased thru an IHSA membership will have a built-in $10 rebate going back to teams as a fundraiser to help costs incurred concerning away horse shows.  ECE will introduce a scholarship, named after Captain John “Jack” H. Fritz, who passed away this year and was a lifelong friend of the equestrian community, to be awarded each year to a team member demonstrating the qualities of leadership and team spirit.”

Ellen Hart, CFO, ECE Equestrian Co., LLC said, “Having competed as a Mount Holyoke College freshman, it brings me back to what riding is about. It’s a joy to partner with a worthy cause embracing the team spirit of showing”.

“Goode Rider will offer ‘The Favorite Shirt,’ a must-have item,” said Kristin Calandra with Goode Rider (www.gooderider.com) Sales.  Goode Rider, called the ‘fashionable’ riding brand in the equestrian world, is an inaugural supporter of IHSA Nationals.  “Our collection is designed to offer students the best fit, style, and comfort while utilizing the latest performance technologies.”

Parlanti USA (www.parlanti.com) is a 2012-13 supporter of the Hunter Seat finals and offers custom riding boots and the Parlanti Passion ready-to-wear line of tall boots, half chaps and paddock boots. Parlanti boots are handcrafted and imported from Italy.  Recognizing IHSA as a steppingstone to future equestrians, Parlanti is happy to offer Hunter Seat teams and trainers a 10% discount coupon upon arrival at the Nationals. Individual and team winners get 15% discount certificates. The USEF/Cacchione Cup winner will get a pair of Parlanti Passion tall boots, and paddock boots to the winner’s coach. “Our booth will have custom boot samples and the Parlanti Passion line. Stop by and try on some boots or half chaps” said Carine Rawson-Fischer of Parlanti USA.

Phelps Media Group International (www.phelpsmediagroup.com) is proud to be associated with IHSA and support their communication efforts. America’s leading equestrian public relations firm, founded by Olympian Mason Phelps, Jr., PMG manages all aspects of public relations, communications and marketing, from strategic planning to implementation. Phelps Media Group has a driving passion for the client’s interest and an insider’s take on the industry.

EquestrianCoach.com is an online education service that provides systematic, online “lessons” presented by renowned equestrian, Bernie Traurig and a host of world-class and Olympic trainers and competitors, including Rodrigo Pessoa, Eric Lamaze, Laura Kraut, Missy Clark, Peter Pletcher, Louise Serio, Julie Winkel and more. The site has been lauded for high-quality, dynamic content providing a learning portal for novice through advanced riders, and is a comprehensive resource for amateurs to augment their lessons, for trainers and professionals looking for lesson support materials, and for riders with no access to qualified training. EquestrianCoach.com has formalized a relationship as an IHSA education partner and benefit to coaches and riders alike.

Peter Leone (www.lionsharefarm.com) has joined as an education partner. A trainer, producer of hunter/jumper instructional DVDs, and author, Leone owns and operates Lionshare Farm and is one of three brothers internationally known as Team Leone for their show ring success. Leone was on the 1996 Silver Medal U.S. Olympic Show Jumping Team, and his clients compete in pony, equitation, hunter, and jumper divisions. Peter Leone’s Show Jumping Clinic: Success Strategies for Equestrian Athletes by Peter Leone and Kim Jaussi Ph.D., is due out June 2012.

Founded in 1999, SmartPak (www.smartpakequine.com) is the country’s largest online and catalog retailer serving the needs of active and engaged horse owners, and will supply over 200 prizes, including garment bags and jackets.  SmartPak offers a five-percent discount on purchases to all IHSA members. The patented SmartPak™ supplement feeding system has simplified the process of feeding horse supplements and medications, making it easier for thousands of riders to keep their horses healthier by ensuring their supplements are being fed correctly. SmartPak’s diverse and expansive product offering includes its own line of supplements, tack, and horse blankets as well as an extensive selection of leading brands of equine health, apparel, tack, and equipment.

IHSA is proud to continue partnerships at its National Championships with: AIM Equine Network (EQUUS Scholarship); Ariat, Besco Awards and Embroidery; Charles Owen (helmets and scholarship); Chronicle of the Horse (subscriptions); Collegiate Saddles and Bridlewear, Equisure Insurance (insurance and scholarship); Hodges Badge Company, Hoof and Woof, IPPOS (luggage): Oakcroft Tack Trunks (trunks to championship teams, grooming totes for coaches of champion teams, and tote for USEF/Cacchione Cup winner); On Course; Perri’s Leather (prizes to Regionals); Practical Horseman; RevitaVet Therapeutic System (free Revitavet System); USEF (Cacchione Cup): USHJA (bags); and Weatherbeeta/Collegiate.  AQHA and Weatherbeeta/Collegiate generously sponsor saddles for every IHSA National Championship class as well as buckets (AQHA) and coolers (Weatherbeeta/Collegiate).

IHSA (www.ihsainc.com) represents 36 Regions in 8 Zones with over 376 educational institutions in 43 states and Canada, and serves over 8600 riders in Hunter Seat Equitation and Over Fences, Western Horsemanship, and Reining. Its mission — to promote competition for riders of all skill levels, who compete individually and as teams at regional and national levels — based on the principle that any college student should be able to participate in horse shows regardless of his or her financial status or riding level, has earned recognition with the USEF Humanitarian Award, USHJA Presidents Award, and Pfizer/American Horse Publications Equine Industry Vision Award.