Hello Fellow Riders and Dressage Enthusiasts!
As many of you know I took over the reins of IEO from Lisa Acey after 10 wonderful years of her serving as our fearless leader.  She left big shoes to fill but I am up to the task or so I hope. I’m no stranger to running equestrian organizations. I’m the current president of the Highland Pony Club of North America which has 65 members spread out all over the country and a gazillion years ago I started the local chapter of the “ Old People’s Pony Club” which eventually became  “Equestrians of Fine Vintage” and grew from 25 to over 100 members while I was at the helm. In 2002 I had my daughters and took a break from all things equestrian to purchase and renovate a 1797 farm into a Bed and Breakfast and wedding venue. I got back into riding 10 years ago when my daughters were riding seriously. Now with them in college my own goals have moved to the forefront and I so enjoyed competing at the IEO series that I volunteered for the board last year.   My 5 year Highland Pony, Fiona, is probably a bit more memorable at the shows than I am, as she looks like a breadbox on legs.. but her heart can’t be questioned.  She could be the cover model for the quote “ Dressage is for every horse!” 
I’m excited to expand on the current IEO model and have a great board to help. Currently, we are testing online entry systems and looking into partnering with other organizations to hold more showing opportunities. Additionally, we have a few educational speakers lined up for the season and lots more year end award opportunities.  Its going to be a great year! Looking forward to seeing all of you at the shows. 
​
Kim Hanlin
​

​Another great IEO year is in the books!  It has been both my honor and privilege to serve as your president these last 5 years! It has been an incredible journey, with more to come!

2019 brought yet more growth to our organization both in numbers and personal accomplishments. 2020 promises even more opportunities for our club!

We will kick off 2020 with an educational event.  We  will expand our schooling show calendar and participate in some new programs to provide our membership with additional opportunities for growth & development.

As I mentioned last evening, " I see your faces". You are not a number or a name, you are a face in this club - family. Your 2020 Leadership Team will continue to strive to make good decisions for this IEO family:, to be good stewards keeping all of your faces at heart as we meet the challenges of the coming year. Again, thank you for your support!

Your 2020 IEO Leadership Team is as follows: (SEE COMMITTEES BELOW)

President - Lisa Acey
V. President- Cindy Mattern
Treasurer- Heather Herster
Secretary - Mary Washburn
Director - Tammy Murphy
Director - Nicole Estep
Director - Beth Major
Director - Emily Shertzer
Director-  Chris Wietry

Committee Posts/Areas of responsibility:

Membership Chair -  Cindy Mattern
                                  Chris Wietry (shadowing Cindy this year and will start as Chair Dec. 2020)

Finance, Budget & Grants - Heather Herster

Awards/Volunteers  - Tammy Murphy
                                  Nicole Estep

Webmaster -  Beth Major

Scholarship Program - Tammy Murphy
                                     Heather Herster

Correspondence - Mary Washburn

Newsletter - Hayley McKay Smith

Social Media - Lisa Acey
                        Beth Major

USDF Officials Liason - Lisa Acey

Show Secretaries - Tammy Murphy
                                Maggie Hawn

Show Coordinators - Beth Major/judges
                                  Lisa Acey/Production

New posts for 2020 will include the USDF Regional Schooling Show Program; and the Thoroughbred Incentive Program

(2020 Leadership Team- backrow (L to R): Nicole Estep,  Chris Wietry, Beth Major Front row: Tammy Murphy, Heather Herster, Emily Shertzer,  Mary Washburn,  Lisa Acey, Cindy Mattern)

​Hey Y'all,

Your 2019 leadership team met this weekend to continue our planning for the 2019 competition year. The team consists of: Cindy Mattern, Mary Wasburn, Tammy Murphy, Nicole Estep, Beth Major, Heather Herster, Lauren Davison, Emily Shertzer, and Lisa Acey.

Our shows rules and prize list remain consistent with the 2018 year with just 3 items of note:

1) the USDF has issued new tests for 2019
2) USDF abolished the Rider Tests (ugh, I really liked that program)
3) ****** all IEO Schooling Shows will be capped at 75 rides this year******

Regarding #3- capping our shows at 75 rides- this is a necessary step to keep our show costs within our budget and keep your costs per class at the $20 figure we have used for the last many years. Our judging costs will slightly increase this year and this was the method we chose to keep member showing costs as low as possible. We chose the number 75 as it seemed to be a number that would work for all shows. If there is a waitlist, we will publish the waitlist with the show schedule and fill scratches based upon first come/first served basis. Capping our shows will also help our volunteers as some of our show days can be very very long.

Our May 4th clinic is shaping up and I want to personally thank Heather and Mary for winning our club a grant through The Dressage Foundation. The grant will pay for the cost of the indoor arena for that day which in turn defrays the cost to the riders. Applications for the clinic can be found at eventclinics.com and entries open March 4 - April 24. Auditors may use the same method to apply. We can accept 16 entrants, possibly a few more. The first ridden and scored tests for clinic participants may be submitted for year end awards. We will be asking for volunteers to staff the clinic; you can audit and lunch is included for the clinic volunteers. Volunteers will be accepted for checkin (2); Scribes (2) , gatekeepers (2) and hospitality (2). Heather Herster will post more on this as the clinic approaches.

Our judges are in place, ribbons ordered, and mugs received for 2019. Our prize list will be updated online shortly. In the near future, you will be receiving a prize list and entry forms for the 2019 show season. Once again, you need only submit your coggins one time unless it requires updating. You will need to submit a signed waiver for each show. The prize list and forms will also be available online.

We have another great year ahead!

​Best regards,
Lisa Acey
2014-2019 IEO President

Hey Y’all!!
Seems like we just sat down to eat dinner at our awards banquet and here we are with our first show for 2018 less than 2 months away!  Your leadership team has been working hard to produce another fun, competitive show year for you. We have made some changes to our show and awards plan - affectionately referred to as the “Omnibus”!  I have highlighted some of them below:

SCHOOLING SHOW NEWS: Fees for our schooling shows will remain the same this year once again we will be assessing $20/per test ridden. There will likely be some changes to our nonmembers fee to bring our show system more in line with other GMOs. We currently charge a nonmember fee per class/test, we will likely move to separate nonmember fee for those who are joining us as nonmembers.
There is stall availability for day and/or overnight use at Diamond 7. Stall prices will be listed on the show entry form. Those wishing to reserve a stall will be able to do so at the time of entry through the show secretary. IEO does not make a profit on stall rentals, we merely pass the cost through and make the arrangements as a courtesy to our members.  So if its going to be a long day, consider renting a stall so you both you and your horse can relax and enjoy the day!
This year, we are planning to use a two- ring format for most of our shows.  Those shows where we have historically had more than 65 rides will follow a 2 ring plan.  Intro A, B & C  tests will be moved to the second ring provided a second judge can be acquired.  This is tricky business from a planning perspective!  We are a club, and that said we do not like to “cap” or limit the number of rides per show. However, our show days become very long for everyone – judges, riders and volunteers. Our decision to move to a 2 ring format is to give everyone involved a good show experience – and avoid those 7:00pm rides!!!!  The judges we have listed for 2018 will be assigned to ring #1, if a second judge is acquired it will be for ring #2.  This plan will allow us to use judges more than once in a show year. To that end, we have changed one of our year end award rules.  Year end awards will be based on your three highest test scores (no change) from at least 2 different judges – this is the change, formerly it was 3 different judges.

VOLUNTEER! WHO? ME? Another area of year end award qualifications is the requirement of volunteer time.  Currently, members who wish to compete for year end awards must volunteer 1 full day or 2 half days at a show or club event. We have defined full day as 8 hours and half day as 4 hours.  Sometimes our show days go over 8 hours so in order to be fair to those who are there from dawn till dusk we will award volunteer time and IEO bucks based on this schedule. So if you are one of those all-day  troopers, you could end up with 1 ½ days of volunteer time and $7.50 in IEO bucks for your efforts!
More then likely we will be setting up 2 rings this year – this takes time and all hands on deck! Ring set up volunteers will receive 4 hours of volunteer time credit,  but ring tear down will be handled by the afternoon shift of show volunteers and be tallied in with their overall time for the day. The board may award other volunteer hours for special events or projects as required.
Please note a slight change to our current policy: family members or friends may volunteer time for IEO members but members may not donate volunteer time to other members in order to satisfy award qualifications.  If you have a friend or parent volunteering for you, please make sure the show manager has the appropriate information to pass along to the awards/volunteer  committee as they track volunteer time for year end award qualification. Why is all this volunteer stuff so important? Because it leads right into………scholarships!!!
Want to know how to qualify for the scholarship drawing? It isn’t hard, just volunteer!!!

Training Scholarships:  A volunteer can qualify to be entered into a pool for scholarships if he /she volunteers for 3 or more days. The number of scholarships that will be awarded will depend on the financial health of IEO. Typically, scholarships are awarded in $100 increments. Recipients are drawn by random, we use the “pull a name from the hat method” at the year end awards banquet.  Beginning in 2018, the one young rider who tallies up the most volunteer time will automatically receive a $100 scholarship. Ties for the young rider scholarship will be broken by random drawing.
This brings us to something I am really excited about!  Introducing……………….

A New Year End Award Category:  Class 18 is a USEF rider Test of choice class.  While we have always offered this class, it will now be an end of year awards category! Let me tell you, these tests are not for the faint of heart!  They are difficult and comprehensive.  I urge you to step outside the box and give them a try.  This division is different from our other award categories because the points are given to the RIDER not a horse/rider combo.  This means a rider could potentially ride a different horse in every show and still tally points toward year end awards!  This category is limited to amateurs and Junior/Young riders.  It will be scored as a combined category for shows and year end awards. Cool, right? Why not add it your repertoire? Give it a try!  The Rider Tests can be found in the USDF Member Guide  and on the USEF website:  www.usef.org. ; In addition, here is a link to a very nice article on the Rider Tests:  https://www.usdf.org/EduDocs/Competition/New_Rider_Tests.pdf

UPCOMING SOCIAL EVENTS & MORE:  We will be looking into an IEO summer picnic this year. Kim Hillyer has volunteered her facility for this event, it will be a horseless event -time to kick back and visit with fellow club members. We will try to get quotes on the cost of a pig roast and get more information out to you soon.

LIMITED EDITION: Stay tuned for an exciting limited edition IEO offering – details coming soon!

LOOKING AHEAD:  Some of our future agenda items are: Outfitting our trailer with shelving to optimize storage. Discussion on the purchase of another chain for our 2ndring or purchase of another ring entirely, and lastly, we need to purchase more ribbons.

BOARD MEETINGS: If you would like to attend an IEO Board meeting please feel free to do so.  We meet as needed, normally toward the end of a month.  We meet at Diamond 7 in the kitchen. Seating is limited so we simply ask you to let us know you will be attending so we can bring additional chairs if needed. 

Thank you to the IEO Board:  Cindy Mattern, Maggie Hawn, Heather Herster, Tammy Murphy, Kim Hillyer, Mary Washburn Jodi Van Sprang, and Nicole Estep for all of your hard work so far this year! Whew! Lots of good stuff in the works! We have our nose to the grindstone – all for you!
 
It’s gonna be the best year yet!
 
 
Lisa Acey
IEO President

· The annual awards banquet is scheduled for December 2nd at Range End Golf Course. The format will be like last year and you will find the invitation attached to the eblast. RSVP by November 24th! 
The SILENT AUCTION held at our awards banquet will be coordinated by Mary Washburn this year! Like last year, those folks who make a donation toward the auction will receive a raffle ticket toward a special raffle for each “lot” donated. Stay tuned for communications from Mary!

· Its election time!!!!!! We decided to simplify the process a bit this year. If you would like to be nominated for an office such as President, V. President, Secretary or Treasurer or one of the Board Member positions, please send your “email of interest” to Maggie Hawn at: hawnmaggie51@comcast.net in your email, please include the position you are interested in and a little blurb about your background so we can include it in the ballot. Nominations are due to Maggie by Friday, November10th. 
After the nomination period closes, we will prepare the ballot and email it out to all members. You may vote one time either via email, or at the awards banquet. 

· 2018 Schooling Show Dates have been confirmed – and the August show is baaaack!
  May 6, 2018
  May 27, 2018  
  June 17, 2018
  July 15, 2018
  August 12, 2018
  September 9, 2018  
  October 7, 2018
Please save these dates. We hope to have more details to you very soon!
​
· Annual membership sale!! Renew your FULL membership regularly $50 for $45; renew your JUNIOR/YOUNG RIDER membership regularly $45 for $40 from now through December 2nd!!
And did I mention, the Oct 22nd show is a doozie!?

Hello IEO Members!
 
How are y'all???  It has been a little while since I have blasted out news, but trust me, the gang has been very busy!  Spring is on the way and  I am so ready for flowers and sunshine, I could burst! How about you?  The best thing about Spring, flowers and sunshine is the beginning of our IEO Schooling Show season!!  I have lots to report on that topic, but I will get to that in a moment!  Let's start the updates with some equally important topics:
 
 
EDUCATION
The leadership team met a week or so ago and nailed down some great opportunities for this year!  I am most excited to share that we have partnered  with the Mid Atlantic Friesian Horse Association to produce some valuable educational opportunities.  This partnership will help each organization  provide quality educational opportunities to it's members  while reducing the upfront costs for both clubs. It’s a win-win!   A big thanks to board member Jodi Van Sprang for her genius!  The first of these opportunities is right around the corner:
·          


The MFHS and IEO proudly present:

A Clinic with Brendan Wise
Dreams Come True Farm

9 am Sat, April 22 –  6 pm Sun April 23rd

211 W. Middlesex Dr. Carlisle, PA 17013
 
Stay tuned for a separate EBlast with  details or check out our Facebook  group page for more info!
 
TRAINING! 
·         Did you ever wonder what goes into managing a schooling show? Creating a test schedule? Setting up a dressage arena???  We will be holding a training session for all show managers, secretaries and all show volunteers  on April 8th from 12 – 4pm.  It truly takes a team to produce quality schooling shows and your participation is greatly appreciated.  It has been some time since we have provided a volunteer training, we hope you will attend.  I will be sending out more details in a separate Eblast, so for the moment please put this date and time on your calendar.
 


SHOW NEWS!
·         IEO will be assisting with our dressage arena set up at the Commonwealth Dressage Show in August,your assistance with set up/tear down will count toward volunteer time.  Please watch for CD show updates and postings to our Facebook page from  Barb Kohr, manager of  Commonwealth Dressage.
 
·         First, we are very proud to announce that our basic entry fees will remain at $20/single test /entry this year.  This is truly a testimony to your leadership team and the fiscal guidance of our treasurer!  Thank you Tracey, and all committee and board members past & present!  Our club’s costs are escalating in the areas of insurance, judging, show venues and awards, but through careful budgeting and fiscal management  we will stay the course for 2017. Whew!
 
·         It’s HERE!!  Yes, we are offering online entries in 2017!!  You will have the choice between submitting your entries in the traditional manner or using the online entry option.  Please note that we did have to charge a convenience fee of $5 for the online entry.  This simply covers the cost of the service and the fees involved in using either PayPal or an electronic check.  Please pay specific attention to the prize list when the final version is posted to the website as it will direct you in using this feature.
 
·         Please note we will use the large arena this year.  We will only use the small arena if absolutely required by a test.
 
·         Quadrille Freestyle will be added to our class list.
 
·         The 2017 show season will include shows held from October 2016 – through and including the October 2017 show.  This is 8 schooling show opportunities for you! Our Year end banquet will be held in early December to allow for the ordering of awards.
 
·         Team Competition!  Last year we introduced a new team concept. We hope to get even more participation this year!  Teams can be 2 or more horse/rider combinations and you can use scores throughout the show year.  Check it out at: www.ieodressage.org
 
·         Here is a shortened version of the show calendar, the final will be posted to the website.  I am providing this DRAFT to you as a preview only, please be certain to check the website for the FINAL version of closing dates and contact information.
 
***DRAFT IEO Show Calendar***
Show Date: May 7, 2017
Judge: Angela Bean
Location: Diamond 7 Ranch
Show Manager:  Cindy Mattern   (717) 796-0755
Show Secretary:  Heather Herster
Closing/Postmark Date:  April 23, 2017

Show Date: May 27, 2017
Judge: Karen Reilly
Location: Diamond 7 Ranch
Show Manager:  Karen Schaale   (717)292-9224
Show Secretary:  Kim Hillyer
Closing/Postmark Date:  May 13, 2017
Show Date: May 28, 2017
Judge: Laura Lee Beetle-Boyle 
Location: Diamond 7 Ranch
Show Manager:  Karen Schaale   (717)292-9224
Show Secretary:  Kim Hillyer
Closing/Postmark Date:  May 13, 2017
Show Date: June 18, 2017
Judge: Ann Moss
Location: Diamond 7 Ranch
Show Manager: Mary Washburn  (717) 486-3609
Show Secretary:  Heather Herster
Closing/Postmark Date:  June 4, 2017

Show Date: July 16, 2017
Judge: Evelyn Pfoutz
Location: Diamond 7 Ranch
Show Manager: Nicole Estep  (717) 421-6627
Show Secretary:  Tammy Murphy
Closing/Postmark Date:  July 2, 2017

Show Date: September 10, 2017
Judge: Phoebe DeVoe-Moore 
Location: Diamond 7 Ranch
Show Manager: Karen Pelton  (717)497-0923
Show Secretary:  Maggie Hawn
Closing/Postmark Date:  August 27, 2017
Show Date: October 22, 2017
Judge: Cheryl Ash ​
Location: Diamond 7 Ranch
Show Manager: Margaret Scarff (410) 692-6921
Show Secretary:  Lisa Acey
Closing/Postmark Date:  October 8, 2017

In closing, we have a terrific year ahead and  just like years past, we need your input, your volunteerism and your participation to turn a terrific year into a tremendous one!  Don’t wait until the last minute to plan your volunteer time, give a holler to the show manager as soon as you know when you want to volunteer.  Please attend the training session on April 8th and invest time in our IEO because  there is plenty to be done and many super ideas to put to flight!
 
I am excited to see you all at the in-gate,  it’s gonna be yet another great year!!!!
 
Lisa Acey
2017 IEO President
hunterridge13@aol.com
"Conceive it, Believe it, Achieve it"

Hey Y'all, 

As promised, here are the 2017 IEO Schooling Show dates:

Sunday, May 7th
Saturday, May 27th
Sunday, May 28th
Sunday, June 18th
Sunday, July 16th
Sunday, September 10th
Sunday, October 22nd

These dates have been secured with Diamond 7 Ranch. We have over half of the judges scheduled for these dates and will release a more comprehensive schedule in the new year!  Please note the May 27th and 28th shows will be run as two separate shows with different judges.  The 2017 Leadership Team will be considering several additions to this calendar in the areas of education and competition when we begin our planning sessions after the Holidays! 

More news to come soon!  Have a safe, horsey & Happy Thanksgiving!

It's gonna be yet another great year!

Lisa Acey
2016-17 IEO President

Hay Y'all!
 
Wow!  What an exciting Spring season is in store for all of us!   First up is our annual "Lillian's' Tea"  . This event is a nod to days ago when tea time was celebrated and we took a few moments each afternoon to relax, breathe and connect with friends and family .  In our case, its an opportunity to catch up with each other, make or renew acquaintances  while enjoying some delicious teas and pastries - and did I mention hats??  You can bring your favorite hat or borrow one from the tea room. There are lots of giggles to be had while choosing a hat, I assure you!  Please see the attached flyer for more details!
 
A May 1st  Schooling Show and Spring Valley!  A great combination -  this is such a lovely Spring venue.  Spring Valley offers a sense of calm and serenity and is a perfect choice for the first outing of our season. An early May show is a new concept for our organization, the leadership team hopes you will enjoy starting the 2016 season on "May Day"!  Please see the omnibus at www.ieodressage.org  for entry forms, closing dates and additional details. The May 1st show will be managed by Mary Washburn.  Mary will be looking for volunteers for this show.  We will need volunteers for  warm-up and show rings, a set-up team, announcer, runners, scribes, several scorers and more so please email Mary with your interest as soon as possible.  Mary can be contacted at: Peacefield1951@centurylink.net  
 
Mid-May finds us on the trail!  Another new calendar activity for our group is a Spring trail ride in Codorus State Park! See, I told you we had a lot of things in store!  Join the gang for a relaxed, low-key mosey  through the well-maintained trails of Codorus.  We  have a reservation with the Park from 10am - 4pm, and  have a tailgate planned part way through the day. Bring your own lunch and beverage and ride when you'd like to ride.  I have attached a flyer with the details.  Trail ride packets will be sent out closer to the May 14th date. You are welcome to bring a friend!
 
But we aren't done yet! We have several more shows for our 2016 Season:
 
May 29 - Diamond & Ranch
June 19 - Harmony Hill
July 17 - Harmony Hill
August 21 - Commonwealth Dressage at Farm Show  (IEO to assist with this brand new recognized show)
September 18 - Harmony Hill
October 23 - Twin Brooks (first sow of 2017 Season)
 
No doubt, there will be lots of things to do this year, all leading up to another wonderful awards dinner at Allenberry!
 
This year, we debut a brand new team competition concept.  You can declare a team any time during the show year -preferably the beginning-and ride your team tests anytime you wish throughout the show year. The new rules and entry forms can be found in the omnibus. Personally,  I am really excited about this new endeavor.  It allows for flexibility and  meets the changing demands of our membership.  Which brings me to another noteworthy item:  Schooling Show Rule Changes. Please take the time to read the rules!  We have gone through the rules and updated them - it was a lengthy project but truly needed to be done.  These rules should stand us in good stead going forward and make it easier for future leadership teams  to get up and running quickly in years to come.
 
To sum it up, I am sincerely excited for the year ahead of us.  We have a great group of people at the helm.  The board is looking for new concepts to keep things fresh and our committee chairman are working tirelessly to help make the vision a reality.  I want to extend my sincerest thanks to the entire 2016 leadership team for the work they have completed to date:  Cindy Mattern, Tracey Bray, Maggie Hawn, Kim Hillyer, Karen Schaale, Ginger LaBarre, Mary Washburn, Jodi Van Sprang, Beth Major, Tammy Murphy, Sue Smith & Margarette Scarff .  I also want to give a shout out to the ladies behind the trail ride, Diane Vickery & Kathi Rickert!  Thank you all!
 
So, I guess you could say........It's gonna be ANOTHER great year!  I hope you will join us!

Lisa Acey
2016 IEO President

Our 2015 Schooling Show Season is complete! Thank you to all who participated and volunteered to make this season a success. Congratulations to the series-end winners! Nearly 50% of our membership have qualified for year-end awards – this is an outstanding accomplishment – everyone deserves a round of applause. You have made your IEO an organization of engaged members who share a love of horses, dressage and fun competition, not to mention the friendships that have been found along the way! Congratulations, your work and commitment this year is nothing short of championship quality!
A special shout-out to Margarette Scarff who braved the weather at Dressage at Devon to scribe! Now that is dedication, kudos Margarette!
This edition of Close Contact includes information on our upcoming awards banquet, membership sale, on-line mall opening and our October Schooling Show –first for the 2016 season! I hope you have your costume ready! As this show conflicts will our regular board meeting date, there will not be a scheduled board meeting , board business will be conducted via email if necessary or at the show if appropriate. See you at Harmony Hill!

It’s gonna be a great year!
Lisa Acey
2015 IEO President

Here we are folks, just a few steps away from Fall and the wrap-up of our 2015 schooling show season. This finds us headed to Friendly Horseman’s Showgrounds for our final show of this season on September 20th. I am happy to say that 30% of our membership has already qualified for year-end awards and we expect several more folks to complete their requirements at the September show. This means nearly 50% of our membership will be in the running for year end awards – that is just fantastic! This is a wonderful accomplishment for our membership! I hope you have saved November 14th for our awards dinner – it’s gonna be a fun evening for sure! 
Our September meeting will be held at Terry Peiper’s Buck n Horse Hollow Farm on Sunday, September 27th . Please save this date! Terry will be providing us with a discussion and demo on the importance of proper saddle fitting. Stay tuned for an E-Blast that will provide more information. Thank you! 

It’s gonna be a great year! 
Lisa Acey 
2015 IEO President