The Midcoast Maine IEA team, which trains at Stonewall Stables in Nobleboro, won the regional championship and qualified for the National Finals for the first time. From left: Emma Crooker, Isabel Bathe, Madison Moon, Leah Kirkland, Ava Genthner, and Hannah Fougner. Not pictured: Ella Curtis. (Mic LeBel photo)
The Midcoast Maine Interscholastic Equestrian Team placed second at the IEA Hunt Seat Zone 1 finals on Sunday, March 29 at the state exposition in West Springfield, Mass. The runner-up finish qualified the team to compete in the IEA Hunt Seat and Dressage National Finals, which will be held April 23-26 at the National Equestrian Center in Lake St. Louis, Mo.
The Midcoast IEA team, coached by Virginia Shaw, trains at Stonewall Stables in Nobleboro. Although individual Midcoast Maine IEA competitors have qualified for nationals before, it is the first time that the team has qualified for the sport’s most prestigious event.
IEA Hunt Seat Zone 1 includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The Midcoast Maine IEA team had earned the right to compete in the Zone 1 finals by winning the Region 2 semifinals on Jan. 10 at Whishmaker Stables in Rollinsford, N.H.
Twelve teams competed in the Zone 1 finals, including each of the winners from the 10 regions in Zone 1, as well as two high-scoring teams in the zone that did not win their region.
“Zone 1 is considered to be the most competitive zone and has the largest number of teams and riders, with most of them based in Massachusetts and Connecticut,” said Kristen Mugnai, of Alna, the manager of the team. “It is extra special that we have four sophomores and three freshmen that are often competing against much older high school students. It is a huge accomplishment for these girls to qualify for national finals, and our young team has a very bright future.”
Midcoast Maine IEA finished the Zone 1 competition with 18 points, tied for second with Ethel Walker School, of Connecticut. According to Mugnai, Midcoast Maine IEA won the tiebreaker due to having more third place finishes. Lighthouse Hill, of Connecticut, won the Zone 1 championship with 27 points to earn a bid to the national finals.
The point riders for Midcoast Maine IEA at the Zone 1 finals and their placements included Ava Genthner, second in varsity open flat and fifth in varsity open over fences; Madison Moon, third in varsity intermediate flat; Leah Kirkland, first in the JV novice flat; and Isabel Bathe, eighth in the varsity intermediate over fences.
Two other Midcoast Maine IEA riders competed at the event. Ella Curtis competed in the JV novice over fences event and Hannah Fougner rode in the beginner flat event.
At a training session on Friday, April 3 at Stonewall Stables, the team practiced riding horses that they normally don’t ride in order to prepare for having an unknown horse assigned to them at the national finals in Missouri.
“Normally when I compete on a horse I ride all the time, like most of our events, I can just focus on myself,” said Bathe. “When I’m riding a random horse it’s a lot harder because I’m focusing on them.”
Competing at national finals is a big deal, and the team is aware of that and working hard to get ready.
“I’m looking forward to putting in a consistent round and doing good for my team,” said Emma Crooker. “I’m working on my jumping a little bit more than usual because I am signed up to do the jumping events for the team at nationals.”
Moon will be looking for redemption when she goes to the national finals this year.
“I competed at national finals two years ago (in the middle school competition), and I messed up, so I would like to put in a better ride this time,” said Moon. “This year I’ll be more comfortable, especially having my teammates there cheering me on.”
Kirkland, who went to national finals as an individual last year, said it will be a much different experience this time around.
“I’m excited to be going with the whole team, it’s definitely going to be way different and more fun going with our group than just by yourself,” said Kirkland.
Genthner, Moon, Kirkland, and Crooker attend Lincoln Academy together. The other three members of the team that are going to nationals attend schools that are up to an hour away from Stonewall Stables.
One of the things team members enjoy is meeting kids from other parts of Maine and beyond, both on their squad and opposing teams they regularly interact with throughout the season. While it will be exciting to compete at national finals, the team is almost as interested in the social aspect of traveling together and meeting other kids at the big event.
“We’ve done some traveling together and it’s a great time, and I love meeting kids from other places that love the sport like we do. I’ve met so many people through this sport that I never would have met before,” said Ava Genthner. “We usually do team pool nights and dinner nights. My teammates are all really good people and we’re all going to be able to, like, hang out and stuff. They offer a prom at the event and this-and-that, and its way more fun to do that with teammates that are your friends, too.”
For Fougner, being part of Midcoast Maine IEA is part of an equestrian lifestyle that means even more to her than the competition.
“I just love the horses, their personalities, and riding in general,” said Fougner. “My favorite things are the horses and the people involved.”
Genthner agreed the culture of the sport is the best part of it all.
“I’ve met so many nice and cool people (through being a part of Midcoast Maine IEA), including adults, and I just think it’s nice to know that they’ll always have your back,” said Genthner.
