(Lake Erie College, Painesville OH)— Becket Run Equestrian Team of Hamilton, OH, won the Hunt Seat Upper School National Championship at the sixth annual Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) National Finals held April 18-20, 2009 at the Lake Erie College Equestrian Center in Ohio. Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School of Atlanta, GA, earned the Middle School Championship title. The Knights Equestrian Team of Hinton, VI, became the reserve champion team in the hunt seat upper school competition. Garrison Forrest School of Owings Mill, MD, finished as the reserve champion in the hunt seat middle school competition.

In the Western competition, Autumn Rose Equestrian Team of Plain City, OH, took both the titles of Upper School Champion and Middle School Champion. Hancock Horsemen of Findlay, OH, earned the reserve western champion for the upper school. The Dare Equestrian Team of Hilliard, OH, finished as the reserve Western champion for the middle school.

The Timothy J. Boone Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Roxane Lawrence, co-founder, president elect and treasurer of the IEA. This is the second year in which this award has been given.

Allie Joyce, from the Rising Star Equestrian Team of Medway, MA, was named the IEA Leading Rider of the Year. She also won the Varsity Open Championship class. Austin Griffith, from the Autumn Rose Equestrian Team of Plain City, OH, became the Champion Western Rider. Joey Fink, from the Greenway Team of McLean, VI, received the Victor Hugo-Vidal Sportsmanship Award.

ENDS