First Show - First Wins of the Season

TES Comes Out Strong in Season Opener!

The TES IEA Team is officially off and running for the 2026–27 season! It may have been a smaller show this early in the year, but there was no shortage of excitement as our riders began their chase for the postseason.



And this year, there is an extra incentive: IEA Zone Finals are coming to the Los Angeles Equestrian Center!

The Road to Zone Finals

Here’s how the race works: each rider has five regular-season competitions to earn 18 points in an individual event and qualify for the postseason Zone Finals, which brings together riders from nine states.

Points are awarded based on placings:

1st – 7 points | 2nd – 5 | 3rd – 4 | 4th – 3 | 5th – 2 | 6th – 1

Each event has its own point total, so riders can qualify separately in different events. That means every class—and every point—counts!

Strong Starts and Big Moves

Ava also came out strong, earning 3rd in Varsity Intermediate Test and putting her first 4 points on the board toward Zone Finals qualification.

Meanwhile, Verona entered a whole new ballgame. After making it all the way to IEA Nationals last season at Novice, she was required to move up to Futures Intermediate, where she now faces a deep field of accomplished and experienced riders.

She answered the challenge with an excellent first Test at the new level, finishing 3rd and banking her first 4 points toward the postseason. It was an impressive Intermediate debut and another sign of how much Verona has grown as a confident and capable competitor.

Gretchen, Jenn, Mina and Charlotte rounded out the TES competitors, navigating the inevitable highs, lows and learning moments of horse-show day while adding points to the TES tally.

Guiding the team through it all is TES IEA Coach and USDF judge Karina Lyons, helping our riders develop the versatility, confidence and horsemanship it takes to succeed in the unique IEA format.

More Than the Scoreboard

As exciting as the results were, some of the best moments of the day happened outside the show ring.

The sportsmanship and teamwork were outstanding. Riders volunteered, cheered for one another and went out of their way to welcome our newest team members—Avery, Chloe, Lyla and Julianna—who came to watch, learn and experience their first IEA show from the sidelines.

And a huge shout-out goes to our joint team captains, Verona and Alexis, who spent the day running tests and were specifically thanked by the show organizers for their hard work and contribution to the competition.

Five shows. Eighteen points. A shot at Zone Finals right here at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center.

The race to the postseason has officially begun—and TES is on the board!