An Introduction to Centenary Equine

Centenary University is home to three competitive equestrian teams that compete throughout our school year. Our Hunter/Jumper team, coached by Tara Clauson, IHSA team, coached by Michael Dowling and Heather Clark, and our IDA team, coached by Mallory Chambers. These teams are what propel Centenary University’s Equestrian program into the top national ranks. 

Hunter/Jumper Team

The Hunter/Jumper Team provides students with the opportunity to compete in nationally recognized USEF horse shows. USEF, or the United States Equestrian Federation, is an organization that oversees, governs, and regulates almost all high level equestrian events. 

Through competing at “home shows,” similar to home games where competitions are put on at our Centenary Equestrian Center, as well as adventuring off property to nearby equestrian event venues, this team works to help students get exposure to real world equestrian competition. The Hunter/Jumper team does not compete against fellow equestrian schools, but rather individual equestrians from the industry. 

The Hunter/Jumper Team season ends with the Garden State Horse Show: a highly competitive and prestigious event that brings many top level equestrians together. 

Centenary University is home to three competitive equestrian teams that compete throughout our school year. Our Hunter/Jumper team, coached by Tara Clauson, IHSA team, coached by Michael Dowling and Heather Clark, and our IDA team, coached by Mallory Chambers. These teams are what propel Centenary University’s Equestrian program into the top national ranks. 

IHSA

Centenary’s IHSA team is part of an intercollegiate organization that brings the world of horse showing to many people who otherwise couldn’t afford it. This organization, the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, gives students in all levels of horse riding the chance to compete, ranging from the walk/trot levels to the highest level of jumping offered at 3'3". 

Not only are students competing as equestrians, but they are also doing it on horses they have sometimes never met before. Students perform what is called “catch riding.” This is where a rider pulls a horse out of a hat, then gets on and shows in the class with no warm up, and no time to get to know the horse. It demonstrates the true skill of the riders. 

Centenary’s IHSA riders work all season to be the top riders at Regional Finals. This competition is where all of the schools in a region come together. The top three riders in each specific class go on to compete in Zone Finals. Here, the competition field narrows even further. The top two riders from each class advance to IHSA Nationals, where students have the opportunity to compete on a national scale against riders from other schools. 

IDA

The IDA team is like the IHSA team in that it is a part of an intercollegiate organization. The IDA, short for the Intercollegiate Dressage Association, is a team where riders showcase their equestrian prowess in the precise discipline of dressage. There is no jumping involved. Instead, students work to show “harmony” between horse and rider. They guide the horses to perform special, complicated movements and are judged on their ability to work the horse as “invisible” as possible. 

This team competes throughout the school year to qualify for IDA Nationals. The top two teams of each region go on to show at Nationals. 

Individual students can also qualify for nationals. In each section of competition, the top two riders can qualify to compete at the year end show. 

Centenary’s IDA team is highly selective on which riders can show. Each team in a region is only allowed to enter two riders per section, which means there are limited chances for most riders to compete. 

As the 2023 Collegiate Equestrian Season reaches its halfway point, Centenary University's equestrian teams are achieving remarkable progress toward their year-end objectives. We extend our best wishes to each team as they continue to excel in competition, showcasing the best of Centenary's equestrian program.