The Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) has announced the creation of the IEA Youth Board. Created by the IEA’s Education Committee, the board consists of one student representative from each of the eight IEA zones. The eight newly elected board members were required to undergo an extensive application and election process.

Sue Wentzel, IEA Education Committee Chair stated, “This gives adult IEA members and leadership an avenue to hear the youth voice and to offer and opportunity for leadership to IEA youth members.”

Jocelyn Pratt, a senior from Acton, Massachusetts, and member of North Gate Equestrian Team, was elected to represent Zone 1, while Zone 2 elected Kimberly Pokstis, a junior from Warwick, New York, and member of Greystone Stables IEA Team. Shaw Castleman, a sophomore from Charlotte, North Carolina, and member of Carolina Country Acres IEA Team, was elected to the Zone 3 position. Zone 4 is represented by Jessica Sherman, a junior from Maryville, Tennessee, and member of Last Lap Ranch, while Caroline Gute, a senior from Dublin, Ohio, and member of Autumn Rose Equestrian Team, was elected from Zone 5. Zone 7 is represented by Alexandra Prymek, a junior from Shreveport, Louisiana, and member of Hidden Acres Equestrian Center. Elle Haugland , a junior from Scottsdale, Arizona, and member of Scottsdale Equestrian Team, was elected to represent Zone 8, and the Zone 10 representative is Corine Astroth, a junior from San Rafael, California, and member of Strides Equestrian Team.

Each of these representatives submitted their application for candidacy with a resume and two letters of recommendation. After verifying each application, an election was held in each zone and the members of that zone elected their representative.