Membership
Enrollment for the 2026 – 2027 season is NOW OPEN!
Team registration for the 2026-2027 25th Anniversary season is now open.
Coaches must sign up their teams before their riders can join.
Teams who register after October 1, 2026, should reach out to Jennifer Eaton, or their Zone Administrator.
Individual youth and adult memberships are available throughout the entire season.
If you are a Returning Member, login to your AccessIEA account and renew your membership. (Green Button)
Please DO NOT create a new membership or account if you are already in the system.
NEW MEMBERS ONLY: Click the “CREATE AN ACCOUNT” button and follow instructions to set up your new account and then you can login and join. (Purple Button)
Only adults 18 & over can create AccessIEA logins. Parents will have the option to invite their youth rider family members to create their own login after the application process is complete.
Click on the image above for a HOW-TO GUIDE about AccessIEA.
This live document is frequently updated.
All Adult Quiz
This quiz is for all Coaches and Adult Community Members (Adult Contributing Members, Adult Riders and Show Officials).
Click on the image above for video tutorials on how to join and how to enter shows.
Click on the button above to shoot us an email at [email protected] for help with specific questions or issues you may be having with AccessIEA. Please include screenshots of your issue(s) whenever possible.
WHAT IS A JEM MEMBERSHIP?
Junior Education Membership (JEM) is open to individuals at least 9 years of age, and less than 21 years of age at the time of registration, who are not participating in competitions as riders, but who desire to be members of the IEA.
JEMs ARE eligible for the following IEA benefits as part of their $35 membership fee.
- Automatic enrollment in the National Hippology Academy;
- Eligible for participation in IEA non-riding Scholarship and Sportsmanship award programs, contests, and social media give-aways;
- National Finals Horsemanship Tests & Prizes;
- Annual Membership Patch;
- IEA E-Newsletters & other member information;
- JEMs do not need to join an IEA team, but if they do, they appear on the team roster;
Junior Education Members do not have voting privileges, they do not have the right to hold office, and are not eligible to compete at IEA recognized mounted activities, shows or events.
Download IEA Promotional Brochure
This is an 8.5 x 14 size brochure.
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS & TIPS FOR JOINING:
The IEA recommends gathering team members over the summer and submitting your complete team membership registration between MAY and SEPTEMBER. Registering early will provide you with the most opportunities for a full show season.
Regular season competitions begin August 1st each year and run through January/February in most cases. Post-season shows typically run January – March.
- THE TEAM APPLICATION MUST BE COMPLETED ONLINE BEFORE ANY RIDERS MAY START THEIR APPLICATION FOR THAT TEAM.
- All adult members must submit a certificate confirming that they have completed SafeSport Training through US Equestrian. More information can be found on our SafeSport page.
- All Coaches and Adult Community Members (Adult Contributing Members, Adult Riders, and Show Officials) must complete an IEA Rules Quiz. Quizzes are available on this page below the membership applications (purple buttons). Each quiz contains 25 questions and is designed to encourage a better understanding of the IEA Rules and Regulations.
- Proof of Liability Insurance must be included with the Coach application per Rule G2303.1.1
- A team is considered complete only when it contains all the necessary documentation. Please review the Team Registration Checklist for a complete list.
- Please allow 10 business days processing time for all complete applications.
Adult Pilot Program
- IEA launched a PILOT PROGRAM for Adult Riders during the 2022-2023 season and plans to continue the program into the 2025-2026 season.
- Click here to find out more about the Adult Pilot Program
Note For Coaches
The IEA is committed to increasing concussion awareness in equestrian sports.
It is important that IEA coaches recognize the signs and symptoms of concussion and head injuries in youth sports participants. To that end, IEA requires that coaches complete annually the free online training course in concussion recognition offered through the National Federation of State High School Associations at www.nfhslearn.com.
Full details can be found on the Coach membership application.
Basic information for individuals who would like to start a new team
The IEA hosts 3 disciplines: Hunt Seat, Western, and Dressage.
An IEA team consists of at least 1 coach and 3 rider members. Depending on member history with the IEA, the team may be required to host or co-host a regular season horse show according to Rule G2302.
Riders are organized by their grade level.
- Riders in grades 4 – 8 compete on a Middle School (Futures) team.
- Riders in grades 9 – 12 compete on an Upper School (Varsity / Jr Varsity) team.
- A minimum of 3 riders are needed to form each type and level of the above teams.
An IEA Coach must be at least 21 years old, a full-time or part-time professional trainer, instructor, or coach in the equine industry (not an amateur), and covered by a liability policy that carries a minimum coverage of $1,000,000 per occurrence. The IEA offers coverage through Equisure that can be purchased through the Membership Office. ($150/year covers participation in IEA events and practices.)
Contributing Members are adult members of the IEA. Contributing Members may join a team, be authorized to handle team communications and assist with paperwork with the coach’s permission.