Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), The Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) announced their decision to CANCEL the remainder of the 2019/2020 competition season. This cancellation applies to all remaining IHSA shows including Regionals, Zones, Western Semi-Finals, and Nationals. While we are thankful that their top priority is the well-being and safety of all members, there are other solutions that are not so drastic. These solutions include (but are not limited to): allowing members who qualified the opportunity to show in the 2021 post-season shows or rescheduling the final shows for a later date (depending on how COVID-19 evolves). Either way, those who qualified deserve to ride in these shows.

We and our coaches have put forth the hard work and effort to earn places at these shows. The hours of practice, money spent, volunteerism, and fundraising should hold some value to the Executive Committee as they are aware of what we have done to get to this point. The rules of IHSA do not allow for members to compete again at the same level that they earned for Regionals, Zones, Semi-Finals, and Nationals. So, if we let these shows pass us by, none of us will ever be able to recreate these shows at this level. For many members, these IHSA shows would have been their last as they are seniors and will be graduating this spring.

While it was a difficult decision to make, we implore IHSA to reconsider their drastic decision to cancel all IHSA shows including Zones, Western Semi-Finals, and Nationals for the 2019-2020 season. Instead, they should consider alternative solutions such as those mentioned above. At the end of the day, we all just want to ride horses one more time and in a turbulent, uncertain time like this, we need horses more now than ever before.