“We all support each other in our riding endeavors, and it is an amazing support system. I would really encourage any serious college riders who are interested in applying to do so.”
since she says she shows most weekends at IHSA compe- titions and other shows, and takes part in the continuing educational opportunities at the school.
Getting Involved It’s a simple process to apply to compete in the AIEC, and competitions are affordable so that students can take part. “You have to apply and send in a couple videos, and send in which shows you’re interested in attending, and they’ll let you know if it’s full,” says Makayla. The entry fee is 148 euros plus a plane ticket. The event organizers provide a place to stay, feed you and provide transportation. “It’s designed and run by students so everything is done with that in mind, keeping it affordable. For European students, they can take the train or a cheap flight, so it’s totally do-able.”
The AIEC motto is “One World, One Sport, Many Friends.”
“All the countries stay together during the competitions, and everyone becomes close and helps one another out,” Isabella explains. “There are cultural components to the trip as well. There is always one afternoon specifically dedicated to a cultural activity. In Germany it was a pub crawl that showed us around the town of Marburg, which was so fun. It was an absolutely beautiful place and we got a kind of local tour.” This cultural aspect allows students to broaden their hori-
About the AIEC The Association Internationale des Étudiants Cavaliers (AIEC) is an FEI-recog-
nized organization that promotes international competition in show jump- ing and dressage for college students. The AIEC was founded in 1984, with its core purpose to promote competition among student riders and to encourage the development of relationships and respect between international competi- tors. AIEC has provided a way in which talented young equestrians with limited funding can represent their nations in prestigious riding competitions and build global networks for their future professional careers. As a non-profit orga- nization, all of this is done at a minimum expense to the rider and intends to reward dedicated individuals who possess excellent horsemanship skills and work ethics. Competitors in the SRNC final are all enrolled full-time (at least 12 hours) in a
university or graduate school and therefore have a limited amount of time and resources to devote to international competition. In 1984, AIEC developed a series of competitions where student riders can
come together in teams to represent their countries in advanced competi- tion, sharing horses provided by the host country which eliminates complex and expensive horse travel. Riders draw the horses from a hat, but do not have the same horse for the whole competition. They must ride a different horse for every round for which they qualify. The competition in Germany was the 2015 AIEC Student Rider’s Nation Cup
(SRNC) World Finals. Makayla, Isabella and Lauren were part of the USA team, chosen through the American Student Riders Organization (ASRO). Countries compete at SRNCs hosted by different countries throughout the year to gain points to be in the Gold or Silver League at the World Finals. Team USA was in the Silver League in 2015, but they are aiming for a spot in the Gold League in 2016. The six Gold League countries earned their top positions by accumulat- ing points at shows in Europe throughout the year. The remaining Silver League riders compete for a guaranteed spot in the Gold League at the next year’s World Finals. Collegiate riders interested in applying to be a part of the organization can contact the U.S. national representative, Sarah Pollock, at
usa@aiecworld.com.
zons beyond the show ring. The trip is usually set up so that members of Team USA can meet early and travel to the event together. “They really do a good job of letting you go in and see the local city—besides a pub crawl, we had a scavenger hunt. They recognize that you’re there to see the sights too. Everyone is so friendly!” says Makayla. She was introduced to the program two years ago when the World Finals took place in the United States. “I volunteered as a warm-up rider; that’s how I became aware of the program. When I went to Sweden I recog- nized so many people. They’re very welcoming.”
What’s Next? The chance to travel abroad can open doors beyond the competi- tion. Following the recent World Finals, Makayla took the oppor- tunity to spend an extra two weeks in Germany working for trainer Marten Frehe-Siermann near Osnabruck, who was recom- mended by Kama Godek, a show jumping trainer from Virginia. “It was a lot of fun and a great expe- rience,” she says. “It’s so different in the barns over there versus here: the horses are more like live- stock than pets. I think that was the main difference. Riding was pretty much the same.” Mikayla says she can’t wait to compete again as she has applied and is currently being considered to go abroad again in August.
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