Wesleyan College equestrian team member Catherenne Hogeland ’20 will compete in Individual Lower Training Dressage at the 2020 Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA) National Championship April 24 - 26, hosted by Mt. Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Caty qualified for IDA National Championship after competing this season in two shows hosted by The University of Florida, placing 1st and 2nd in November and 2nd and 3rd in February. Caty will join sophomore Audrey Mecklenburg who also qualified for the IDA National Championship.
Dressage is an ancient equestrian discipline that highlights movements originally used in battle with warhorses. Dressage means “training” in French. Scores are given on individual movements in a standard test with each movement awarded a score of 0 to 10. The rider with the highest overall score wins. The criteria includes balance of the rider with the horse, correct bend and preparation of transitions, harmony of horse and rider, as well as geometry and accuracy of the test demonstrating correct size and shape of movements.
Caty is a senior from Fayetteville, Georgia. She will graduate in May 2020 with a major in psychology and a minor in equine assisted therapy and plans to attend graduate school this fall. She joined the Wesleyan College equestrian team in the fall of 2016 as an Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Hunt Seat and Western rider. Caty qualified for IHSA Regionals in 2019 for both Hunt Seat and Western. She added competing in dressage discipline when Wesleyan joined IDA in fall 2019.
Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia is a member of IDA Region J that includes colleges from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Wesleyan is the only school in Georgia competing in IDA.
The IDA began in 1995 at Mt. Holyoke College with college and secondary schools participating in team dressage competitions. In 2003 IDA became a college-only organization providing team dressage competitions where the rider draws for the horse on which they will compete. Horses are provided by the host school, other colleges, and private owners. IDA is affiliated with USDF (United States Dressage Federation) and adheres to USEF (United States Equestrian Federation) competition rules.
Wesleyan Head Equestrian Coach Catherine Baker said, “This is amazing to have Caty qualify for Nationals in our first year of IDA competition. Caty a skilled equestrian and has qualified for post season competition in three disciplines in the two years I have been coach of the equestrian team. We had three riders competing in IDA this year and two will be going to IDA National Championships. I am extremely proud of all of our team members.”