January 2021

From Gretchen,

Happy New Year to all IEHJA members and their families. AS 2020 comes to and end and 2021 begins, all hopes are for a healthier, safer and brighter new year.

Many of you have endured uncertainty, challenges, hardships, and the problems that come with juggling family, work, and school.  Yet, with all these obstacles, you have still found time for lessons, training and even attending horse shows.  We have all been tested in one way or another and managed to rise to the occasion every time.   2020 was a voting year, and the new Board was elected and officers announced.  The Board is excited for the 2021 show season to begin.  IEHJA has already sanctioned several horseshows and there is the possibility of new venues being added to the calendar.  The Board is planning for the IEHJA show to be held in November offering medal finals and double points to members.  I would like to thank all our valued members for their support throughout 2020.  Thanks to those who managed to attend shows with all the protocols.  Thanks to the horse show managers who changed policies and managed to offer shows that complied with COVID protocols and mandates.  Thanks to the parents who managed to get their children to lessons with everything else they had to deal with, and thanks for the stables and the horses which helped all of us to stay sane.   This brings me to the topic of the awards banquet.  With COVID numbers exploding, the Board has decided against any type of banquet or get together of all the barns.  The idea of barn awards has been proposed, awards by mail, and a virtual banquet are all ideas suggested to IEHJA.  We will announce details when the Board has made a decision. Even with all the protocols, challenges, mandates, social distancing, wearing of masks, and even loss of loved ones; we keep believing that the future will be better.  People in the horse world remain resilient, strong, and keep finding ways to get through difficult times.  IEHJA is an organization committed to it’s members.   On a closing note, I would like to say how honored I am to be your IEHJA President for the next two years.  IEHJA is here for you, the members, and so am I ! Stay Safe  Stay Healthy  Stay Strong  Stay Happy  and most of all Keep Riding 

Gretchen Clark

IEHJA President